"Within a university setting, the most significant issue we face is how to plan for the future," says Elizabeth Dechert, director of Strategic Planning Services. "The future for us is not three to five years, but rather 30, 50, or even 100 years. We plan for the future, not for tomorrow. Longevity is extremely important to who we are and what we do on a regular basis.

The North Campus of the University, which has a total of five campuses, is 220 acres and supports a student body of 35,000. A $292 million (CAD) Health Research Innovation Facility (HRIF) is being constructed on the North Campus in close proximity to one of the province's major health sciences hubs with two hospitals, a blood services center, and three of the University's research faculties.

The HRIF will house biomedical research for the faculties of medicine and dentistry, agriculture, forestry, home economics, rehabilitation medicine, and physical education and recreation. The 602,779-sf, seven-story building, which will help alleviate the critical space shortage on campus, will be comprised of two buildings. HRIF East, slated for completion in the fall of 2006, will be located near the Heritage Medical Research Centre, the Zeidler Centre, and the National High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre. HRIF West, scheduled for completion in the spring of 2007, will be constructed near the University's Medical Sciences Building.

Recognizing planning as an ongoing process that begins long before design and continues into the construction phase is the first step the University takes before proceeding with any project. Such thorough planning is essential to ensure the ultimate project is in accordance with the University's long-range academic and research objectives.

"We are fortunate that our long-range development plan is considered one of the University's strategic documents and, therefore, holds sway over absolutely everything that occurs," says Dechert.

Implementing Sound Planning Principles

Strategic planning within the context of the facilities and sites is the ongoing process of supporting the University's goal to be indisputably recognized in teaching, research, and community service on both a national and international basis. The process is evident in policies at the Board of Governors' level, policies in relation to academic, research, and operational decisions, as well as the development of strategic growth plans formalized in the Long Range Development Plan (LRDP).

"These plans are the broad, large-scale principles that allow the sites and facilities to be placed in a context that underscores the University's strategic initiatives," says Dechert. "They identify and reinforce what works best in developing the excellence that we seek, while allowing flexibility to adapt to changing conditions that develop in the longer term. The LRDP is an important part of determining a context for any type of building because it lays out the issues and existing conditions within which you are going to work."

Developing the proper context involves establishing a verifiable vision to ensure that all projects, such as construction of a new building, are necessary. The best way to substantiate the vision is to create a business case detailing how the project will impact the strategic alignment of the University, including the various departments, faculty members, and long-term success of the research being conducted by the scientists. Satisfying the perceived need for additional space should not be the sole driver of a project.

The business case should include information indicating who will benefit from a new facility. Projects benefiting not only the University, but also residents of the province, are more likely to receive funding from the provincial and federal governments. Information about how the project fits into current industry trends and projections for the next seven to 10 years should also be part of the business case. The projections will determine the amount of space that will be necessary in the future based upon the trends that faculties have identified for themselves as they grow.

The planning principles, all of which are designed to achieve sustainability or longevity, focus on the key elements of flexibility and adaptability, universal design, safety and security, manageability, and connectivity. Rather than viewing the new HRIF as an isolated project, University planning officials considered how the buildings could be linked to other nearby facilities so that research space strategies work within the larger context.

Facets of a Functional Program

The University's general space program provides information about the quality and quantity of space currently available on the five campuses. The data is measured against faculty trends to determine how much space will be necessary to meet future needs of the University and its end-users. The program includes details about all departments, ranging from the researchers and teaching faculty to the administrative support staff.

"It is important in helping us develop the context within which our approving authorities can decide priority and, ultimately, agree to the approval of a new building," says Dechert.

The functional program for the HRIF started with a "bench to bedside" mission, supporting research projects that span from the pure research stage to clinical trials and eventual application at medical facilities. The functional program is important to understanding operations, who will be working in the facility, and what must be achieved within the new building.

Determining the size of the building—or what constitutes a whole building—requires an understanding of how much space the faculties will actually need, what type of work will be conducted in the facility, what type of equipment will be used, and how much money is available for the project.

"Planning for the occupants was a bit difficult because there were a lot of requirements and a lot of people asking for facilities," notes Dechert. "It's important to develop a project implementation manual very early in the planning stages to outline the roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder, explain the communications procedures, and detail the decision-making process. It is absolutely imperative that you have a good decision-making process and that you make people sign off and hold to their decisions, especially when you are dealing with medical sciences."

Having specific implementation guidelines and key decision-making milestones makes stakeholders accountable for their actions and prevents them from frequently changing their minds, which could cause project delays.

