University of California, Irvine embarked on a new scientific transformation. The project included reengineering ground floor classrooms into a state-of-the-art transmission electron facility.  

Four imaging suites with a separate control room, equipment room and instrument room were added to the facility. The tools across these suites are the most advance of their type and successfully support the highest-performance transmission electron microscopes available today.

It is crucial to have a quiet environment when measuring extremely high-resolution imagery. To mitigate noise and vibration, we worked to design an environment that could handle ultra-sensitive procured imaging instruments. We incorporated a passive shielding system on the floors, walls and ceiling in each room to eliminate potential disruptions. This involved not just one aluminum shielding, which is the typical install, but rather two layers of steel and aluminum followed by four tin layers of Mu-metal (a nickel-iron alloy that is used for shielding electronic equipment against low-frequency magnetic fields) to acquire the desired result.  

We also physically isolated each instrument room slab from the existing building’s structure to decrease the chance of extra vibrations. Working closely with the original architect and design-builder who helped create the original structure, we fully coordinated with the existing systems.