Laboratory Design Guide

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The American Institute of Architects
Center for Advanced Technology Facilities Design
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TECHNPLOGfC^kCHALLENGE
Designing a state-of-the-art biomedical

research laboratory can be a daunting
task for any design professional. Understanding the special requirements of the
researcher in the facility is just the first
step.You need to also be knowledgeable
in materials handling, isolation units, special equipment stabilization, hazardous
waste disposal, biocontainment areas,
positive air flows, security issues, multilevel governmental regulations, and hightech support systems.The list goes on
and on. Where do you start?
Guidelines for Planning and Design of
Biomedical Research Laboratory Facilities
provides the introductory starting point
you need to understand the special design
needs and requirements of biomedical
research laboratories.The information presented here is an easy way to grasp the
basic elements, relationships, and special
considerations of this complicated and
technically challenging design area.
The initial basis for Guidelines for Planning
and Design of Biomedical Research
Laboratory Facilities was a set of design
guidelines for biomedical research facilities originally developed by the National
Institutes of Health.This material has
been revised and augmented with a wide
array of knowledge pulled together by a
multidisciplinary task group of experts.
The result is a comprehensive set of
design guidelines that are not specific to
any one type of public or private sector
biomedical research. Instead, you will find
the material applicable to most biomedical research facilities in any setting.
These Guidelines for Planning and Design
of Biomedical Research Laboratory Facilities
help you to meet the unique design
challenges posed by this rewarding and
fast-paced field.
G U I D E L I N E S
FOR
PL A N N I N G
AND
o F
IBIOMEDICAU
(RESEARCH
LABORATORY
iFACILITIES
Center for Advanced Technology Facilities Design

1735 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.20006
Compilation 1999 by The American Institute of Architects
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States
ISBN 1-87904-95-3
Todd Phillips, PhD, AIA - Director, Center for Advanced Technology Facilities Design
Cover design by Max Brinkmann
Layout and type by EEI Communications
Printed by Balmar Services, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
vii
viii
xi
A PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

.
A.l Laboratory Activities
A.2 Laboratory Planning Objectives
A.3 Quality of Life
A.3.1 Noise
A.3.2 Wayfmding
A.3.3 Artwork
A.3.4 Other Amenities
A.4 General Laboratory Planning Parameters
A.4.1 Planning Modules
A.4.2 Zoning of the Laboratory Building
A.4.3 Security
A.4.4 Loading Docks
A.5 Distribution of Services to the Laboratory Module
A.5.1 Ceiling and Shaft Distribution
A.5.2 Multiple Internal Shafts
A.5.3 Multiple Exterior Shafts
A.5.4 Service Corridors
A.5.5 Interstitial Space
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SPACE DESCRIPTIONS
B.l Laboratories
B.2 Wet Laboratories
B.2.1 Biochemistry/Pathology
B.2.2 Molecular Biology
B.2.3 Cell Biology
B.2.4 Organic Chemistry
B.2.5 Physical Chemistry
B.3 Dry Laboratories
B.3.1 Electrophysiology/Biophysics
B.3.2 Electron Microscope
B.3.3 Laser
B.3.4 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
B.3.5 X-Ray Crystallography...
B.3.6 Mass Spectrometry (MS)
B.4 Laboratory Support
B.4.1 Autoclave Room
B.4.2 Glasswash
B.4.3 Constant Temperature Rooms

B.4.4 Computer Mainframe/Server Area
B.4.5 Darkroom
B.4.6 Freestanding Equipment Areas
B.4.7 Bench Lab Support
B.4.8 Radioisotope Laboratory
B.4.9 Standard Ice Support Room
B.4.10 General Storage Room
B.4.11 Tissue Culture
B.4.12 Biotech Room
B.4.13 PCR Clean Room
B.4.14 Chemical and Flammable Liquid Storage
B.5 Offices and Shared Use Areas
B.5.1 Offices
B.5.2 Work Areas
B.5.3 Collaboration Areas
B.5.4 Break Rooms
B.5.5 Personal Effects Storage
B.6 Building Operational Areas
B.6.1 Materials Management
B.6.2 Shipping and Receiving Area
B.6.3 Materials Handling
B.6.4 Movement of Laboratory Animals
B.6.5 Circulation
DESIGN CRITERIA
C.l Equivalent Linear Measurement (ELM)
C.2 Area Allowances
C.3 The Laboratory Module
C.4 Laboratory Furniture and Equipment
C.4.1 Casework
C.4.2 Chemical Fume Hoods and Biological Safety Cabinets
C.4.3 Equipment
C.5 Architectural Finishes and Materials
C.5.1 Floors
C.5.2 Walls
C.5.3 Ceilings
C.5.4 Windows and Window Treatment
C.5.5 Doors
C.6 Structural
C.6.1 Vibration
C.6.2 Module/Bay Size
C.6.3 Floor Slab Depressions
C.6.4 Equipment Pathway
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C.7 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

C.7.1 Energy Conservation
C.7.2 Systems Economic Analysis
C.7.3 Outdoor Design Conditions
C.7.4 Indoor Design Conditions
C.7.5 Air Quality
C.7.6 Air Distribution
C.7.7 Relative Pressurization
C.7.8 Air Balance
C.7.9 Ventilation Rates
C.7.10 Heating and Cooling Load Calculations
C.7.11 Laboratory Equipment Cooling Loads
C.8 Plumbing
C.9 Electrical
C.9.1 Normal Power
C.9.2 Standby Power
C.9.3 Lighting
C.9.4 Monitoring
C.9.5 Telecommunications/LAN
C.9.6 Grounding System
CIO General Health and Safety
C.10.1 Fume Hoods
C.10.2 Biological Safety Cabinets
C.10.3 Vacuum Systems
C.10.4 Emergency Shower/Eyewash Equipment
C.10.5 Physical Hazards
C. 10.6 Electrical
C. 10.7 Flammables
C.10.8 Gas Cylinders
C.10.9 Waste Storage
C.ll Biological Hazard Safety
C.ll.l Background
C.11.2 Biological Safety Level 1
C.12 Radiation Safety
C.12.1 Specific Areas of Concern
C.12.2 Radioactive Waste Storage and Staging
C.12.3 Laboratory Design
C.12.4 Radioactive Liquid and Airborne Effluent
Discharges
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C.12.5 Building Vacuum Systems

C.12.6 Irradiators Utilized in Medical Research
C.12.7 Radiation-Producing Equipment
C.12.8 Non-Ionizing Radiation
C.12.9 Clearance for Renovation/Remodeling
C.13 Fire Safety/Fire Protection
C.14 Environmental Management
C.14.1 Background
C.14.2 Hazardous Construction Materials
C.14.3 Hazardous Substances Storage
C.14.4 Hazardous Waste Storage and Handling
C.14.5 Bulk Storage Facilities
C. 14.6 Wastewater
C.14.7 Solid Waste
Index
APPENDIX A. VIBRATION CRITERIA FOR USE IN PLANNING
NEW FACILITIES
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A-l
PREFACE
This document is the first publication by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) of
material developed to assist with the tasks of planning and designing biomedical research laboratories. The decision to develop the document was based on the recognition that biomedical research is rapidly becoming more complex and far reaching, and
that facilities designed to support work in the life sciences must themselves be correspondingly more sophisticated to meet research requirements today and tomorrow.
The original basis for this document was the set of design guidelines for biomedical
research facilities that was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The
NIH material has been amended by a multidisciplinary task group charged with creating a more broadly generic and updated set of guidelines that are not specific to one
type of public or private sector biomedical research. These guidelines should therefore be viewed as an introductory point of entry into a complicated subject. It is anticipated that this first edition will be steadily expanded and refined in an open, public
review and comment process conducted at periodic intervals in the future.
vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been privileged to work with a
multidisciplinary task group of distinguished and dedicated experts involved in biomedical research laboratory facilities as researchers, facilities designers, and constructors, representatives of professional organizations and public agencies.
These experts were convened as a formal task group and they devoted many hours of
concentrated work during 1997-98 to represent the latest and best thinking about biomedical research from the viewpoints of their respective fields. Their deliberations
began with a thorough review of earlier guidelines that were developed specifically for
the National Institues of Health (NIH), and that the NIH generously made available to
the AIA in a modified form as a starting point for this document. The process benefited
further from the thoughts of numerous others, including Mr. Robert Guy, AIA, of Earl
Walls Associates, and Mr. Lloyd Siegel, FAIA, Director of the Facilities Quality Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C. Every effort was made to craft
guidelines language that expressed a balanced and broad-based consensus.
Executive Committee
Frank Battistello
Branch Chief
Research Facilities Branch
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
Janet Baum, AIA
Principal
Health Education +
Research Associates, Inc.
St. Louis, MO
William R. Brader, PE
Principal
Kling Lindquist
Philadelphia, PA
Alfred Ferruggiaro
Senior Industrial Hygienist and
Acting Chief
Technical Assistance Section,
Division of Safety
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
viii
Daniel L. Hightower, RA
Associate Director
Management Control and Policy Office
Division of Engineering Services
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Todd S. Phillips, Ph.D., AIA
Director
Center for Advanced Technology
Facilities Design
American Institute of Architects
Washington, DC
P. Richard Rittelmann, FAIA
Executive Vice President
Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates
Butler, PA
Task Group Members

Stephen Campbell
Interim Director
Facilities and Real Estate
Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
James Mulshine, MD
Head
Intervention Section
Medicine Branch
Rockville, MD
Charles Coulter, Ph.D.

Director
Research Facilities
Improvement Program, NCRR
Bethesda, MD
John Pallas
Manager of Engineering
Frederick Cancer Research
Development Center
Frederick, MD
Fernand Dahan, FAIA

