Converting a 100-Year Old Biological Campus Facility into a State-of-the-Art Laboratory

Laura Clary, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, iDesign Solutions, LLC
George Isherwood, PE, Peter Basso Associates

Thesis: This presentation will focus on the Case Study of a major pharmaceutical company, the transformation of its rural 340-acre biological campus and the sustainable design solutions needed to create a state-of-the art testing and development laboratory. Our speakers will beg the question, can the owners and their design team provide a sustainable result from the renovation of an existing building that had undergone a series of additions and renovations throughout its 100+ year lifespan, or is it more sustainable to build a new facility that is specifically designed for its current end-use? Through budget/cost analysis, flexible & innovative design solutions, and careful consideration of the human factor –our presenters will explore these two avenues.

Topics:

  • For any project, budget is top priority and the deciding factor when it comes to comparing cost versus a return on investment. We will weigh the financial benefits of renovating the existing building versus building a new facility. Our resulting decision may surprise you, and will provide a glimpse into frequently overlooked advantages of sustainable design.
  • Flexible and modular lab design is sustainable by nature. Co-joined structures created a 'torte cake'- like layering of spaces that presented many challenges to the design team. Overall the existing building was capable of accommodating the program's square footage; however load-bearing masonry¬ severely limited the ability to create modular open labs. We will discuss our solution to this potential roadblock.
  • How do you provide state of the art, sustainable laboratories without adversely affecting the campus history where breakthrough medicines such as the polio vaccine were first produced? The impact of change has a major effect on owners and operators at a site's rich in community pride and history. The human aspect of this project was a delicate matter, which we will further explore.

Conclusion: Planning for a sustainably-designed laboratory ‘new vs. retrofit' requires careful consideration. Throughout the design process energy and equipment analysis is conducted to find value in a solution. Sustainability doesn't stop at new materials - it extends to business operations, flexibility, modularity and careful consideration for mechanical, electrical and plumbing design to ensure optimal energy and water conservation. Through this JHP Pharmaceuticals Case Study, our team will present a case for new vs. retrofit as well as the final outcome.

Biographies:

Laura Clary is an architect with a national reputation as an expert in the design of scientific facilities and is currently an architectural technical reviewer for the National Institute of Health. She has authored and contributed to numerous books and articles including 'The Lab of the Future' published in 2004. In 2005, she founded the firm iDesign Solutions which has grown to include work across 26 states and who's client list includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Nuclear Security Administration, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Henry Ford Health System, St. John's Health System, Nestle' Nutrition, JHP Pharmaceuticals and several Universities.

George Isherwood is a Vice President with Peter Basso Associates who has led many mechanical engineering projects for the Healthcare and Laboratory market sectors. George is experienced in both new and renovated laboratory-related facilities including cardiac catheterization labs, bio-medical research areas, clean rooms, humidity controlled areas, hazardous gas areas and teaching/research laboratories. As a lecturer, he has discussed laboratory design at the January 1997, June 1998, and June 2004 ASHRAE conferences and has delivered presentations on the US Pharmacopoeia 797standard regulating sterile compounding.

 

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