This, of course, runs counter to how many architects and engineers work today.
Similarly, labs in office buildings can result in additional occupancy types (‘purpose groups’ in the UK) and will therefore drive the need for additional fire compartments.. Possible solutions could include storing materials or siting labs on ground or lower floors, local gas generation (to reduce peak volumes), detection, shut-off and alarm systems, local extract or natural ventilation, and it may be necessary to divide labs up into smaller compartments to keep hazardous material quantities below acceptable limits.In the UK it can also be useful to appoint a specialist Approved Inspector rather than go through the Local Authority Building Control.
This will often accelerate the project, which is particularly important in the life science industry, and they will be more familiar with labs and specialist standards that can be more forgiving (e.g.Of course, there are a wide range of other health, safety, and environmental regulations to incorporate, as well as the possibility of insurance or employer standards and recommendations that can, for example, dictate sprinklers even when this isn’t a legal necessity.. 9.Façades & finishes..
Existing office façades and finishes may be unsuitable for more stringent lab conditions.. For most office to lab conversions façades will simply require locking of openable windows and general making good.However, for Containment Level 3 (or BSL3) labs and above, cleanrooms, environments requiring exceptionally tight tolerances, and other more onerous requirements, façades can be quite problematic.
Airtightness is a particular challenge that can make a perfectly adequate office facade ill-suited for lab use, or may result in suppliers unwilling to guarantee lab performance, or disputes during commissioning.
In such cases, rather than re-clad the building (which defeats most of the point of a conversion) a possible solution is a ‘box in a box’ lab fit-out, though this will be more expensive and will reduce net usable space..Often called pre-project, this could be a time for exploration, broad thinking, analysis and imagination, however often it’s a time for reductive thinking.
I have been in design meetings at these early stages where discussions are happening about what might be on the first, second or third floor of a building.This is before the requirement for a building, let alone a building of a number of stories, has been established.
Although, there is a good chance some sort of building will be required, the speed with which the teams grasp onto the physical and the detail is astounding.In tandem with the physicalisation of a building is the push to attach a capital cost to this now crystalised construction.
(Editor: Stackable Drones)