October 21, 2026
UMB Bressler Building Exhaust System Modernization
In the Lab Design News article, "Research Building Upgrade Balances Energy Recovery and Continuous Lab Operations," RMF's Stefan L. Domby, PE, LEED AP, discusses the phased replacement of aging exhaust and heat recovery systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore's Frank S. Bressler Research Building. The article examines the engineering strategies used to maintain ventilation and building operations throughout construction while improving reliability, maintainability, energy recovery, and system redundancy.
Maintaining critical laboratory infrastructure in an occupied research facility requires more than equipment replacement. In the Lab Design News article, RMF's Stefan L. Domby, PE, LEED AP, outlines the phased modernization of the exhaust and heat recovery systems serving the University of Maryland, Baltimore's Frank S. Bressler Research Building.
Constructed in 1974 as an addition to Howard Hall, the Bressler Research Building houses research laboratories, classrooms, offices, and support spaces and is one of the university's most energy-intensive facilities. The project was driven by the need to replace an aging glycol runaround-type heat recovery and exhaust air system with a more reliable and maintainable solution capable of recovering energy from laboratory exhaust air.
The building is among the most energy-intensive on campus, and the system being replaced was an aging glycol runaround-type heat recovery and exhaust air system. The University of Maryland Baltimore wanted a more reliable and easier-to-maintain system that could reclaim as much energy as practical from the laboratory exhaust air, requiring exhaust fan redundancy and a means of maintaining these systems while increasing energy recovery reliability.
Stefan L. Domby, PE, LEED AP
Sr. Project Manager
A primary challenge of the project was keeping the building fully occupied and fully ventilated throughout construction. To support that goal, the project team implemented a phased installation strategy that maintained ventilation service while new infrastructure was installed. The replacement system includes six high-velocity rooftop exhaust fans providing a combined 465,000 CFM of exhaust capacity and the ability to recover up to 5,683,000 BTU/hr from exhaust air to precondition incoming makeup air.
The article also highlights the importance of maintainability, redundancy, and construction coordination in occupied laboratory environments. In addition to the exhaust and heat recovery upgrades, the project included replacement of heating hot water system pumps, heat exchangers, and piping. Lessons learned emphasize the value of consistent collaboration among the owner, construction team, and engineering team when executing complex infrastructure upgrades in active research facilities.
Read the full Lab Design News article here: "Research Building Upgrade Balances Energy Recovery and Continuous Lab Operations."