New Life for Existing Laboratory Casework
Kevin Chriswell, AIA, CUH2A
Laboratory casework represents an expensive investment
for science and technology facilities. Unfortunately, the current
pace of emerging technology often makes many laboratories obsolete
mere years after their completion. The reuse, restoration, and
reconfiguration of existing casework during laboratory renovations
and modifications of a facility can significantly lessen both the
amount of money spent and the environmental impact as well.
This poster will focus on a new research facility for a confidential
client that is replacing an existing facility on the same site.
The poster will show how nearly all of the existing casework within
the existing facility was salvaged and inventoried for reuse.
This study will begin by sorting the existing casework inventory
into three categories: casework to be used in the new replacement
facility; casework that was donated to local educational facilities;
and casework that will be warehoused for future use. The study will
then quantify the economic savings realized by the owner, as well
as the savings in energy and raw materials that would have been
required to manufacture, package, and transport new casework to
the site. This poster will show how much landfill waste is diverted by using
salvaged casework, along with the reduction of packaging associated
with new casework.
The reconfiguration of the existing casework within the new facility
will be shown, and also demonstrated will be the provision of flexibility
for future laboratory reconfiguration and adaptability through the
use of a system that allows for relatively easy removal and replacement
of casework. The poster will present the way in which much of the casework
has been fitted into modular mobile frames, with overhead service
carriers, for the ultimate in future flexibility and reduced obsoleteness.
Finally, the poster will show examples of the salvaged casework that has
been donated to local educational facilities.
From this poster, planners, designers, and facility owners will
learn how to maximize the investment in a facility by reducing laboratory
casework obsolesce and creating sustainable laboratory casework
through reuse and reconfiguration.
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