Every science has its own lab type<\/h2>\n
“I want to understand the science first before anything else,” Erik Lustgarten, global sciences leader at Gensler, told Commercial Property Executive<\/em>. “I ask questions like: What type of technology is being developed here? What are they doing and who are they trying to impact? From there, what technology and materials do they use?\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Erik Lustgarten, Global Sciences Leader, Gensler. Image courtesy of Gensler<\/p><\/div>\n These questions set ideas in motion about what types of equipment a lab will need, helping architects understand who it impacts and how architecture can best help the scientists through their designs. It’s crucial to consider creating something that can adapt over time as their needs change\u2014essentially to not get in the scientists\u2019 way and make their jobs easier. <\/p>\n Matthew Fickett, principal at SGA Architects, highlighted one main characteristic of lab space: lab buildings and office buildings are dissimilar in general requirements. Specifically, labs typically require higher ceilings than offices, as well as different mechanical shafts and electrical services. Moreover, the needs of particular companies and users also greatly differ as some labs are affected by the light within the space, while others need hazardous material storage rooms or dedicated elevators for companies with animal control facilities.<\/p>\n The focal point of lab design starts with how people navigate that space\u2014how they deal with environmental, health and safety issues like smells and potential flammables, summed up Lustgarten. \u201cWe flip it upside down and understand the lab workers and not only solve issues of safety but also the intangibles of how people connect with each other and experience the lab,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n John Sullivan, Partner, SGA. Image courtesy of SGA<\/p><\/div>\n Expectedly, the main key driver is technology: equipment technology and automation of lab processes, connectivity through the internet, data collection and visualization. Another important aspect is connectivity through interaction among different groups in a research organization, according to Lustgarten.<\/p>\n SGA Architect Partner John Sullivan noticed a shift in the life sciences industry, which is altering the way that lab-office buildings are designed. \u201cThe old pharma model of developing large complexes devoted to R&D or manufacturing in suburban clusters has been upended by a new wave of data-driven life sciences companies who want to be located as close to the city as possible, with flexible spaces and shared amenities,\u201d Sullivan added. <\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong>: Where Are the Next Life Sciences Hubs?<\/a><\/p>\n He went on to explain that these companies are situated along what is called the “drug discovery pipeline.” Some of these firms are start-ups that need bench lab space, but others are mature companies that require a whole floor or campus. “On top of that, is the proliferation of mixed-use buildings with lab-friendly features,” Sullivan noted. <\/p>\n The real estate market adapted to these needs through offers that include perfectly designed spaces with built-in flexibility and speculative labs, to serve companies at every step along the pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n Most R&D tenants in mature life sciences markets are seeking BSL-2 lab spaces\u2014Biological Safety, Level 2\u2014which all follow a similar pattern, according to Fickett.<\/p>\n Matthew Fickett, Principal, SGA. Image courtesy of SGA<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cApproximately 60 percent are open labs, made up of standardized, flexible benches serviced from overhead or below. These can be removed and replaced with floor-standing specialty equipment or equipment on tables as needed, which is often robotic testing or batching equipment. The other 40 percent are lab support rooms, including cold rooms, microscopy suites, specialty equipment rooms for various imaging or characterization technologies, various supply and waste storage spaces, and multiple tissue-culture rooms,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Amenities hold a special place in the design of these spaces and can be a key differentiator because lab tenants are inherently health-driven, so biophilic elements like living plant walls and increased access to daylight and fresh air are important factors. Lab-space tenants will look for features that boost wellness, such as open and accessible stairways, dedicated fitness spaces and showers, healthy food options and even outdoor dining, as well as walking paths and bike storage rooms.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the dream is to truly integrate the workplace with the lab end, according to Lustgarten, and even though it is something the industry is working towards, we\u2019re not there yet. Presently, thermal comfort, heat and humidity control are a must. Good lighting\u2014the kind that is well distributed and doesn\u2019t cast shadows\u2014is also a must. The ability to adapt and be flexible is imperative and, lastly, the capacity to locate safety items as soon as a user enters a space is crucial, as is having easy and intuitive access to personal protective equipment.<\/p>\n Chad Yoshinobu, Global Sciences Leader & Global Health Sector Leader, Gensler. Image courtesy of Gensler<\/p><\/div>\n The health crisis has created a sense of urgency, not just in the search for a vaccine but in real estate development, as well. According to Sullivan, many tenants prefer to rent labs built on speculation, rather than wait for a custom space to be designed and erected. This is one of the reasons why developers often choose to build some or all the lab space at the same time as the base building, which means that they aim for maximum adaptability with modular floorplans, flexible casework and centralized services.