Senior Architect
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C.
Michael Kiley, Ph.D.
Biological Safety Officer
National Program Staff
Architectural Research Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Beltsville, MD
Clyde Messerly
Architect, Project Officer
Division of Facilities Planning & Safety
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Rockville, MD
Leo A. Phelan
Director
Standards Service
Office of Facilities Management
Department of Veterans Affairs
Washington, DC
David Westreich
Vice President
Gilbane Building Company
Laurel, MD
Joseph J. Wisnewski, FAIA
Wisnewski Blair & Associates
Alexandria, VA
Special thanks are due to Daniel L. Hightower, RA, of the NIH for his initiative in
making it possible for the AIA to work in concert with NIH experts and others to
undertake the development of this document. The initial task of converting NIH guidelines material into a basic manuscript that could serve as the starting point for this
document was conducted by the following key persons at the NIH:
Frank Battistello
Terry Christensen, PE
Charles Coulter, Ph.D.
Rassa Davoodpour
Alfred Ferruggiaro, CIH
Ricardo Herring, AIA
Daniel Hightower, RA
Jean Khoshbin, RA
Thomas Ligis
Dr. Farhad Memarzadah, PE
James Mulshine, MD
John Pavlides, PE
Judit Quasney, RA
Cyrena Simons
Thanks are owed as well to the many persons who are responsible for the NIH Design
Policy and GuidelinesResearch Laboratories:
Dave Berry
Joseph M. Bladen
Charles E. Blumberg, FIIDA
Martin D. Borenstein
Nancy Boyd
Benjamin Buck, PE
Christine M. Campbell, PE
James Carscadden, PE
Dr. Alan L. Chedester
Terry L. Christensen, PE
Rassa Davoodpour
Mehryar Ebrahimi, PE
David H. Epley, PE
Alfred J. Ferruggiaro, CIH
Shawn Googins
Paul Hawver
Ricardo C. Herring, AIA
John K. Hollingsworth
Herbert B. Jacobi
Frankie R. Kelly
Jean Khoshbin, RA
Byung Kim
Louis Klepitch
Frank M. Kutlak, RA
Dr. RandolfLarsen
James S. Lewis, PE
Thomas Ligis
Kristy Long, RA
Johnny Madlangbayan
Athanasia Mantzouranis, PE
Phillip Marcus
John McCabe, PE
Dr. Farhad Memarzadeh, PE
Mark F.Miller
Rand M. Mortimer
Nga Nguyen
Albert Parrish
Arvind Patel
Daryl E. Paunil, PE
John Pavlides, PE
Edward A. Pfister
Leon F. Pheder, PE
Judit A. Quasney, RA
Solange Rangel, RA
Shahriar Saleh
Donald A. Sebastian, RA
Cyrena G. Simons
William Strine
Peter W. Sweeney
Dr. James F. Taylor
Esmail Torkashvan, PE.
Gary Zackowitz, RA
INTRODUCTION
General
The puipose of this document is to provide information to the design and research
communities on the planning and design of biomedical research laboratories. These
guidelines reflect the judgment of a multidisciplinary group of experts in research
laboratory design and operation. They encompass the majority of current best practices today, but they are neither universal solutions nor detailed enough to answer
every question that may arise in the course of a specific planning and design project.
It is not the intent of this document to specify construction techniques, to prescribe
facilities quality or cost criteria, or to serve as code requirements. The intent instead is
to identify issues and approaches that deserve careful thought when undertaking biomedical research facilities projects. Such facilities are complex and require these special and specific design considerations.
As highly changeable environments, biomedical research laboratories and their support spaces must be flexible and able to readily accommodate a wide range of current
and future requirements and hazards. To achieve satisfactory results from the planning
and design, it is important that the project owner supply for each project a functional
program for the facility that describes the purpose of the project, the projected demand
or utilization, staffing patterns, departmental relationships, space requirements, and
other basic information relating to fulfillment of the organization's objectives. This
program may include a description of each function or service; the operational space
required for each function; the number of staff or other occupants of the various spaces;
the equipment required in each space; the numbers, types, and areas (in net square
meters) of all spaces; the special design features; the systems of operation; and the
interrelationships of various functions and spaces.
The functional program should also include a description of those services necessary
for the complete operation of the facility, and it should address future expansion of
essential services that may be needed to accommodate increased demand for technological change. The approved functional program shall be made available for use by
all members of the design team in the development of project design and construction
documents.
A total "environmental approach," including attention to site, structure, massing, circulation, visual harmony, open areas, existing conditions, and construction logistics, as
well as operational sustainability, is the most effective strategy when planning biomedical research facilities. A design approach that responds to these specific issues will
serve to create a product that is functional, aesthetic, flexible, and reliable. Design professionals must consider all these criteria to meet the needs that are identified by users,
dictated by functional relationships, and imposed by specific existing conditions.
xi
It is extremely important to recognize that the end users (researchers, facility managers, administrators, etc.) are integral parts of this process, and their involvement is
essential to the project success from the outset. The most effective method by which
to integrate scientific, administrative, and facility requirements is through a "partnership" interaction whereby design professionals and end users share a clearly defined
goal. Accomplishing such a shared vision through the entire design, construction, and
operations process ensures the operational functionality, sustainability, and reliability
of these sophisticated facilities.
A hazard assessment must be conducted for each investigative and research function.
The assessment becomes a critical determining factor in design and throughout the
full life cycle of the facility. A main purpose of these guidelines is to assist in the
design of "safe space" to support research.
In response to this purpose, all laboratories are assumed in design to contain chemical,
radiological, and biological hazards, since all of these scientific activities may occur
within the space during its life cycle. Containment devices and researcher procedures
are used in concert with the facility to manage these hazards. Architectural and engineering features are also essential to maintain proper safety for workers and visitors.
Every research facility shall provide and maintain a safe environment for personnel
and the public. When chemical fume hoods are required, even to handle small quantities of hazardous material, then the laboratory space must have air pressure negative in
relation to adjacent egress and circulation corridors. In addition, the exhaust system
requires redundancy to establish reliable containment. Radioisotopes, usually used
only in trace amounts, must be secured and shielded. Biohazards are assumed to be at
Biosafety Level 2.
Provisions for Disasters

In locations where there is a recognized potential for hurricanes, tornadoes, severe
thunderstorms, flooding, blizzards, earthquakes, or other natural disasters, planning
and design shall consider the need to protect the life safety of all facility occupants and
the potential need for continuing facilities operations following such a disaster. For
those facilities that must remain operational in the aftermath of a disaster, special
design is required to protect systems and essential building services such as power,
water, laboratory gas systems and, in certain areas, air conditioning. In addition, special consideration must be given to the likelihood of temporary loss of externally supplied power, gas, water, and communications.
Codes and Standards

Research facility projects are subject to the regulations of several different authorities
at the local, state, and federal levels. Individual project requirements should be verified as appropriate. Should requirements be conflicting or contradictory, the authority
xii
having primary responsibility for resolution should be consulted as early in the design
process as possible.
These guidelines assume that the design professionals who are selected for biomedical research facilities projects are knowledgeable about the attributes of these facilities. It is the design professionals' responsibility to comply with established codes,
regulations, and current practices. These guidelines do not relieve design professionals of such responsibilities. Rather, they are intended to supplement the design process
by offering consolidated practical knowledge and experience based on commonly accepted operational sustainability and safety practices. By incorporating such knowledge, greater consistency,flexibility,reliability, and safety within biomedical research
facilities can be achieved.
Facilities shall be designed to meet the requirements of applicable building codes,
including the most current editions of the following:
BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators) National Building

Code
ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials) Uniform Building
Code
NEHRP (National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program) Provisions
SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International) Standard Building Code
Insofar as practical, these guidelines have been established to obtain a desired performance result. Limitations, when given, such as dimensions or quantities, describe a
condition that is commonly recognized as a practical standard for normal operation.
In all cases where specific limits are described, equivalent solutions will be acceptable
if the authority having jurisdiction approves them. Nothing in this document shall be
construed as restricting innovations that provide an equivalent level of performance
with these guidelines in a manner other than that which is prescribed by this document, provided that no other safety element or system is compromised in order to
establish equivalency.
Metric standards of measurement are the norm for most international commerce and
are being used increasingly in the United States. Where measurements are a part of
this document, "hard" metric units are given as the basic standard, with "hard" English units in parentheses. It should be noted that these units are not usually arithmetically equivalent.
Various codes and standards have been referenced in whole or in part in sections of
this document. Care must be taken to use current editions of the applicable codes and
standards as accepted by the regulating authorities.
xiii
PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
a.
The intent of these guidelines is to provide the designer with information that
will yield state-of-the-art biomedical research facilities either by constructing new
facilities or by renovating older facilities to meet ever-changing biomedical research
needs. It is essential that the end users of the research laboratory be involved during
the programming and design stages to meet the various specific needs of the laboratory occupants. The following goals and objectives define the recommended considerations necessary to maintain proper functionality of the facility as well as good
productivity of the end user. For specific requirements see section C, Design Criteria.
b.
In planning and designing laboratory facilities, the designer needs to fully
analyze and understand the unique organizational and operating culture of the client,
including spatial relationships, flexibility, efficiency, security, and other requirements.
What works for one client is not necessarily applicable to all clients. Client organizational and operational cultures will vary widely; thus, the laboratory space diagrams
provided in this document must be considered in that light.
A.1 Laboratory Activities

a.
The primary activities to be performed in the laboratories will be
scientific research and/or experimentation.
b.
The research in biomedical laboratories consists of systematic studies and investigations in the field of biomedicine. Biomedicine is a broad
field of science that includes biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. The
experimentation conducted in the laboratories is a process or action undertaken to discover something not yet known or to demonstrate something
known. It is also an action or a process designed to find out whether something is effective, workable, valid, etc.
c.
The laboratories should provide space for the actual experimentation, electronic monitoring and calibration, general laboratory support functions, information processing and retrieval, specimen and equipment storage, scientific notation and recording. Laboratories should be adaptable and
capable of supporting a wide range of science.
d.
The secondary activities performed in the laboratories are administrative and informal interaction. Space should be provided to house administrative activities such as office space for the laboratory chiefs and their
secretarial and support staff. Areas should be provided to encourage interaction activities and philosophical exchange of ideas between scientists. The
interaction areas could be refreshment or break areas, copy centers, stairwells, landings, etc.
Planning Goals and Objectives 1
'',
e.
Where possible, laboratory staff shall be provided with low bench
desk space that is physically separated from the laboratory bench. This work
space shall be outside yet could be adjoining the laboratory. The reasons for
separating the office work space from the lab are to remove the occupant
from any potential hazards within the lab, to facilitate compliance with good
laboratory practice, and to realize possible cost reductions. In doing so, however, it is important to provide for a good visual connection into the lab.
A.2 Laboratory Planning Objectives

a.
Modular Space Planning: Modules should be organized in a manner that allows space to be easily configured. Space should be carefully organized on a modular basis free of closed-in stairwells, chases, shafts, shear
walls, elevators, and all other obstructions, save regularly spaced structural
columns.
b.
Laboratory Support Space: The ratio of laboratory support spaces
to research laboratories shall be adequate to eliminate the need to locate
equipment in nonlaboratory functional areas. Consideration shall be given
to locating noise, heat, and vibration-producing equipment in laboratory
support spaces adjacent to the research laboratory. These may be dedicated
or shared spaces, open alcoves, or securable rooms as required. They may
also be on the same planning module as the laboratory.
c.
Flexibility: It is important that laboratory space and utility services
be designed for flexibility so they can be readily adapted to accommodate
future changes in research protocols. Laboratories require an enormous
amount of capital to construct, and they should not be rendered functionally
obsolete due to minor changes in technology or research priorities. It is important that the laboratory have the ability to change without affecting adjacent research activities.
d.
Capability: The laboratory must be capable of providing all the utility services necessary for the scientists to conduct their research. It is equally
important that provisions be made for future utility services to accommodate unanticipated demands brought about through improvements in technology or through changes in research protocols. Flexibility and capability
can be said to "go hand in hand."
Consideration should be given to providing reserve capacity in the primary
building utility systems to accommodate necessary levels of reliability as
well as future growth and change. Standby capability should be provided to
support research, safety, and functions. Capacity should be designed into the
building systems to allow researchers flexibility to add equipment and in-
Planning Goals and Objectives
strumentation as required to meet ever-changing needs without compromising laboratory health and safety.
e.
Expansion: In the context of master planning, future expansion is
an important consideration in laboratory facilities. State-of-the-art research
institutions must be designed to accommodate expansion. Establishing a
framework for building systems that can be easily expanded and be consistent with the local master plan is essential.
Quality of Life
Quality of life in laboratories is a major concern of the occupants. Researchers stated in a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health, Division of Engineering Services, that views to the outdoors, both from their
laboratories and offices, are highly desirable. The laboratory should be designed for people, providing them with a pleasant work environment that
leads to increased productivity. Introduction of natural light into laboratories, giving researchers some visual relief, is an important element in creating a comfortable work environment. Adequate work space, color, a coordinated and well-organized layout, and attractive casework are some of the
design features that will enhance the quality of life. The use of visually interesting features such as natural material, art work, etc., and amenities such
as exercise facilities, bank teller machines, etc., that can help to attract and
retain scientific staff is highly desirable.
a.
Natural Light and Visual Relief: Introduction of natural light into
laboratories by allowing researchers the opportunity for visual relief is an
important element in creating a comfortable work environment. This presents design challenges with significant planning and functional implications in large, multifloor facilities.
Where possible, and unless in conflict with functional requirements, laboratories should be located in such as way as to optimize natural day lighting.
Laboratories utilizing photographic and optical diagnostic techniques must
have blackout capability. Natural light is less important in laboratory support areas because occupancy is more intermittent than in the labs.
b.
Lighting: Laboratory research requires high-quality lighting for close
work, both in terms of brightness and uniformity. Fixtures should be positioned to provide shadow-free illumination of the laboratory work bench.
Consideration should be given to control of glare, brightness contrast ratios,
accurate color rendition, and task lighting at the bench.
c.
Interaction Areas: These should be dedicated, neutral spaces specifically designed to encourage staff to encounter one another and promote
healthy interaction. These spaces should be designed to attract researchers

