What’s Up, Doc?
If you find yourself planning a new private lab space, 9 times out of 10, it’s because you’ve got something new that you’re trying to accomplish.
So what are you trying to accomplish? Likely, it’s one of the following:
- Your process has grown or you’ve changed your scale
- You need to add a new process
- You just got funding and you’re ready to expand your lab environment
- A new space just opened up for you
There’s also the possibility that you’re working with a makeshift setup and you need something a little more professional.
The “Who”
When planning your private lab space, you’ll need to start at the very beginning. Getting back to the basics means asking yourself a couple of “personnel” questions… (see what we did there?)
Who is doing the work?
The specifics of the space will flow from the people who are using it.
- Do you have existing staff that will be transitioning into the area?
- Are you starting something new and will hire new people?
- Will you have multiple users in the same space or at the same station?
Your space planning will be informed by the personnel needs you have. Sometimes you’ll design a space with a specific person in mind, but it turns out there is another person who will be using the space and they have different ergonomic requirements.
In some labs there may be many different people who need access to equipment, workstations, sinks, storage, etc… The space needs to accommodate all personnel who will be working in the environment.
Space Planning
Now we get to the nitty gritty. Planning the actual space itself.
Start With What You Know
The best place to start is with your current space. You’re currently working in this space, so you’re aware of what’s working and what isn’t. Use that knowledge to make better decisions about your new space.
Build on what you have now. It’s easy to make the space calculation based on your current limitations. Do you need twice what you have now? Do you need 10 times what you have now? Are you aware of inefficiencies that may allow you to reduce your footprint?
Let your current space be the foundation for your new one.
Staying Flexible
Flexibility is one of those things you just can’t escape in lab design discussions. There are always new buzzwords, but the basic concept remains a constant. The reason everyone is constantly talking about it is because it is so important to the modern lab.
Here are some ways to guide your flexibility decisions.
- How long will you be performing this specific testing? If the answer is 3 months, then you need to be looking at the next projects and understanding how you’ll need to adapt over time. If this answer is 10 years, it’s less important to bring significant flexibility into the space.
- Are you relocating your current lab environment? It’s important to know that your new space is going to behave differently. Air flow, temperatures, lighting, etc… Ask yourself, what are the current pain points in my lab? What is inconvenient for me to do now? Ask you lab staff to share what works and what doesn’t. This will dramatically improve the quality of your new space.
Real Estate
This is likely the most common thing you think of when considering a new lab build. What are your space and storage requirements?
To understand your real estate needs, consider the following:
- How many users will be working in the lab? How many of those users will need counter space? Do you currently have lab staff that are cramped or doubling up on workstations? Now is the time to ensure everyone has the space they need.
- What is your storage to knee-space ratio? Will most of your lab staff be standing? Will they be sitting? Do they have stools or chairs? How much underbench storage do you need and how many people need to work at the benches?
- How much overhead storage do you need? This one is very important. It’s a basic rule of human behavior that the more space you have, the more stuff you’ll put there. Overbench storage is the number one contributor to lab clutter. It requires discipline to minimize your overhead storage, but your lab workers will thank you and their productivity and satisfaction will increase. Critically think about what you NEED to store and plan for storage to accommodate just that.
What Are Your Goals?
When space planning, it’s essential to “keep your eye on the tiger,” so to speak. The “tiger” in this scenario being the reason you’re building a new lab. What’s the purpose? What are you trying to accomplish?
Again, use your current space to guide you here.
- Do you want more light? How is your current space lighting? Do you get complaints from staff because they can’t see to do their work? Is there a window that faces the wrong direction and somebody gets blinded every afternoon at 3:30?
- Do you need more visibility? Is it difficult for your staff to work together because they can’t see anything past all the shelves? Do you have too many separate rooms and need more open or larger rooms?
Planning Adjacencies
This can really trip up a lab process when entering a new space. You’ve just moved into your new space and the lab is up and running. 4 hours into the first day you suddenly realize that machine X really did need to be next to machine Y and now you’re going to be adding 20 minutes to a process because you didn’t think about adjacencies.
Ask yourself a couple questions:
Equipment:
- What equipment MUST be next to each other? What processes demand that equipment be in close proximity?
- What equipment can be separated? What processes should be separated? Would certain workflows benefits by being on separate sides of the room?
Services
- What services does my current equipment share? You may have a piece of equipment that is $100,000. It would be great if this equipment could be adjacent to Process X. However, Process Y and Process Z also need access to it and it’s too expensive to buy multiple pieces of equipment.
- Where do my wash stations HAVE to be? it would be nice if everyone had their own wash station, but wash stations are expensive and they take up a lot of real-estate so they’re not flexible.
INDOT Lab Case Study
We built a lab for INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation). Our input was able to help them avoid some pitfalls and build the optimal lab for their needs.
They had a specific process that was setup in the corner of their former space and they wanted to separate it. We asked them how many times they had to move between the two fume hoods and they realized that it was going to cause a problem. Those fume hoods had to be together to ensure the best environment possible.
Environment
- What are the dynamics in your lab that will require special handling? Chemicals are the #1 issue in a lab from a handling perspective. Toxic chemicals can hurt you, noxious chemicals are unpleasant to be around. How are you ventilating your environment?
- What kind of heat dissipation do you need? Ovens and lab equipment can often generate heat that needs to be handled by room air circulation or ventilations systems.
- Do you have any special equipment needs? What sort of power requirements will your equipment have? Do you have outlets in the right places? Do you have the right circuit counts and robust enough infrastructure?
- Do you have any specialty gas requirements? Specialty gasses like Argon gas will need to have specific housing and delivery systems. If you have any explosive gasses, those will need explosion proof housing.
Regulation Changes:
Understanding regulatory requirements is essential for making a smooth transition to your new space. Or perhaps regulations are the very reason you’re making the change. Either way, regulations are an important part of lab planning.
There are several ways that regulations could affect your lab space. You could have a process that is a “benchtop” process, but suddenly a regulation changes and now it has to be contained in a stand-alone piece of equipment.
You might have been doing something with localized exhaust like a snorkel, but a regulation change says that it needs a fume hood now.
The Most Important Part
At the end of the day, the most important part of planning a lab is one thing: maximizing your investment.
Your two biggest goals are the end up with the most functional space built-in and to create a flexible lab that can carry you into the future. These two elements will ensure that you get the biggest bang for your buck.