Laboratory Design Newsletter - July/August 2016

grid. Alternatively, they can be rearranged on the grid. Lighting and utility columns also hang from the grid to bring air, gas and power to the bench. As these utility columns and lights can be moved anywhere along the grid, users are unconstrained by a linear layout. The two-dimensional plane of utilities allows for maximum flexibility. A recent project using this grid was priced at approximately a 15 percent premium over a traditional fit-out. While such cost may not be feasible for certain projects, it can successfully reduce future fit-out costs.

These five examples show the wide-ranging effects infrastructural layout can have on lab flexibility. Given flexibility’s importance in today’s labs and the fact that lab infrastructure is typically not very flexible, designers must carefully address this tension. Providing utility sources at specific point locations, along a linear spine or within a grid greatly impacts the usability of movable casework. As ventilation and lighting must be delivered from overhead, the ceiling plane must be properly coordinated with the bench configuration. A skillful design team will allow the client to understand the nuanced consequences of different infrastructural placements, and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each as the institution determines what choices will best meet their future needs.

REFERENCES

http://www.hermanmiller.com/solutions/
healthcare/applications/ laboratory.html
http://www.rdmag.com/article/2011/10/
better-times-better-labs

Lynn Petermann, AIA, LEED AP, Associate, and Jenny Ratner, LEED AP, Design, are with Payette in Boston. www.payette.com

Fig. 3: Clear zone above the bench free of utility whips.

Fig. 4: Overhead grid supports maximum layout flexibility.

Budgeting your renovation

Katherine M. Everett, PE, LEED AP SMRT Architects and Engineers

Checklists are handy tools. When budgeting the costs of a renovation project, it’s important to consider total project costs, not only project construction costs. Depending on the complexity of your renovation, some or all of the below costs may apply: