THE DIRTY TRUTH
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John@BuxtonUSA.com
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There are several key trends that Lab Managers take into consideration as they plan their next generation laboratory.
One trend that makes sense for all labs, university, private company or government facility, is to strive for an Optimized Lab.
The July 2016 issue of Lab Manager magazine article, How to Plan & Design a Lab to be Best Optimized written by Marvin Kemp, Design Collective, provides an insightful perspective on how to best prepare a lab for the future.
The article’s main theme is to have all the stakeholders involved early in the process, from planning through construction.
As Pam Ahlberg of Lab Manager writes, “Planning labs with a complete team of people who are connected to the facility and its use enables designers to deliver a fully optimized facility.”
Although, it appears many labs are opting out, due to cost considerations, to obtain LEED certification, they are still adopting many of the suggestions which will help save energy, or as the cool way to say that – Go Green.
This becomes even more important when you consider that laboratories use 3 – 4x more energy than a comparable size space in a commercial building.
Another compelling trend is for labs to have more collaborative workspaces. As Robert Skolozdra, Svigalis + Partners, suggests,
“. . . design to help the culture of collaboration to flourish.”
It’s vital that designers understand the future mechanical and electrical requirements for each space, as well as the design principles related to their efficient operation.
Research spaces are often the best in the building, with lots of glass to provide natural light, plus HVAC systems designed to meet human and scientific needs. It has been noted that future labs will have much better airflow than labs from the 1980’s which have been described as having horrendous airflow conditions.
Another key consideration in the planning involves glass-washing facilities. Some new lab designs feature a centralized glass-washing, sterilization and packaging area. Other designs provide glass-washing facilities for each research group.
At Buxton we suggest that placement of your sterilizer or washer can have a substantial effect on your workflow. Make placement a priority, then we can help you develop the right sized machine with a user friendly interface and a look and feel that’s right for your laboratory.
Here is a link to the Lab Manager How to Plan & Design a Lab to be Best Optimized.
Have a happy and healthy 2017!
Regards.
John Newman
Buxton USA
