Retrofitting historic structures for new science: Vibrant, innovative environments with deep roots

Retrofitting outdated non-science buildings for modern lab use has space-saving advantages, but the challenges lie in meeting energy efficiency goals and accommodating modern equipment and research processes. Chris Leary and Kenneth Williams present case studies of two MIT conversions in Kendall Square Cambridge -- often cited as the most innovative square mile on earth -- to demonstrate the successful outcomes of vibrant, modern lab environments within outdated, restrictive structures. They detail designs, features, and adjacencies, and compare the embodied carbon preserved by a building renovation compared to the carbon emitted by the building during operations.