<\/p>\n \u201cFlexibility<\/a> is driven by building grid and grid is driven by lab planning module,\u201d according to Chad Yoshinobu, global sciences leader & global health sector leader at Gensler. At the company’s NEXT lab concept in Seattle\u2019s Uptown Arts District, flexibility is tied to the building grid, and the building layout is determined by the lab bench and the vibrations in the floorplate.<\/p>\n Specifically, the lab bench is where equipment is stored, experiments take place and work is prepped. It is a key building block of any science building. The grid is flexible at 33 feet by 33 feet. \u201cThis is optimal for a lab bench layout because it allows our tenants to choose what\u2019s best for them by orienting their lab bench N-S or W-E. This grid achieved a vibration of 6,000 million instructions per second, a go-to standard for most lab buildings,\u201d explained Yoshinobu.<\/p>\n In addition, Gensler\u2019s team relocated the building’s core from the center to the side. \u201cPutting a core in the middle of a building is like putting a fireplace in the middle of your living room. It bifurcates and separates tenants. This move allows our tenants even more flexibility on their layout, without the obstruction of the building core hampering their options,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n Natural ventilation is also highly important for Gensler\u2019s NEXT lab concept, as well as outdoor spaces on every floor. Moreover, the building boasts a multitude of operable windows, which enable access to fresh air. Gensler moved the fire stairs from the building core to the perimeter, which is flooded with daylight and views, turning it into a wellness amenity\u2014no more relying on elevators. Not only was this stair the most underutilized component of the building that now turned into an attraction but with help from access control technology, this arrangement makes the stair an interconnecting one for specific tenants on multiple levels. It also eliminated the construction of costly internal stairs, reduced unnecessary construction, saved money and brought the space to market sooner.<\/p>\n In addition, spaces that promote the health and wellness of their employees and of the communities in which they are located are increasingly on tenants\u2019 radars. A Gensler survey found that one-third of science workers rank outdoor space as their most desired workplace amenity. \u201cIt\u2019s no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ it’s a ‘must-have'”, Yoshinobu said. <\/p>\n Science labs require consistent humidity and temperature, regardless of their location. Technically, labs are easier to design in more temperate climates. Lustgarten highlights that designing a lab building in the Northeast varies from designing a building in the Southeast simply because the Northeast deals with varying seasonal changes, which affect the design systems and how energy is reclaimed from the exhaust in a building. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are also issues related to the scarcity of real estate in parts of the U.S.,\u201d he added. \u201cIn urban settings, we see more density and it changes our approach. An example is a building in Philadelphia where we have emergency generators next to a rooftop penthouse on top of the building because the footprint is limited. Conversely, in San Diego or Florida, where land isn\u2019t as urban, it\u2019s more common to put an emergency generator on a concrete pad with an enclosure around it in a parking lot.\u201d There are many regional differences that are both based on the value of land and its availability in the building setting, as well as climatic factors that differ across the U.S.<\/p>\n Temperature-sensitive lab space is among the most challenging to build, irrespective of its location. For example, in an all-glass-fa\u00e7ade building, placing temperature-sensitive lab space on the south side can be problematic. This may require the installation of a precise air conditioning system that doesn’t over-cool other rooms that are far from the fa\u00e7ade, according to Fickett. “One solution is to wrap the lab in a protective layer of office space as the office can usually swing in both temperature and humidity more than the lab can and serves as a buffer between the sensitive lab and the great outdoors,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Steel and concrete remain primary construction materials in the commercial real estate industry, but mass timber in large building construction has become increasingly more popular in recent years, mainly due to its ability to significantly lower the carbon footprint of a project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe material also has an emotional appeal because it lends warmth to a building\u2019s interior. Steel and concrete must be covered with extra material to achieve the same result. We also discovered that timber is particularly suited to off-site modular construction,\u201d shared Yoshinobu.<\/p>\n In fact, behind the NEXT lab concept, there was an idea of a Lego building block and, subsequently, the NEXT kit of parts was fabricated in a factory and delivered to the site. Yoshinobu said that NEXT buildings are erected 30 percent faster and are 10 percent cheaper than conventional concrete structures. “With 85 percent fewer deliveries to the site and a 75 percent reduction in construction waste, NEXT emits 80 percent less carbon to build than a conventional concrete lab building,\u201d stated Yoshinobu.<\/p>\n READ ALSO<\/strong>: Spotlight on Arizona\u2019s Pioneering Timber Office Project<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Erik](\"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2022\/04\/EPBN_Erik-Lustgarten_01-e1649058709309.jpg?w=300\")
<\/a>Key drivers for change in lab space design<\/h2>\n
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Primary design features of lab spaces<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Flexibility is king<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/a><\/a><\/a>At the confluence of location, climate and design<\/h2>\n
Rising timber<\/h2>\n
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\nRepurposing office<\/h2>\n
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