The planning parameters should always focus on the bigger picture and not just the building or its occupants. Functional relationships involving interaction and collaboration in the health sciences research and the "bench to bedside" mission are more important considerations than merely concentrating on what departments are included in the facility. Space data sheets should include details about building support, public common space, and commercialization potential, as well as those spaces associated with the occupants.

The University's strategic planning team takes a bold approach to preparing for the future. The planning process is as modular, flexible, and adaptable as the final project. When planning for the eventualities of the coming decades, guessing may be the best option for determining the amount of necessary space. Identifying the best location for a building should be based upon what is appropriate for the University's future, rather than upon the short-term requests from faculties.

"Again, plan in context with more than one building. Consider new buildings that might go up in proximity, better utilization of existing facilities, and how all of the buildings will come together," recommends Dechert.

Implementation Planning

During the pre-design stage of implementation planning, or scope definition, strategic planners review site implications, the feasibility of construction, massing models, and backfill planning. Site implications involve issues such as access and transportation, environmental concerns, and connectivity. Determining if the construction of the HRIF was possible was a primary concern due to the densely populated nature of the campus. Erecting a building on a complex site where open land is sparse entails proper planning to ensure the work can be done without infringing upon neighboring facilities.

Massing models and backfill planning are essential when determining what type of building can be located on the available land, the implications to surrounding facilities, and modifications that are necessary in light of nearby access streets. In the early stages of planning, the floor area ratio (FAR)—which is equal to the total square footage of all buildings at the development site divided by the total lot area—is a valuable tool in determining whether the planned building area will be suitably accommodated upon the land. Reviewed in the context of the LRDP that determines the campus' FAR, it will determine if the site can accommodate the proposed building at all.

Forward-thinking consideration of how the HRIF users might interact with other individuals in surrounding facilities will provide an increased level of connectivity and accessibility from building to building in this area of the campus. Developing the new building within the larger context means that the future is better served as more compatible and contiguous areas are available for re-use and adaptation for new endeavors. A universal design that provides full accessibility is also a cornerstone of the HRIF planning.

Designing Flexible, Efficient Labs

As part of the design process, planners embarked on what they called "The Challenge" to create labs that would be flexible enough to suit the users' needs in the research environment of today and tomorrow. Labs will be created on a modular grid with optimized structural layouts. The modularity will extend to support areas beyond the bench areas themselves. The plans work around the notion of PI labs to the periphery with common core labs central to the facility.

The challenge began with defining the basic principal investigators' needs in labs and core labs, which vary slightly in their needs for fume hoods, snorkel vents, sinks, gases, water, and other supplies and equipment.

"Then, we grew that initial concept to develop a discipline that would meet the adaptability needs of the future," says Dechert. "The challenge was identifying eight different scenarios all to occur within the same single module over a period of time. The key to adaptability and longevity in the lab lies in creating a strong design and implementation discipline within the systems servicing the labs."

The challenge involved adding a biosafety cabinet with an independent exhaust, two Level 10,000 cleanrooms, a radioisotope hood, extra drainage for new equipment, a gait lab with a 12-foot ceiling, BSL-3 containment requirements, and a cGMP lab.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Members of the University's planning team have learned from experience and realize the importance of thinking outside the box and being bold enough to facilitate non-traditional ways of placing groups, equipment, and research within a building in a manner that balances critical building costs and life-cycle costs (operations, as well as capital) with the long-term viability of the units.

"Assuming every space is fully adaptable is wrong," cautions Dechert. "You cannot design a building within today's limited budgets and be fully adaptable. You need to plan and ration space within the context of what you think will happen in the future. Don't design for specifics or empires within facilities because that will leave you with a building that is totally useless for the future and major headaches when you try to renovate or retrofit."

Don't be eager to estimate the size and capital costs of a facility before any specifics are available. Planners at the University were forced to provide an initial estimate for the HRIF, which suggested a cost of $133 million (CAD) and a size of 322,000 sf. Both estimates were substantially lower than the final numbers. Budget matters are now finalized only after the functional programming has been completed and the schematic design has been started.

University planners caution against rushing to complete a project, even when stakeholders are pushing for a quick completion. Land is at a premium and it is important to plan for the largest possible building. The University has established a policy that at least two shelled floors will be added to every project that is currently under way, resulting in a 20 percent increase in floor space that can be used for future needs.

"Planning is imperative all the way through the construction process, not just at the beginning," says Dechert. "Through those means, we can develop a longer-term viability for our buildings."

By Tracy Carbasho