Vermont Forensics Laboratory

Scott + Partners was retained by HDR, a global architectural firm, to collaborate on the design of a new criminal forensics lab for the State of Vermont. The goal was to create a modern, energy efficient building to complement the adjacent historic masonry office building. The greatest challenge was to design a laboratory facility with an exterior wall cavity without insulation, providing flexibility for future expansion. The solution featured a system of spray foam exterior insulation coupled with industrial grade plastic structural members to both insulate and provide mounting capacity for the exterior wall panels and windows. This building won a “Best of the Best” award from Efficiency Vermont, recognizing innovative and integrated design approaches to energy efficiency.