out of their labs and offices from time to time for encounters with colleagues.
Experience shows that proximity to coffee stations, toilet rooms, main corridors, mailboxes, and break rooms makes interaction areas most successful.
d.
Efficiency: Efficiency is a key element in the success of a laboratory
facility. The designer should carefully consider circulation of personnel,
animals, supplies, and waste as well as functional relationships. These elements are very critical to efficient operation of the laboratory facility.
A.3.1
Noise
Noise is a critical factor in determining the quality of the work
environment. Noise levels in laboratories are difficult to control
because room finishes are often non-sound absorbent. Equipment
such as chemical fume hoods, centrifuges, and vacuum pumps
contributes to the high noise levels within the laboratory. Consideration should be given to minimizing the total impact of noisy
equipment or other noise generators. Planning should isolate
noise-sensitive areas from noise sources wherever possible.
A.3.2
Wayfinding
Graphics and signage will help employees and visitors find their
way through a laboratory building. Directional graphics/signage
shall be functional and integrated with the architecture of the
building.
A.3.3
Artwork
Artwork should be not only in the form of photographs, paintings, etc. It could be designed by using different forms of lighting, color, texture, and materials.
A.3.4
Other Amenities
Consideration during the programming and planning stages should
be given to the inclusion of other amenities such as cafeterias,
lounges, bank machines, credit unions, shower and locker facilities, and child care.
General Laboratory Planning Parameters

A.4.1
Planning Modules
a.
Many researchers have special laboratory design requirements. One of the initial goals in the design of a laboratory is to
establish an idealized common space denominator capable of
meeting the required variety of research needs while also allowing circulation, service, structural, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP), partition, and laboratory casework systems to be provided as required. The laboratory module is the basic conceptual
facility design building block that provides regularity and repetitiveness of area and services for the building. It must be carefully organized on a modular basis and, to the maximum extent
possible, be free of interruptions such as stairwells, chases, shafts,
shear walls, elevators, and other obstructions.
b.
The planning module must be properly sized so that larger
units can be created by assembling a number of modules. This
permits the rational creation of space and allows, to the extent
possible, the standardization of MEP systems' design and accessibility. Laboratory buildings are usually designed based on a
planning module that is regular and repetitive, such as the unit
shown in Diagram No. 1. These typical modules are shown only
for the purpose of illustrating a modular approach and are not
universally applicable. The identification of modules for both
laboratory and nonlaboratory support functions allows the rational creation and organization of spaces to accommodate the wide
variety of laboratory and support spaces typically found in these
facilities.
X
1/3 MODULE
(
X
SINGLE
MODULE
213 MODULE
Diagram No. 1
c.
The building's structural system, whether existing or new,
must relate to the planning module. Structural columns should
be considered in the module design to minimize impact on function and beams designed to interface with MEP distribution systems. The structural system, in concert with other building systems, should be designed to maximize the building efficiency
given existing conditions and the needs of research. Because of
the sensitive research functions and equipment typically found
in these facilities, laboratory building designs generally include
considerations for the control of vibrations. This topic is discussed
further in the appendix to these guidelines.
A.4.2
Zoning of the Laboratory Building

a.
In addition to the considerations described previously
in this section, there are a number of other demonstrated trends
that require a response from the planned zoning of a laboratory
building.
b.
The accelerating use of automated instrumentation in laboratories is having a profound impact on the way research is performed and research facilities are designed. Dedicated instrumentation and robotics areas, typically found with support areas and
adjacent to laboratory spaces, have become common. The increased need for this space type has required, in some instances,
the creation of a separate zone for these types of support spaces.
This increase in automation has also resulted, in some cases, in a
shift in researcher time associated with data review and analysis
from the laboratory to the office workstation. This shift has implications for the quality-of-life aspects of these spaces, especially with regard to external views and daylight.
c.
"Laboratory Neighborhoods" is a relatively new approach
to the zoning and planning of a laboratory building that brings
together in a single space all of the resources that the researcher
uses on a daily basis. Laboratory neighborhoods include not just
laboratories and lab support but also office and office support
areas, supplies, and shared equipment and instrumentation. Laboratory neighborhoods are expected to promote greater productivity, eliminate the need for expensive duplicate laboratory support space, and instill a sense of scientific community. They typically are composed of 30 to 60 researchers, including 6 to 8 principal investigators, plus postdoctoral fellows and lab assistants,
together with various required support functions. They are clearly
organized with multiple cross corridors or laboratories for ease

of movement. In some cases these laboratories are organized into
large single "megalabs" within code requirements in order to further promote team research and communications.
d.
After analysis of the building program to establish planning modules, desired adjacencies, and required systems, planning zones are diagrammatically established to identify relationships between laboratory, workspace, support and office zones,
and connecting corridors. These diagrammatic approaches must
be responsive to the current and future building program, site
constraints, user requirements, flexibility/adaptability criteria, and
budgetary constraints. Diagrams Nos. 2 through 9 identify some
typical alternative approaches to laboratory buildings.
yji_w
7s
BORATORlEi
'r
SUPP\>RT
SUPPORT %
SUPPORTJ/p
SUPPORT A
SUPPORT
Tzffimm.
Diagram No. 2
Support very conveniently located relative to laboratories
Very adaptable to partial interstitial space over support areas
Limited office area will work for some institutions but not
others
Fixed relationship of support to laboratory will somewhat limit
future flexibility
LABOR\TORIE^
llENT stORAGd
SERVICE
>IAE CORRIDOR
CORF&I
/
\LABORhoRIEd
Diagram No. 3
Excellent laboratory/support space relationship
Service corridor can run on either side of support area and can serve as
equipment storage area and provide a second exit from all laboratories
Offices can be on separate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)
system and enjoy perimeter wall
Labs sacrifice some natural light because of comdor
Excellent future flexibility
J-U
55
\LABOR\TORIES\
SUPPORT
V.ABOR\TORIES\
Diagram No. 4
Corridor separation of laboratory and support increases flexibility

Offices conveniently separate. Near laboratories but on separate HVAC
system
All laboratories and offices enjoy perimeter wall
Excellent potential for sharing equipment
\*F
JffC
LABORATORIES^
| ty////M/#//y//y//y//}///y//zm |
\
SUPPORT
2.
SUPPORT
JMBon/jrofflesj
i
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Diagram No. 5
Offices and laboratories enjoy perimeter wall
Support space can be utilized for laboratories if desired
Offices conveniently separate from laboratories
Offices can be on separate HVAC system
Corridor would probably have to be a service corridor as well as an access
corridor
]LABOR\TORIE^
i
T
SUPPORT % SUPfORT
mMm.
t*
i | -1
jA
SUffORT )0 SUPPORT]
$ I & i
w/XsKm
FAICES
Diagram No. 6
Support between offices and laboratories
Support central to and well distributed through laboratories
Offices can be on separate HVAC system
Excessive corridor reduces floor efficiency
Typical of teaching institutions. Students can visit offices without entering
laboratory area
Entry to and exit from laboratories somewhat restricted
1
j
! 1
LABOR,
ircw/ESJ.
j
OFFICES
OFFICE
f Y///A
1
OFFICES
///yy//MW//W)y//A
SUP >ORT
1
i
sc
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OFfjfCES
i
i
1
j
1
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V//YA
1
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i .
1 1
i
Diagram No. 7
Very simple layout
Offices embedded in layout, which makes them expensive
Laboratories and support areas somewhat remote from each other
Offices have no natural light
Laboratories difficult to enter and exit
Used for research laboratories in teaching institutions
Reasonably efficient for large floorplate
Most often used in retrofit for buildings with a narrow floorplate
i
M l
i i
Diagram No. 8
Excellent laboratory/support relationship
Offices spread throughout plan, which makes them expensive
Efficient for a large floorplate but inefficient for a small floorplate
Can be difficult to enter/exit laboratories
Excellent for "laboratory neighborhoods" concept
Diagram No. 9
Excellent access to and exit from all spaces

Offices enjoy perimeter wall and distribution around laboratories
Offices too spread out to be on separate HVAC system, which makes them
expensive
Racetrack corridor system creates slightly inefficient floorplan
Common for corporate research facilities
Support somewhat remote from some laboratories
Laboratories lack natural light
A.4.3
Security
Laboratory buildings are typically occupied 24 hours per day, and access by
visitors and employees must be delineated and controlled to minimize disruption and maintain security of operations. Zones of security within the
building, at the loading dock, and at dedicated building systems will also be
generally required. Electronic security such as card access and closed-circuit
television may be planned for the facility.
A.4.4
Loading Docks
Locations and numbers of loading docks must be based on an operations

concept for the specific facility. The quantity and types of materials that will
be received and discharged, the need for security, quality control functions,
accessibility for vehicles of multiple sizes, temporary storage and staging,
recycling, pest management, waste disposal, materials storage, and staff
marshaling are key issues to address. A storage area for gas cylinders adjacent to the loading dock, and in an area of minimal activity and easy access,
should also be considered.
Distribution of Services to the Laboratory

Module
In order to function properly, laboratories require the services of many utilities. The choice of desiOgn and locations of the utility distribution systems(s)
is a product of utility function, cost effectiveness and ease of access for
maintenance, additional future services, and remodeling during the life of
the laboratory.
a.
Systems Access, Organized and Integrated Right-of-Way: Ease
of maintenance, repair, and change mandates readily accessible spaces and
systems to minimize costly and time-consuming disruption of ongoing research activities. Ease of accessibility should be integrated into the building
planning concept and fully coordinated with other major mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and communication systems. These services may run overhead in the circulation corridor or in interstitial space, allowing laboratories
to change without increasing or upgrading capacity or location of central
infrastructure systems. All utilities should be carefully organized into specific zones, both horizontally and vertically, to provide a uniform distribution of services to each lab module and for maximum flexibility.
b.
Connection of Utilities to Laboratory Modules: Laboratory services must be distributed to each individual laboratory module, and the connection point of each service should be in a uniform position relative to the
module. The connection point should be detailed to provide simple extension into the laboratory without disruption of adjacent modules. Changes
would be primarily to terminal systems, i.e., piping and power connections
to apparatus and equipment within the space.
c.
Structural Systems: The building's structural system relates to the
planning module. Major structural columns shall not intrude into laboratory
space, and beams shall be located to minimize any impact with MEP systems. The structural system and column grid shall be designed to maximize
the building's efficiency and meet vibration requirements. Refer to section
C, Design Criteria, for specific requirements.
The structural systems selected for laboratory buildings should allow flexibility to add floor penetrations and shifting of major live loads at any future
time. The typical range for anticipated live loads is from 600 to 750 kg/m2
(125 to 150 pounds per square foot).
d.
Alternate Distribution Systems: There are several ways to distribute utilities in laboratory buildings, such as ceiling and shaft distribution,
multiple internal shafts to modules, multiple exterior shafts to modules, ser-
vice corridor and interstitial space. These diagrams are merely examples of
typical layouts.
A.5.1
Ceiling and Shaft Distribution

