LABORATORY MODULES

One of most critical goals of facility programming is defining the laboratory module. According to Greg Lattig, senior principal/architect with The Clark Enersen Partners, the ideal lab module is an average of 11-foot by 30-foot—depending on discipline. “Optimum module size depends on how many students are in an instructional lab, how much bench space they each need, and how much space the researcher needs. We’ve found that an ideal module is between 10 and 12 feet wide, and between 24 and 36 feet long,” he says. For research, an ideal amount of bench space is eight linear feet, excluding equipment and hood space. The target for instructional laboratories is a minimum of four linear feet. Lattig cautions against downsizing modules in order to cut size and cost. “Downsizing the bench module is a trick that is commonly used to bring a project back to budget, but this can be problematic. Say you start out with a module that is 30 foot by 11 foot and cut it down to a 30 by 10 module. You’ve just saved nine percent. But the reality is that you haven’t spared any casework. All you’ve done is cut the floor space down and moved the casework together. You’re not reducing the number of lights or the amount of required air flow and mechanical. So you have to be careful about making the module smaller because you’re not really saving as much as you think,” says Lattig. (Image courtesy of The Clark Enersen Partners.)

NET-TO-GROSS RATIOS

When calculating net-to-gross square foot ratios, it is important to distinguish between administrative offices, instructional research labs, and support spaces. The total net square foot for the South Dakota State University chemistry department was 50,497 sf. Office and administrative areas averaged 61 percent net-to-gross ratios. Instructional labs were 51 percent, and research labs are even lower at 49.5 percent due to a higher number of fume hoods, which require more mechanical support space. “The most common error in estimating the cost of a science building is incorrectly assuming the net-to-gross ratios. You have to start out with a reasonable expectation of what the net-to-gross is or you’re going to be over budget when you get to the reality of putting a floor plan together,” says Lattig. According to Lattig, a net-to-gross ratio of approximately 55 percent is a good target, depending on space application. (Image courtesy of The Clark Enersen Partners.)

FUME HOODS

A common lab design question is: what is the average cost of a fume hood? The Clark Enersen Partners conducted an analysis of five different fume hood configurations in order to determine the first cost and overall cost per fume hood, from both an architectural and mechanical standpoint. The firm discovered that first costs are approximately $41,700 per fume hood ($8,800 in architectural costs, $32,900 in mechanical costs). From a 30-year life cycle standpoint, the cost-per-fume-hood was found to be approximately $24,300 for energy costs and $32,700 for maintenance costs. (Image courtesy of The Clark Enersen Partners.)