Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Sugarcane Lab/Office Building construction. Construction includes a new Lab/Office Building for conducting sugarcane research, a new parking lot, a new covered walkway between the Lab/Office Building and the existing Headhouse (Option 1), a new enclosed walkway between the second floor of the Lab Office Building to the existing Headhouse, sidewalks, and a flagpole. A new generator, new chillers and new boilers are included. The facility will require Commissioning of the new equipment and systems installed in the new facility and/or providing services to the new facility. Scope will include:
Earthwork is required for foundation work and to grade the site. The Lab/Office Building will be supported on a 10” thick reinforced concrete slab, which is supported on pile caps, grade beams and wood piles.
Lighting, paving, and striping of the parking lots. Plus, sidewalks and a flagpole. The building’s first floor will consist of an Entry Lobby, Offices, Conference Rooms Storage Rooms, a Break Room, Rest Rooms and Laboratories with Support Rooms. A BSL-2 Lab shall include a biosafety cabinet with a thimble connection and will be used to study plant pathogens and prevent the spread of these pathogens. The building’s partial second floor will consist of a Mechanical Penthouse, Electrical Room, Communication Room and a Storage Room, plus a walkway connecting to the existing Head House. An exterior staircase from grade to the Penthouse. Mechanical scope will include 2 new air handlers, exhaust fans, hydronic heating, 2 new boilers and two new chillers. Two existing boilers are being replaced with two larger boilers to feed the Headhouse, greenhouses and the Lab/Office building. One boiler must remain operational during the installation, unless the boiler replacement is done in the summer months when no heat is needed.
Domestic hot and cold water, natural gas, sanitary systems for waste, roof drain system, emergency safety showers/eye washes will be included. A new site diesel generator with a belly tank will be installed and wired as part of this project, replacing the existing site generator. A load bank is not required The generator will be supported on piles. Room signs with room name/and number are required on all Lab/Office rooms. A Security and Access Control System with cameras and card readers will tie into the site system.