In this system, vertical distribution of utility service is via vertical shafts, and horizontal distribution is through ceiling space to
the laboratories. (See Diagram No. 10.)
Advantage
This system is comparatively economical
Disadvantages
Extensive ceiling cavity space is needed

Ceilings must be removable for access
Laboratories below the module may be disturbed during renovation or maintenance
"V^
^r
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
Diagram No. 10
A.5.2
Multiple Internal Shafts
In this system, vertical distribution of utility service is via smaller vertical

shafts, and horizontal distribution is through the ceiling space of a much
smaller area to the laboratory work area or directly to laboratory casework.
(See Diagram No. 11.)
13
Advantages
Relatively short horizontal runs are necessary that require smaller ducts or
pipes
Access to shutoff valves is more convenient and less disruptive than when
located in ceilings
Requires minimal floor-to-floor height in new facilities
Suitable for alterations to existing facilities with low floor-to-floor heights
Disadvantages
The shafts constitute multiple obstructions

Future service additions are awkward
The planning efficiency is decreased and the grossing factor is increased
Wet walls are available only at the shaft spaces
Diagram No. 11
A.5.3
Multiple Exterior Shafts

Distribution via multiple exterior shafts is similar to that with
multiple interior shafts. (See Diagram No. 12.)
Advantages
Relatively shorter horizontal runs are necessary that require

smaller ducts and pipes
Access to shutoff valves is more convenient and less disruptive than when located in ceilings
In new facilities, a minimal floor-to-floor height is required
14 Planning Goals and Objectives
It is suitable for alteration to existing facilities with low

floor-to-floor heights
It is suitable for renovations when the introduction of new internal shafts is difficult
Disadvantages
It is difficult to add utilities
Multiple shafts decrease the planning efficiency and raise the
grossing factor
The exterior appearance of the building is strongly influenced
Access for servicing is limited to the common wall between
shaft and building
Piped services are subject to temperature differentials, so insulation of the shaft may be required
Flexibility of planning for future laboratory configurations may
be reduced
Reduces potential window area
L-"WAFT^-J
L-sIS^^-J
L-^-^F?-^
LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY
LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY
\g^^SHAFT"<J
\e^SH4FT*--J
W-"SHAFT^-^-J
Diagram No. 12
Service Corridors
In this system, laboratory spaces adjoin an accessible and occupiable service corridor that houses horizontal utility spaces above
head height and distributes horizontally into the laboratories via
the ceiling or directly to the lab bench through the wall of the
service corridor. Vertical shafts from mechanical equipment
spaces are required at strategic locations. The service corridor
should be a minimum of 1,500 mm (5' 0") in width, plus any
utility and storage areas. (See Diagram No. 13.)
>
Advantages
Continuous access for maintenance is available through the

service corridor without entering research spaces
Shutoff valves and electric panels are easily accessible
Special zones in service corridors could house equipment that
is objectionable in the lab environment due to heat, moisture,
noise, and other products
Disadvantages
The planning efficiency is decreased and the grossing factor is

increased
Building flexibility is limited
If the service corridor cannot be made suitable for personnel
circulation or egress, the plan will require additional circulation space
It is more difficult to provide natural light into the laboratory,
unless there is only one double-load service corridor per floor
During emergencies (chemical spills, smoke and fire situations,
etc.), it is almost impossible to perform a thorough cleanup
due to inevitable storage in the service corridor. The width of
the service corridor has a great impact on emergency response;
the wider the corridor, the more material will accumulate there.
i l l l l l p
///
LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY V %
<yy
LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY
Y/y~~^
i 1I I I 1 J
Diagram No. 13
A.5.5
Interstitial Space
Interstitial space is essentially an unobstructed open area with
structural columns placed where they favorably relate to the planning module. Horizontal distribution of utility systems is housed
in an accessible space above the ceiling plane. The services drop
vertically from the interstitial space into the laboratory. Vertical
shafts at the perimeter or in a central core connect the interstitial
space with the entire building. Interstitial space should be carefully designed in zones. The vertical zones consist of the following: structural zone, branch distribution zone (for utilities that
are distributed through the floor, such as waste lines), main distribution zone, branch distribution zone (for utilities that are distributed through the ceiling), and lateral distribution zone. The
horizontal distribution zones consist of the following: electrical/
communications zone, air supply zone, exhaust zone, plumbing
zone, and access zone. (See Diagram No. 14.)
Advantages
The labs enjoy unobstructed floor plan and enhanced adaptability of space
Minimum disruption occurs in the lab during routine maintenance and alterations
Service is available from above or below at any point on the
planning module
The system is generally cost effective over the life of the building
Construction time can be reduced
Allows flexibility in faster, less costly upgrading of laboratories
Disadvantages
The volume of the building increases

The space requires additional structure for decks or catwalks
17
STRUCTURAL BAY
STRUCTURAL
MECHANICAL
LIGHT FIXTURE
RESEARCH
AREA
LAB MODULE
Diagram No. 14
(This diagram represents only one of many approaches to the design of
interstitial space.)
SPACE DESCRIPTIONS
Laboratories
a.
Laboratory buildings may be designed with generic laboratory space
whereby the future users would adapt the generic laboratory to suit their
requirements by placing equipment and work zones according to their individual needs. Generic laboratory design could be used to accommodate a
variety of biomedical research. With minor adaptations and well-designed
support space, research such as virology, immunology, physiology, cell biology, and clinical research could be accomplished in generic laboratories.
b.
Biomedical laboratories in general are classified as wet or dry. A wet
laboratory requires working with solutions utilizing benches, sinks, etc., with
fully piped services. A dry laboratory involves working with electronics and
large instruments with few piped services; however, more special electrical
services may be required than in wet labs.
c.
Other general laboratory considerations are as follows:

Locate fume hoods and biosafety cabinets (BSCs) away from the
primary exit
Locate desks away from lab traffic and circulation
Provide secondary exits in larger open laboratory spaces
Recess doors and swing in direction of egress
Ensure that windows are fixed
Provide independent temperature control for each single lab module and a
pressure-independent terminal unit for supply and exhaust duct connections
Keep all terminal units and associated control dampers and actuators outside the laboratory space
Locate containment devices so as not to block egress, entrap, or pose safety
hazards to occupant
Provide a sink, emergency eyewash fountain, and deluge safety shower
where chemicals are used
Provide chemical storage cabinet (user specific) andflammableliquid storage cabinet
Wet Laboratories
Wet laboratories house functions that include working with solutions and
utilize benches, sinks, and chemical fume hoods. Generally, a wet lab is
fitted out with a full range of services: purified water, potable water, lab cold
Space Descriptions
19
and hot water, lab waste/vents, carbon dioxide (C0 2 ), vacuum, compressed
air, eyewash, safety showers, natural gas, telephone, local area network
(LAN), and power.
B.2.1
Biochemistry/Pathology
Equipment generally includes a large number of refrigerators and
freezers (-20C (-4F), -70C (-94F), and -135C (-211F)), and
a large number of centrifuges. Access to chemical fume hoods,
BSCs, and cold rooms is generally required.
B.2.2
Molecular Biology
Equipment generally includes refrigerators and freezers (-20C
(-4F), -70C (-94F)), and bottled liquid nitrogen) and centrifuges. Access to chemical fume hoods, BSCs, bacteriological
incubators, shakers, and darkroom is generally required.
B.2.3
One 120V outlet per 600 mm is required. Dry and liquid chemical and waste storage with radioactive shielding may be required
Cell Biology
Equipment includes refrigerators and freezers. Access to BSCs
with high/low C0 2 incubators, autoclave, cold room, and bottled
liquid nitrogen is required.
B.2.4
Organic Chemistry
A chemical fume hood for each investigator is highly desirable.
Cleanup sinks and acid-resistant waste piping are required.
Areas for storage and distribution of gas cylinders easily accessible to the laboratory through a central or manifolded system
are required.
Standby electric power for critical HVAC systems and containment equipment shall be provided
Piped services may include steam and other gases
Provision should be made for storage and distribution of cylinder gases within the laboratory or from outside the laboratory
Corrosion-resistant waste piping and materials for laboratory
furnishings should be used
Flammable liquid storage is required
Space Descriptions
B.2.5
Physical Chemistry
The quantity and range of services and electrical power distinguish chemistry laboratories. Due to instrumentation, heavy structural loading and high ceiling clearance may be required.
Services may include cooling water, steam, nitrogen, other

gases, and high-pressure compressed air
Space should be provided for large equipment with special electric and HVAC requirements
Vibration control may be required
Dry Laboratories
Dry laboratories involve work with electronics and large instruments with few
piped services. These laboratories are analytical laboratories that utilize and house
sophisticated equipment: highly calibrated electronic apparatus in spaces that
require accurate temperature and humidity control, stable structure and vibration control, shielded space, clean power, andfilteredchilled water. These laboratories do not require extensive piped services and built-in casework. Floor
loading and ceiling heights are also a consideration. Access must be planned for
routine maintenance, repair, or calibration of equipment.
B.3.1
Electrophysiology/Biophysics
Laboratories require a large number of electronic racks and very
little fixed bench space.
B.3.2
Services may include nitrogen, other gases, and high-pressure

compressed air
Electric power may require isolation transformers for clean
power and special grounding
Electron Microscope
Electron microscope suites may include imaging, a darkroom, a
print darkroom, a graphics layout room, and a sample preparation area with a chemical fume hood. A stable, vibration-free
structure is required. Use of vibration-damping tables, variable
room lighting, and humidity control may also be required.
Note: Air distribution around the microscope column is critical
to equipment performance. Laminar air flow is preferred; other
methods may be used as long as air is not directed toward the
column.
Space Descriptions
21
B.3.3
Cooling water supply and return for equipment may be required

Low-impedance clean ground power supply to microscope
should be provided
High-voltage electric services may be needed
Laser
The laser suites must be isolated from vibration and be light-tight,
with a sample preparation space and chemical fume hood. Filtered chilled water for lasers and heavy floor loads are also a
consideration. Specialty gases may be needed.
B.3.4
High-voltage electric services may be needed
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The MRI suites may include cold rooms, computer work areas,
storage for gas cylinders, and a sample preparation space. Access and clearance, both vertical and horizontal, around the MRI
must be carefully planned for both equipment requirements and
delivery. Electromagnetic fields must also be considered.
B.3.5
Logistics of equipment assembly, installation, and weight shall

be evaluated. Analysis of existing building structure and elevator capability is required
Specialized exhaust venting should be considered
Electrical filters are required on all electrical conductors, including data that penetrate shield. Filters are usually supplied
with shield
Safe clearances around the electromagnetic fields should be
maintained within the room
X-Ray Crystallography
The X-ray crystallography suites must be isolated from vibration
and have light, temperature, and humidity controls. A darkroom,
computer graphic/modeling rooms, a purification and crystal
growing room, tape storage, and computer work areas may be
required for these laboratories.
22
Cooling water supply and return to specialty equipment may

be required
Space Descriptions
B.3.6
Electrical low impedance and clean ground should be provided

