Minimizing Laboratory Operating Costs in a Challenging Economy

Ross Ferries, AIA, Smith Carter Architects and Engineers

Biocontainment laboratories have become necessary infrastructures of our global landscape so that we (the world) can align initiatives, strategies, and standards to effectively safeguard against epidemiological threats.

Economically, all nations are not created equal; our partners in developing countries have significantly greater challenges when building and operating these facilities.

Laboratories present a unique challenge to balance the requirements for biological safety, which can lead to space and energy intensive solutions with the need to reduce building and operating costs through efficient and sustainable design.

The objective of this poster presentation is to describe the water, energy, and operational cost saving strategies employed for the design of a large biosafety level (BSL)-2 and BSL-3 diagnostics laboratory in Mexico City and how these strategies can be applicable to projects elsewhere.

Taking into account the complexity of systems, health and safety requirements, long-term flexibility and adaptability needs, energy-use intensity, and environmental impacts, the typical laboratory is about five times as energy intensive as a typical office building. Operating budgets in developing economies are fundamentally non-existent; if strategies are not found to ensure minimal building and operating costs, necessary projects may not be built or worse, may be built but remain underutilized or completely unused due to lack of operating funds.

A seven story, 100,000-square-foot (sq. ft.) laboratory incorporating space for diagnostic work on multiple bacterial and viral diseases, along with animal and insect holding facilities, and a patient clinic will be referenced to explore strategies for reducing operating cost. Concepts ranging from reducing building area, minimizing mechanical heating, or cooling loads, to limiting areas requiring emergency power will be illustrated. The presentation will also describe strategies for zoning and segregation of critical spaces and services to allow for partial shut downs to minimize operating costs when facility use is not at full capacity.

The presentation will illustrate the principles of a collaborative design approach to the integration of clear-cut, sustainable ideas. Content of the presentation will address these strategies in the context of overall site development, water conservation, and energy conservation.

Biography:

Ross Ferries, with a Masters of Architecture, is a research and diagnostic laboratory designer. He has worked on the design of laboratory facilities for national clients such as National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), along with facilities for educational institutions.

He has also been involved in the design of facilities for international clients such as the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in the United Kingdom, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in India, and is currently working on the Institute of Diagnostic and Reference Laboratories (InDRE) in Mexico. He has recently completed work on the design of two BSL-3 agricultural facilities for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) in Mexico City.