Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory
- New Iberia, Louisiana
Technical Hurdles: Associated Design Group, Inc. (ADG Engineering) provided complete mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering services for the 40,400-square-foot Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory in New Iberia, Louisiana. The highly specialized forensic facility required building systems specifically engineered around DNA analysis, chemistry and firearms examination, evidence processing, NIBIN operations, vehicle examination, and ballistic testing. A primary technical challenge was maintaining precise airflow and pressure relationships to control contamination while supporting occupant comfort and laboratory operations. The design incorporated variable-volume airflow controls, room pressure monitoring, specialized laboratory exhaust, HEPA filtration, redundant equipment, critical power systems, and tunable-white LED lighting.
Logistical Constraints: The laboratory's numerous specialized systems had to operate simultaneously without compromising one another. Separate exhaust systems serve the chemistry/firearms, DNA, and firing-range areas, with N+1 redundancy incorporated into critical exhaust systems. The firing range required a dedicated ventilation system designed to control ballistic residue and direct it away from occupants' breathing zones. Electrical infrastructure included a double-redundant UPS system and a diesel emergency generator with 72 hours of fuel capacity. Extensive coordination was required because changes to airflow, exhaust, controls, power, and laboratory equipment could directly affect other systems.
Client Satisfaction & Benefits: The Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory provides the region with a reliable, adaptable environment specifically designed to support advanced forensic science. ADG's integrated engineering approach helps maintain the environmental conditions, pressure relationships, power reliability, and specialized infrastructure necessary for accurate laboratory operations and evidence protection. The result is a state-of-the-art facility serving eight Louisiana parishes while providing personnel with a safe, controllable, and highly reliable working environment.
Advanced Technology: The design combines variable-frequency drives, variable-air-volume systems, N+1 exhaust fan redundancy, redundant cooling equipment, room pressure monitoring, HEPA filtration, and a dedicated building automation system. Three 180-ton air-cooled chillers provide 540 tons of installed nominal cooling capacity, while the firing range utilizes a dedicated 9,000-CFM air-handling unit with a 12-inch MERV 17 HEPA filter. A standalone BAS integrates HVAC, laboratory airflow controls, exhaust systems, pumps, chillers, boilers, and alarms, allowing facility personnel to actively monitor and manage the building's complex systems.