Vibration isolation may be required
Mass Spectrometry (MS)

The mass spectrometry suites must be isolated from vibration.
Computers and data collection workstations may be located adjacent to the major mass spectrometry equipment. Heavy structural loads are major considerations for MS laboratories.
Point-of-use exhaust over equipment may be required.
Note that a sample preparation area is required that may require
a small fume hood. Also note that cylinder storage is required for
pure specialty gases and should be located in close proximity.
Consideration should also be given to any associated vacuum
pumps or chillers dependent on the selected equipment. Noise
associated with the equipment also needs to be addressed.
Cooling water supply and return to specialty equipment may
be required
Clean electrical ground should be provided. Stray magnetic
fields may affect equipment performance
Stray magnetic fields may affect mass-specified equipment performance
High noise levels are generated in these labs
Noise reduction and isolation methods should be provided
wherever possible
Local exhaust at equipment may be required
B.4
Laboratory Support
Laboratory support space should be on the same planning module as the
laboratory. It shall provide for activities that are not housed directly in the
laboratory but are critical to the efficient operation of the laboratory. This
space is often shared by multiple laboratories. Such areas include autoclave
rooms, constant-temperature rooms, cold rooms, computer rooms, darkrooms,
developing rooms, equipment areas, glasswash, bench support, radioactive
work areas, storage, and tissue culture laboratories.
B.4.1
Autoclave Room
a.
An autoclave is an industrial appliance that uses pressurized steam to sterilize laboratory instruments, glassware, other
Space Descriptions
23
hard materials, and infectious waste. The autoclave area requires

overhead exhaust, floor drains, electricity, hot/cold water, steam,
HVAC, and drain, waste, and vent (DWV). All finishes must be
moisture resistant. Doors to the room must accommodate large
equipment sizes.
b.
Unlike the autoclaves in Biosafety 1 and Biosafety 2 areas, Biosafety 3 and Biosafety 4 autoclaves are designed as a
through-wall industrial appliance with double-doored entry and
exit located in a controlled area isolated from other areas of the
building.
B.4.2
Wet exhaust ductwork shall be provided for canopy hoods

Ethylene oxide sterilizer (EtO) requires gas safety monitoring
alarms
Glasswash
The glasswash provides space for glasswashing, drying appliances, and carts, and has counters on legs, a sink, and overhead
exhaust. All areas in the room shall be thoroughly caulked and
sealed, and have a fixed ceiling, epoxy floors, and cleanable walls
to withstand moisture and prevent pest infestation. Space must
be provided for staging clean and dirty glassware. Utilities include HVAC with supplemental cooling, electricity, cold water,
purified water, DWV, vacuum, telecommunications, and equipment alarm system.
B.4.3
Sound attenuation shall be provided in partitions

Wet exhaust ductwork shall be provided for canopy hoods over
equipment and/or washer doors to remove heat and steam when
equipment is in use
Weather-proof ground fault interrupter electric outlets shall be
provided
Constant Temperature Rooms

A cold room is an environmentally controlled prefabricated unit
usually operated at 4C (39F). Rooms at other than 4C (39F)
are sometimes required. The room has stainless steel counters on
legs, wire shelves, and a sink. Utilities include electricity, vacuum,
and mechanical ventilation and filtered water. Cold rooms shall
be lockable, and all mechanical components shall be accessible
and serviceable from outside the room. A high- and
low-temperature alarm system may be connected to the central
24
Space Descriptions
equipment alarm. Cold rooms that are used for storage only do
not have sinks and require minimal air changes compared with
cold labs.
A warm room is an environmentally controlled prefabricated unit
used for growing cultures at a constant temperature. The warm
room has counters, wire shelves, and sink. Electricity, HVAC,
filtered water, plumbing, and vacuum are required.
B.4.4
Cold room condenser shall be located in a serviceable location without disruption of cold room internal functions
Alarm temperature sensor shall be provided within room
Weather-proof electric outlets and lighting fixtures shall be
provided
Computer Mainframe/Server Area

This area supports computer mainframes, servers, or processors.
Access flooring may be required. HVAC, electricity, special
power, standby power, uninterruptable power, and telecommunications/LAN systems will be required. Supplemental cooling may
also be required.
B.4.5
Darkroom
This area will have casework, counters, work tables, and sink.
All doors, walls, ceilings, and penetrations must be light-tight.
Utilities include HVAC, electricity, hot/cold and chilled water,
DWV, compressed air, gas, vacuum, spot exhaust, telecommunications, and purified water. Requirements for compressed air, gas,
silver recovery system, and vacuum shall be verified during programming. Darkroom-in-use indicators must be provided outside of this space.
B.4.6
Darkrooms may be required for autoradiography, fluorescence

microscopy, and other instruments requiring a dark environment
Water, special electric services, and direct exhaust should be
provided for photographic processors used for X-ray and standard film and photo developing
Provide silver recovery unit and neutralizer for processor drain
Freestanding Equipment Areas

Freestanding equipment areas will provide space for shared equipment that may have high heat loads, such as large freezers (-70C)
Space Descriptions
25
(_94F), ultra-centrifuges, high-speed centrifuges, etc. Utilities

include HVAC with supplemental cooling, electric, cold water,
DWV, vacuum, telecommunications, and equipment alarm system.
B.4.7
Bench Lab Support

High-bench lab support rooms provide space for common or specialized equipment such as DNA sequencers and synthesizers,
spectrophotometers, isotope counters, etc. Low-bench lab support rooms provide shared space for microscopes and other
low-bench work. Benchwork can be fixed, modular, or movable
consistent with functional usage. These rooms will have a sink,
eyewash, emergency shower, and high benches. In addition to
the standard provision of utilities, compressed air, gas, spot exhaust, nitrogen, purified water, and telecommunications/LAN are
typically supplied. High- and low-bench features may be combined into a single room.
B.4.8
Radioisotope Laboratory
This area provides space for isolated radiation work. It will have
a dedicated radioisotope fume hood, sink, eyewash, emergency
shower, and flammable solvent storage cabinet. Utilities needed
include HVAC, normal and standby power, vacuum, compressed
air, gas, hot/cold water, DWV, nitrogen, telecommunications, and
purified water.
B.4.9
Surfaces should be easily decontaminated

Radioisotope fume hood exhaust shall be individually discharged and filtered
Drain at sink must be connected to a separate liquid waste holding container
Storage of radioactive sources shall be provided per Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements
Standard Ice Support Room

This area has ice machines, dry ice boxes, liquid nitrogen freezers, and liquid nitrogen cylinders. This room shall be located near
a freight elevator and be provided with HVAC, supplemental cooling, electricity, floor drain, and cold water.
26
Moisture-resistant and washable finishes are required
Space Descriptions
B.4.10 General Storage Room

This room has shelving or lockable storage cubicles with wire-bar
type, easily cleanable shelving. Special utilities are not required.
B.4.11 Tissue Culture

Equipment includes biosafety cabinets (BSCs) with high/low
carbon dioxide incubators. Access to refrigerators and freezers,
autoclave, sink, cold room, and bottled liquid nitrogen is required.
Low-bench kneeholes for microscopes and drawers for pipettes
near the BSCs are required. Shelving for storage of plastic ware
is required.
Each Class II, type B, BSC shall be hard duct connected to the
laboratory exhaust system through an individual independent
terminal unit
Provision should be made for secure storage of cylinders and
distribution of carbon dioxide gas within the laboratory or from
outside the laboratory
B.4.12 Biotech Room

Equipment is typically extensive and sophisticated. It often requires conditioned or standby power. Shelving is generally required to store cassettes and reagents as well as instrumentation,
documentation, and software.
B.4.13 PCR Clean Room

This room should be designed to minimize specimen contamination. This may be achieved by providing either a separate space
or an isolated zone within the room.
B.4.14 Chemical and Flammable Liquid Storage

See the discussion in section C. 14.3, Hazardous Substances Storage. General considerations for chemical and flammable liquid
storage are as follows:
A dedicated exhaust system shall be provided

Separate appropriate chemical storage cabinets for corrosives,
toxic, and water-reactive chemicals shall be provided
Spill containment curb around base of walls and at door shall
be provided
Space Descriptions
27
Appropriate shelving with raised lips and restraint bars should

be provided as required for earthquake protection. Chemical
storage cabinets should be fastened to walls and structural elements to prevent movement and tipping in earthquake zones
B.5 Offices and Shared Use Areas

B.5.1
Offices
Offices should be positioned to achieve close proximity to the
occupant's laboratory work space. Ergonomic furniture should
be used in the office. If feasible, offices will be provided with
natural light. Consideration may be given to clustering offices in
order to have potential for sharing support staff. Storage requirements must be considered for records/files, copiers, and mail areas. The growth of automated procedures within the laboratory
highlights the need for high-bandwidth data connectivity to each
office.
B.5.2
Work Areas
Work areas with computers require HVAC, supplemental cooling, electricity, standby or uninterruptable power, telecommunications/LAN, and space for computer equipment.
B.5.3
Collaboration Areas
a.
Interaction Areas: In addition to scheduled formal meeting rooms, lab buildings need a variety of informal interaction
areas distributed on every floor and every research wing to facilitate connectivity between researchers. These spaces can be
small and may have some accommodations for coffee/tea breaks
and physical relaxation. Convenient locations of interaction areas are critical to their success.
b.
Conference Rooms: Conference rooms should be provided for meetings of the laboratory staff. All conference facilities will be shared. Requirements for each space, such as
whiteboards, audiovisual and projection equipment (35 mm and
overhead), light control, and blackout, as well as telecommunications/LAN capabilities, shall be verified during programming.
B.5.4
Break Rooms
Break rooms shall permit the safe consumption of food and bev-
28
Space Descriptions
erages outside the laboratory while creating an inviting area for

interaction. These areas serve as lounges for the employees and
shall be equipped with white board, tack board, chairs, tables,
bookcases, counters, microwave ovens, sink, and perhaps a kitchenette with sink and refrigerator. Furnishings used in a break room
must be cleanable and promote good sanitation. A library or resource center could be combined with a conference or break room
or be in a separate entity.
B.5.5
Personal Effects Storage

An area shall be provided for the secure storage of personal effects.
Building Operational Areas

Building operational areas consist of space that enables the scientific activities of the laboratory facility. These spaces or areas are required for a functional and well-designed laboratory facility. Building operational areas include circulation, toilets, security, storage, shipping and receiving areas,
mechanical and electrical rooms, hazardous waste holding room, and utility
distribution areas, which strongly influence the design of the laboratory.
B.6.1
Materials Management
For laboratory facilities, the issue of materials management concerns the storage of laboratory materials and supplies and the
handling, storage, and disposal of chemical and biohazardous
waste. Material handling zones should be designed adjacent to
dedicated service elevators for purposes of staging, dispensing,
and disposal of laboratory materials and supplies. Within each
building zone, separate areas for chemical and hazardous waste
storage must be provided that meet Occupational Health and
Safety Administration (OSHA) standards, codes, and other appropriate regulations.
B.6.2
Shipping and Receiving Area

