Sudden Influx of Square Footage Enables Unique Planning Effort
When the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) elected to construct a 330,000-sf genetic medicine building with a 44,000-cage vivarium--a massive increase over the University's capacity of 28,000 cages, spread among 13 separate facilities--the school was faced with a unique opportunity. Since it would take years to occupy all of the space, the enormous boost in capacity would provide the abundant "swing space" needed to enable modernization of existing animal facilities and conversion of obsolete facilities to other uses.

Efficient Design Limits Animal Movement
Vivariums exist for a reason: Research animals must not be exposed to outside contaminants, and the outside world must be protected from allergens and infections the animals may carry. Researchers, however, like to work in their own labs, so they are tempted to move their animals around the building, exposing both their co-workers and the animals. One solution is to design a vivarium that includes the varied facilities researchers may need, eliminating their need to transport the animals.