Space should be provided for shipping and receiving adjacent to
a loading dock. The receiving area should provide adequate space
for the storage and staging of material. A small office should be
provided for personnel who will be responsible for logging in
and distributing material. The loading dock should be covered
and provided with truck height adjusters. Separate spaces shall
Space Descriptions
29
be provided for securing and manifolding laboratory gases. In a

multistory facility, consideration should be given to material handling zones and storage at each floor. Space should be provided
for animal receiving and carcass disposal if the laboratory has
animal facilities. If the laboratory building has a kitchen and cafeteria or animal facility, separate receiving docks must be provided to meet Department of Health sanitary standards for the
former use and to meet security requirements for the latter.
B.6.3
Materials Handling
Movement of materials from loading dock facilities to multiple
points of use must be carefully considered and evaluated in development of the overall building circulation system. Materials
movement from loading dock to various points of use should be
provided in separate corridors to dedicated service elevators. Once
in the laboratory research areas, materials movement will occur
in common public corridors with limited and controlled movement. Material handling zones should be designed adjacent to
dedicated service elevators for purposes of staging, dispensing,
and disposing of laboratory materials, supplies, and equipment.
B.6.4
Movement of Laboratory Animals

Movement of laboratory animals is usually restricted to the confines of the animal facility. Researchers requiring immediate access to their animal populations for assessment studies and other
specialized programs are generally provided laboratories adjacent to the animal facility with controlled access through limited
points of entry. The designer must work with the veterinarian
and the facility safety personnel with regard to movement of animals to and through the laboratory.
B.6.5
Circulation
Circulation shall promote separate flows of people and materials. Vertical circulation must be simple and direct without being
restrictive. Stairways and transition ramps shall be studied at connections between buildings with different floor-to-floor heights.
A freight elevator will be located and sized to handle the transportation of materials from the loading dock to the point of use.
Freight elevators require floor containment to prevent contamination of the elevator shaft in the event of a chemical spill. A
heavy-duty passenger elevator shall be accessible as a backup to
the freight elevator. Both shall be readily accessible to the loading dock.
30 Space Descriptions
DESIGN CRITERIA
The following paragraphs describe the architectural and engineering design criteria
that are important in planning a laboratory building.
C.1 Equivalent Linear Measurement (ELM)

a.
ELM is a measurement of the work space required to safely conduct
biomedical research. ELM for laboratories includes the length of the laboratory bench, laboratory equipment (including storage), desk space, chemical
fume hoods, and BSCs. The following criteria provide general guidelines
for the required ELM per laboratory occupant:
Bench and Equipment (including storage)
5,000-7,000 mm (16'4"-23'0") ELM
Chemical Fume Hood and BSC
to be determined based on fume hood

or BSC requirements
Desk Space
1,000-2,000 mm (3*4"-6*8M) ELM
Lab Support
to be determined based on specific lab

requirements
b.
These values are only guidelines and are not absolute. Specific user
programming is required to verify actual requirements.
c.
Current trends in laboratory design are toward the use of a volumetric measure rather than linear measures for work space. This trend derives
from the use of stacked instrumentation.
C.2 Area Allowances

Gross Area Allowance: The gross building area, which includes circulation, building core, wall thickness, and utility space, will exceed the net
assignable area by a grossing factor. Based on the AIA methods of calculating net assignable and gross areas, a grossing factor of 1.7 to 2.2 is typical
for research laboratories depending on internal circulation patterns and utility distribution choices. By taking the net assignable area and multiplying
by the grossing factor, a projected gross area is established. This gross area
must be verified when actual plans are developed.
Design Criteria 31
C.3 The Laboratory Module

The size of the laboratory module is determined by the considerations addressed in section A.4.1.
C.4 Laboratory Furniture and Equipment

C.4.1
Casework
a.
Choice of casework system directly relates to the function and the budget assigned for the laboratory. Fixed casework
shall be sealed to walls and floors during installation. Racked
equipment, mobile casework on "wheels," or other options which
minimize costs and maximize flexibility shall be considered due
to the tremendous changes in research requirements. Wherever
possible, casework should be designed such that plumbing services can be installed prior to casework installation utilizing
wall-mounted racks or other means.
b.
Countertops materials will vary depending upon usage of
the laboratory. Typically, chemical-resistant plastic laminates will
be used. Epoxy resin will apply for most applications where corrosive chemicals are used or where sinks or heavy water usage
occurs. (Do not use epoxy resin in a laboratory that uses dry ice.)
Stainless steel is usually used for radioisotopes, perchloric acid,
glassware washing, cold rooms, and solvent usage. Several other
materials can be used, based on the functions of the lab and the
budget of the project.
C.4.2
Chemical Fume Hoods and Biological Safety

Cabinets
a.
These containment devices constitute, with proper laboratory technique, the first line of defense against researcher and
facility contamination. As such, the criteria for the use and performance of these containment devices are an issue of safety,
and the facility safety personnel, or a registered industrial hygienist, must work with the researchers and designers to establish these critical parameters, including face velocities of airflows
at openings, locations within the laboratory, etc. Code references
for the use of these devices exist in a variety of agencies and
societies, including OSHA, the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI), ASTM, the American College of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), and the American Soci-
32 Design Criteria
ety of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers

(ASHRAE). Containment devices should be selected to comply
with these requirements and should be located in the laboratory
to minimize disruption of airflow to the device and avoid entrapment, blocking of egress, and creation of any safety hazard to the
laboratory occupant.
b.
Chemical fume hood systems may be constant-volume
or variable-volume types depending on user and facility management considerations of function, first cost, and life cycle cost
issues. The exhaust of the hood should be provided with a
pressure-independent flow-monitoring device connected to a local audiovisual alarm within the laboratory. A variety of hood
sash types are available. Since the researcher is most familiar
with the laboratory operations and will be actually using the hoods,
it is recommended that researchers be consulted, along with the
facility safety personnel, regarding the selection of hood sashes
and configurations. Installed hoods should comply with the requirements of the latest edition of ASHRAE Standard 110. Exhausts from special hoods such as those for perchloric acid or
radioisotopes must be individually exhausted.
c.
Biological safety cabinets (BSCs) for biomedical research
applications are available in several configurations, including
Class II, Type A and Class II, Types Bl, B2, and B3. Class II,
Type A BSCs are suitable for work with microbiological research
in the absence of volatile or toxic chemicals, and are designed to
recirculate high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) processed
air back into the laboratory. Class II, Type Bl BSCs exhaust 70
percent of the recirculated air to the outside; Class II, Type B2
BSCs exhaust all air to the outside; and Class II, Type B3 BSCs
exhaust 30 percent of the recirculated air to the outside. No thimble
connections are allowed for Class II, Type B BSCs per NSF. All
installed hoods must be in accord with the requirements established by the facility's safety personnel and in compliance with
the latest edition of ANSI-ASHRAE Standard 110.
Equipment
a.
Equipment Within a Lab: A wide variety of equipment is
used in laboratories. The goal is to create adaptability in laboratory
space so that instruments can be relocated without altering the space,
or the attendant supportive utility systems, or without compromising the operation of the instruments, or safety of the users.
Design Criteria 33
b.
Common Equipment Rooms: Some instrumentation
rooms, electron microscopy suites, MRI, mass spectroscopy
suites, X-ray crystallography suites, and mass spectrometry rooms
require special utilities and environmental controls.
c.
Noise: Noise levels in laboratories can become extreme
for a number of reasons, including mechanical systems, fume
hoods, pumps, compressors, non-sound-absorbing surfaces, etc.
Consideration should be given to designing common equipment
rooms to house most commonly used equipment. This would concentrate high noise-generating equipment into one space to be
shared by a number of labs where it could be controlled.
Architectural Finishes and Materials

Materials selected for the construction of laboratories should be durable and
cleanable, and contribute to the creation of a comfortable and safe work
environment. Design features shall promote cleaning, maintenance, and better storage while minimizing pest access. Selection of materials and penetrations through walls, floors, and ceilings shall be coordinated with facility safety personnel.
C.5.1
Floors
Floor materials must be nonabsorbent, skidproof, resistant to wear,
and resistant to the adverse effects of acids, solvents, and detergents. Materials may be monolithic (sheet flooring) or have a
minimal number of joints such as vinyl composition tile (VCT)
or rubber tile. The base may be vinyl or rubber material (if readily
cleanable) with an integral cove base when sheet vinyl flooring
is used. Material selection relates directly to the biosafety level
of the laboratory and the level of cleanliness required for the
functions performed within the space.
C.5.2
Walls
Wall surfaces shall be free from cracks, unsealed penetrations,
and imperfect junctions with ceiling and floors. Materials must
be capable of withstanding washing with strong detergents and
disinfectants and be capable of withstanding the impact of normal traffic. Corner guards and bumper rails shall be provided to
protect wall surfaces in high traffic/impact areas.
Design Criteria
C.5.3
Ceilings
Ceilings such as washable lay-in acoustical tiles shall be provided
for most laboratory spaces. Ceiling heights in a laboratory and laboratory support shall accommodate biosafety cabinet and fume hood
installation. Gypsum board with epoxy paint and equipped with access panels is usually provided in glassware washing and autoclave
rooms, where the potential for high moisture exists.
C.5.4
Windows and Window Treatment

Windows shall be nonoperable and must be sealed and caulked.
Treatments shall meet all functional and aesthetic needs and standards. Light-tight treatments may be required in spaces which
need to be darkened. Window systems shall use energy-efficient
glass.
C.5.5
Doors
The choice of door for laboratories varies from a minimum 1,070
mm (3' 6") to doors 1,200 mm (4' 0") wide with 900 mm (3' 0")
active leaf and 300 mm (V 0") inactive leaf. Doors shall be at
least 2,100 mm (6' 8") high. In laboratories where the use of larger
equipment is anticipated, wider/higher doors or removable transoms shall be considered to allow for entry and exit of larger
equipment. Laboratory doors shall be recessed and swing outward in the direction of egress. They shall be provided with locks
and closers for security/safety.
Structural
C.6.1
Vibration
a.
Because vibration can interfere significantly with sensitive laboratory instruments, designers must take appropriate opportunities to control vibration and to locate vibration sources
away from activities sensitive to vibration. Steel structures are
feasible subject to the results of the vibration analysis. A thorough vibration analysis is suggested prior to selection of a steel
structure system.
b.
An analysis of vibration response of the structure should
be made. Consideration must be given to vibration of floor-framing
systems as well as slab-on-grade and ground transmission caused
Design Criteria 35
by mechanical and electrical equipment such as pumps, chillers,

fans, standby generators, and transformers. Other sources such as
foot traffic, parking garage traffic, elevators, and movement of
heavy equipment shall also be carefully considered.
c.
To control vibration transmitted into laboratory space, the
architect/engineer shall consider the following items during the
early design phases.
The structural system shall be relatively stiff so that any vibration that is transmitted occurs at high frequencies. Vibrations
occurring at higher frequencies are more easily dampened with
instrumentation vibration dampening systems and isolation
tables than vibrations occurring at lower frequencies
The structural system shall have relatively short column
spacing
Laboratory spaces shall be isolated from sources of vibration
Vibration-sensitive equipment shall be located on
grade-supported slabs
On framed floors, vibration-sensitive equipment shall be located near columns
On framed floors, the combining of corridors and laboratory
spans in the same structural bay shall be avoided
See the appendix for a chart of vibration criteria.
C.6.2
Module/Bay Size
a.
The dimension of the structural bay, both vertical and horizontal, must be carefully evaluated with respect to the laboratory
planning module, utility distribution, vibration criteria, and future expansion plans. Due to the importance of the laboratory
planning module to functional and safety issues, the laboratory
planning module shall be considered as the primary building
module in multi-use facilities.
b.
The horizontal dimension of the structural bay should be
a multiple of the laboratory-planning module dimension to provide for flexibility and regular fenestration, and to allow uniform
points of connection for laboratory services with respect to the
laboratory planning module.
c.
Columns should not fall within the laboratory planning
module to prevent interference with laboratory layouts and inefficient use of valuable laboratory space.
36 Design Criteria
d.
Close coordination between structural and mechanical disciplines is critical to minimize interference of piping and ventilating systems with the structural framing.
C.6.3
Floor Slab Depressions

Floor depressions and/or topping slabs will be evaluated for use
in special-finish areas or areas exposed to materials that may deteriorate the structural floor slab. Floor depressions shall be reviewed for equipment requirements to allow for ease of movement of equipment.
C.6.4
Equipment Pathway
The potential routing or pathway for the addition or relocation of
heavy equipment shall be reviewed and identified during the schematic design phase.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

a.
HVAC systems must be responsive to research laboratory demands.
Temperature and humidity must be carefully controlled. Systems must have
adequate ventilation capacity to control fumes, odors, and airborne contaminants, permit safe operation of fume hoods, and cool the significant heat
loads that can be generated in the lab.
b.
HVAC systems must be both reliable and redundant as required by
the research. HVAC systems must be designed to maintain relative pressure
differentials between spaces and be efficient to operate, both in terms of
energy consumption and from a maintenance perspective. Applicable energy standards must be achieved as required.
c.
The typical maximum noise coefficient (NC) level generated by
HVAC systems in a laboratory is approximately NC 50 with hoods in an
operating position and in the midpoint of the room. For laboratory hoods,
noise levels should not exceed NC 60 at the face of the hood unless permitted by the facility safety personnel.
C.7.1
Energy Conservation
a.
Applicable local, state, and federal codes shall be utilized
to regulate the design and construction of the exterior envelopes
and the selection of HVAC, service water heating, electrical distribution, lighting systems, and equipment required for the pur-
Design Criteria
37
pose of effective use of energy, and shall govern all buildings and
structures erected for human occupancy.
b.
Minimum system insulation thicknesses shall be as required by the energy conservation code and ASHRAE recommendations. The minimum thickness in all applications shall be
sufficient to prevent condensation.
c.
The quality of the building environment shall maintain
the health and safety of building occupants. Opportunities for
conserving energy resources shall not compromise health and
safety issues nor hinder research functions.
d.
Effective energy management requires close, consistent
control of all energy-consuming systems and components. Evaluations of heat reclamation alternatives shall be compared to systems employing no heat recovery or energy conversation components.
C.7.2
Systems Economic Analysis

In most laboratory facilities, the economic analysis is performed
to determine the comparative life cycle costs of various HVAC
system alternatives. The analysis should provide sufficient data
to indicate the most economical and energy-efficient system and
to permit a comprehensive review of all computations. The analysis should include and compare the total initial capital cost, energy cost, operating cost, system reliability, flexibility, and
adaptability for each alternative. Each system alternative considered should satisfy completely the program requirements as to
flexibility, redundancy, reliability, and ease of maintenance. The
total capital cost to provide the program requirements for each
alternative shall be included as part of the life cycle cost.
C.7.3
Outdoor Design Conditions

For facilities whose purpose is laboratory research and for HVAC
systems requiring 100% outside air, outdoor design conditions
shall utilize as a minimum values recommended by the current
ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals and the level of environmental control required for conditioned areas.
38 Design Criteria
Indoor Design Conditions

Indoor design conditions should be selected to meet the specific
needs of the occupants and the research function. In some special cases, there are laboratories that require special temperature
and humidity control. The design professional should review and
check the criteria for each laboratory room with the researchers
prior to the initial design, and design the systems and select the
equipment to include all the requirements.
Air Quality
a.
HVAC systems must maintain a safe and comfortable
working environment and be capable of adapting as appropriate
to new research initiatives. In addition, they must be easy to maintain, energy efficient, and reliable to minimize lost research time.
b.
Adequate access shall be provided for periodic maintenance and cleaning of coils, humidifiers, and drain pans. Drain
pans shall be designed and installed for proper and immediate
drainage of condensed water. A proper hydraulic head shall be
provided for drains within positive and negative air plenums to
maintain drainage and prevent overflow.
c.
Prevailing winds, adjacent buildings, and discharge velocities must be taken into account so that discharge is not entrained within an outdoor air intake. Outdoor air intakes shall be
located as far as practical (usually on directionally different exposures) but not less than 9,000 mm (30' 0") from exhaust outlets
of combustion equipment stacks, cooling towers, ventilation exhaust outlets from the building or adjoining buildings, vacuum
systems, plumbing vent stacks, or areas that may collect vehicular exhaust and other noxious fumes. The bottom of outdoor air
intakes serving central systems shall be located as high as practical above the roof or ground level.
d.
Exhaust outlets shall be located away from occupied areas or from doors and windows. The preferred location for exhaust discharge is above roof level. Care must be taken in locating highly contaminated exhausts and discharges from engines,
fume hoods, BSCs, kitchen hoods, and paint booths.
Design Criteria 39
e.
If fume hood exhaust systems interconnect with other ventilation duct systems, appropriate engineering equipment, principles, and controls are necessary so that cross-contamination of
the general ventilation does not occur.
f.
Laboratories containing harmful substances shall be designed and field balanced so that air flows into the laboratory
from adjacent (clean) spaces, offices, and corridors. This requirement for directional airflow into the laboratory is to contain odors,
toxic chemicals, and inadvertent biological aerosols with negative pressurization. Air supplied to the corridor and adjacent clean
spaces must be exhausted through the laboratory to achieve effective negative pressurization. Laboratory HVAC systems usually utilize 100% outdoor air, conditioned by central station
air-handling systems of sufficient capacity to provide the necessary balance with exhaust air requirements. Laboratory supply
air is not usually recirculated or reused for other ventilation needs.
g.
The use of exposed fiberglass or any fibrous material that
allows fibers to break off into the airstream for interior duct lining or insulation is usually not allowed for ductwork and
air-handling units. Sound attenuators with suitable linings or other
approved means of noise control shall be used where required.
Insulation and a vapor barrier shall be installed on the outside of
ductwork to prevent condensation.
h.
The architect/engineer shall develop in the design phase
a formal start-up and commissioning procedure that addresses
indoor air quality requirements.
i.
The filtration necessary for supply air depends on the activity in the laboratory. Conventional chemistry and physics laboratories commonly have 85% efficient filters, based on ASHRAE
Standard 52-76 Test Method. Biomedical laboratories usually
require 85% to 95% efficient filters. HEPA filters shall be provided in special laboratories where research materials are particularly susceptible to contamination from external sources.
HEPA filtration of the supply air is considered necessary in only
the most critical applications, such as environmental studies,
dust-sensitive work, and electronic assemblies. In many instances,
BSCs (which are HEPA filtered), rather than HEPA filtration for
the entire room, are satisfactory.
j.
Supply air for all laboratory systems shall befilteredon the
upstream side of fans with prefilters and high-efficiency afterfilters.
40
Design Criteria
k. T Exhaust air in general does not require filtration or scrubbing. However, in special laboratories using radioisotopes, or
certain hazardous chemicals or in biocontainment laboratories,
exhaust air may require special scrubbing or filtration before entering the combined laboratory exhaust system or discharging to
the atmosphere.
Air Distribution
Air supplied to a laboratory space must keep temperature gradients and air turbulence to a minimum, especially near the face of
the laboratory fume hoods and BSCs. Air outlets must not discharge into the face of fume hoods. Also, cross-flows that impinge on the side of a hood more seriously alter airflow than do
cross-flows in front of the hood.
Relative Pressurization
a.
Laboratories in general should remain at a negative air
pressure in relation to the corridors and other nonlaboratory
spaces. Laboratory air shall flow from low-hazard to high-hazard
use areas. In general, laboratories shall be maintained negative
relative to nonlaboratory spaces. Administrative areas in laboratory buildings must always be positive with respect to corridors
and laboratories. The entire building must be maintained at an
air pressure above atmospheric to reduce or eliminate unwanted,
unfiltered air and water infiltration.
b.
Corridor supply air distribution shall be sized to offset
transfer air to laboratories while maintaining an overall positive
building pressure. Loading and receiving docks must be maintained as positive to prevent the entrance of vehicle fumes.
c.
Some laboratories, such as biohazard containment laboratories and tissue culture laboratories, require control of relative pressurization. The HVAC system must be capable of achieving these special relative pressure requirements, which are discussed in the Centers for Disease Control/National Institutes of
Health (CDC/NIH) publication Biosafety in Microbiological and
Biomedical Laboratories.
Air Balance
a.
Control of airflow direction in research laboratories controls the spread of airborne contaminants, protects personnel from
Design Criteria
41
toxic and hazardous substances, and protects the integrity of experiments. In these facilities, the once-through principle of airflow is applied based on (1) exhausting 100% of the supplied air;
(2) maintaining the required airflow with all exhaust units operating at capacity; and (3) providing directional flow of air from
areas of least contamination to those of greatest contamination.
Determinants for air pattern control are (1) the type of research
materials handled or generated in each space; (2) the type, size,
and number of laboratory fume hood, BSCs, and auxiliary exhaust equipment in each space; and (3) permissibility of air transfer into or out of spaces.
b.
For critical air-balance conditions, a personnel entry or
exit airlock provides a positive means of air control. An airlock
is an anteroom with airtight doors between a controlled and uncontrolled space. The air pattern in the airlock suits the foregoing laboratory space air-balance requirements.
c.
Supply air quantities are not fully established by the
room-cooling requirements and load characteristics. Additional
supply air required to make up the differences between room
exhaust requirements and primary supply may be designated (1)
infiltrated supply, if induced indirectly from the corridors and
other spaces or (2) secondary supply, if conducted directly to the
room.
C.7.9
Ventilation Rates
a.
The ventilation rate for laboratory HVAC systems is driven
by three factors: fume hood demand, cooling loads, and removal
of fumes and odors from the general laboratory work area. The
minimum air-change rate for laboratory space is often dependent
on fugitive fume and odor emissions anticipated. Some laboratories may require significantly higher rates to support fume hood
demand or to cool high instrument heat loads in equipment laboratories.
b.
Implementation of a recirculative-type HVAC system for
administrative areas may be utilized for energy conservation.
Recirculating air systems shall provide ventilation conforming
to ASHRAE standards and must not affect the pressurization and
balance between laboratory and administrative zones.
c.
In the design of HVAC systems for laboratory areas and
the use of recirculating systems for administrative areas, the ques-
42
Design Criteria
tion of future flexibility becomes an ever-increasing and important question. It is imperative that the design architect/engineer
do in-depth programming and planning and that the research personnel be informed that administrative areas do not have flexibility for conversion into soft lab space unless this is a planned
function and the area is designed accordingly.
Heating and Cooling Load Calculations

a.
Complete design load calculations and a moisture control study shall be prepared for each space within a design program and presented in a similar format to that outlined in the
latest ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals. Heating and cooling load calculations are required for all projects to facilitate review and provide a reference for system modifications. Individual
room calculations shall be generated and summarized on a system basis and presented with a block load to define the peak system load. Load summary sheets shall indicate individual rooms
with area, design air (quantity, L/s per m2, air changes per hour,
and corresponding return or exhaust air quantity. Calculations
shall include but not be limited to indoor and outdoor design
parameters, heat gains and heat losses, supply and exhaust requirements for central systems and for each area of the facility,
humidification and dehumidification requirements, and heat recovery. As a reference, calculations for assessing heating and
cooling loads may include but are not limited to the following:
Sensible Heat Loads:
Walls, external, external chases
Roofs and skylights
Floors, when above unconditioned spaces
Ceilings, when below unconditioned spaces
Partition, when next to unconditioned spaces
People, sensible
Animals, sensible
Lights, room, and task
Internal equipment and personal computers
Supply, return, and exhaust fan heat
Infiltration
Makeup and ventilation air requirements
Auxiliary air requirement
Computer workstations
Microprocessor-controlled instrumentation
Uninterruptable power supplies (UPS)
Design Criteria
43
Latent Heat Loads:

People, animals, internal equipment infiltration
Makeup and ventilation air requirements
Auxiliary air requirements
b.
All heating and cooling load calculations shall include a
predetermined safety factor to compensate for load inaccuracies,
future flexibility, infiltration, and air leakage. Safety factors shall
be clearly defined in a report usually submitted at the end of schematic design.
C.7.11 Laboratory Equipment Cooling Loads

a.
The design engineer shall make a detailed and complete
inventory of all laboratory equipment scheduled for installation
in each design space, and using estimated utilization factors, determine the projected equipment load requirement. Equipment
utilization factors shall be indicated in a report usually submitted
at the end of schematic design.
b.
The designer shall carefully evaluate the following rooms
used for laboratory support, which often have higher than normal cooling loads, as well as evaluate the use of supplemental
units to remove excessive sensible loads affecting these areas
while maintaining minimum ventilation requirements:
Common equipment rooms
Autoclave rooms
Glassware washing rooms
Cage and rack washing rooms
Darkrooms
Plumbing
a.
The plumbing systems shall be coordinated with the laboratory planning module. A piping distribution method, including mains, risers, and
branch lines, shall be designed to accommodate easy service isolation and
system maintenance while minimizing disruption to laboratory functions.
Emergency isolation valves must be conveniently located on branch lines so
that segments can be taken off line quickly in the event of failures.
b.
Piping systems shall be designed for flexibility and have redundant
components to provide reliable and continuous operation. Adequate fluid
temperature, pressure, and volume must be delivered to required laboratory
Design Criteria
functions through conservatively sized pipe mains. Future capacity allowances need to be considered in building designs.
c.
Floor penetrations in laboratory areas shall be avoided. All required
penetrations shall use raised sleeved openings sealed and caulked to prevent
leakage and maintain the fire rating of the slab.
&.
Gas piping systems shall comply with the latest edition of National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 54, National Fuel Gas Code.
Electrical
C.9.1
Normal Power
a.
The following load figures in volt-amperes per square
meter shall be used in calculating and sizing the overall building
load. These figures are connected load and shall be used in the
early design stages. Actual design loads shall be used in the later
part of the design. The range provided allows for varying intensity of usage. A few factors that influence usage are density of
occupancy in the laboratories and type of research conducted.
The mechanical loads do not include chilled water or steam generation, which are produced centrally. The engineer shall use
sound judgment in applying these numbers.
Load
Lighting
Receptacle
HVAC
Lab Equipment
Elevators
Miscellaneous
Total Range
VA/M2
27-38
48-215
97-108
43-86
11-16
11-22
237-485
(VA/sf)
2.5-3.5
4.5-20
9-10
4-8
1-1.5
1-2
22^5
b.
Because of the proliferation of computer-based equipment
and the nature of its power consumption, the designer should
investigate the impact of the resulting harmonics on power circuitry and the sizing of neutrals.
C.9.2
\
Standby Power
a.
The following load figures in watts per square meter shall
be used in sizing the generator. These figures are connected load
and shall be used in the early design stages. Actual design loads
shall be used in the later part of the design. The range allows for
Design Criteria
45
varying intensity of usage. The engineer shall use sound judgment in applying these numbers.
Load
Lighting
Receptacles
HVAC
Lab equipment
Elevators*
W/m2
1-5
1-2
1-32
20-43
2-2
Total Range
25-84
*Minimum: One elevator per bank of elevators

b.
The following loads are typically connected to standby
power. These loads are in addition to any code-required emergency loads:
C.9.3
One light fixture per module with one light switch per lab
BSCs
Supply and exhaust fans for BL3 and BL4 labs
Ventilated animal cages and cage systems
Lab equipment alarm-monitoring system
Fume hood exhaust fans
High-value specimen refrigerators, freezers, cold rooms, warm
rooms, etc.
Incubators
Lighting
a.
Laboratories generally require 100 foot-candles at
benchtop level, with a minimum of 75 foot-candles being acceptable with minimum glare and maximum efficiency. Where
the correct identification of color is important, special
color-corrected lamps may be necessary.
b.
Illumination design shall be based on the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Lighting Handbook for recommended values.
c.
Undershelf-mounted, fluorescent task-lighting fixtures are
sometimes used. Where utilized, under-shelf fluorescent fixtures
shall have lenses over the lamps. Industrial-type fluorescent lighting fixtures shall have wire guards.
46 Design Criteria
C.9.4
Monitoring
a.
Lab equipment, such as freezers, incubators, environmental rooms, etc., often needs to be monitored for alarm conditions.
b.
New buildings or wholesale renovation of existing buildings should have empty conduit with pull lines installed for monitoring of lab equipment.
C.9.5
Telecommunications/LAN
Voice, data, and video are often important systems needed in the
laboratory and shall be prewired using accessible cable trays and
conduit and provided with standby power as required. The location and number of telecommunications/LAN closets in research
buildings must be carefully considered during the design phase.
Telecommunications/LAN rooms require adequate space for circulation around the equipment for repair and maintenance. Consideration shall be given to alternatives to surface-mounted raceways since they can harbor pests.
C.9.6
Grounding System
A suitably designed isolated grounding system should be provided for laboratory instrumentation.
C.10 General Health and Safety

a.
Safety and health regulations and guidelines require the use of engineering controls for worker protection, wherever possible, to minimize the
potential for occupational exposure to hazards in the workplace. To be most
effective, engineering controls for protecting occupational safety and health
must be designed into facilities for both new construction and renovated
space. This proactive approach can minimize numerous common potential
health and safety concerns in laboratory facilities.
b.
These health and safety guidelines are to be incorporated, as appropriate, in facility-specific construction documents by the architect/engineer
so that health and safety protection is engineered in at the time of construction of the facilities.
;
c.
While many of the requirements for health and safety engineering
are incorporated in these guidelines, it is impossible to cover all concerns. It
is recommended that a health and safety professional be part of every design
team.
Design Criteria
47
C.10.1 Fume Hoods

Hoods shall be tested in accordance with the latest edition of
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 110. In addition, see the illustrations
of various hood types and configurations in the ACGIH publication Industrial Ventilation: A Manual ofRecommended Practice.
Architects/engineers shall consult with appropriate health and
safety personnel regarding appropriate exhaust configurations for
laboratory fume hoods.

BSCs are not to be confused with chemical fume hoods. These
safety devices have specific criteria for installation, decontamination, and certification that must be followed. See section C. 11.6
under Biological Hazard Safety.
C.10.3 Vacuum Systems

Vacuum pump systems will have hydrophobic (water-resistant)
filters on the suction side, with the exhaust to outside of the facility and not into mechanical spaces. Filter housing shall be designed for easy replacement of the filter, with maximum protection of maintenance employees from possible contamination.
C.10.4 Emergency Shower/Eyewash Equipment

a.
There shall be one emergency shower (conforming with
ANSI Standard Z 358.1). Each safety device must be located in
clearly visible, unobstructed, and accessible places in laboratories or in the corridors. The clear area around the device must be
sufficient for a person to aid the injured worker. If it is within the
laboratory, the shower should be located at each exit door such
that no obstructions can be placed near or under the emergency
shower. The water supply to safety showers must be potable water and separate from laboratory water.
b.
Eyewash stations (conforming with ANSI Standard Z
358.1) shall be available to each laboratory space. Each safety
device must be located in clearly visible, unobstructed, and
accessible places in laboratories or in the corridors. The clear
area around the device must be sufficient for a person to aid
the injured worker. They can be located at a sink and near
emergency showers (eye injury usually accompanies a skin
48 Design Criteria
injury). Laboratory workers should be able to locate the

shower(s) with their eyes closed (emergency situations may
leave workers temporarily blind). Eyewashes must be no more
than 30,000 mm (100' 0") or 10 seconds' travel time from a
laboratory hazard. The water supply to eyewashes must be
potable water and separate from laboratory water.
C.10.5 Physical Hazards

Furniture and cabinets/counters shall be designed to be as vertically flush as possible. Kneehole space shall be provided for waste
containers. Both these approaches allow for better movement in
the laboratory and reduce trips and bumps.
C.10.6 Electrical
Shunt trip breakers may be required for labs with high-voltage
electrical equipment. A ground fault circuit interrupter is required
within 600 mm of a water source.
C.10.7 Flammables
Incorporate flammable storage cabinets in all laboratories using
flammable chemicals. Limitations on flammable storage and use
in laboratories should be determined by code.
C.10.8 Gas Cylinders

a.
Gas cylinders used in the laboratory space should be stored
in a dedicated area where they can be secured. The gases will be
piped into the laboratory through permanent piping. All applicable warning gauges and valves with protective fusible links or
equivalent shall be included in the design. Note: Some gases
(flammable gases) may not be stored outside of the laboratory.
The architect/engineer shall consult with facility safety personnel regarding placement requirements for specific gases.
b.
If cylinders are to be placed in the lab, they shall be properly secured to a vertical surface or counter out of the way of
traffic in the space. Appropriate space for such cylinders shall be
provided within the laboratory to minimize potential hazards associated with the use of these cylinders and to maximize usable
laboratory space.
Design Criteria
49
C.10.9 Waste Storage

At the laboratory space level, waste boxes must be located near
the service entrance and be easily accessible. Space must be allocated in each laboratory for waste box storage.
C.11 Biological Hazard Safety

a.
Where work performed involves the potential for occupational exposure to biohazardous materials, biosafety hazard safety shall be considered. Biohazardous materials are defined as "infectious agents, or materials
produced by living organisms that may cause disease in other living organisms." While, generally speaking, the laboratory procedures identified as
good microbiological techniques are helpful in minimizing potential occupational exposure to biohazardous materials, containment of these agents
through the use of good facility design is also extremely important.
b.
The intent of this section is to provide architects/engineers and design and construction contractors with a working knowledge of the facility
design parameters required for the construction of facilities that must provide for containment of biological hazards.
C.11.1
Background
"i
The NIH/CDC guideline, Biological Safety in Microbiological

and Biomedical Laboratories, provides guidance in the appropriate containment of biohazardous work. Biological safety levels 1 ^ have been designated, with BL1 being the least hazardous. The biological safety levels are based on the probability of
occupationally acquired infections resulting from the handling
of specific agents in the laboratory. Containment facility design
and laboratory practices have been developed for each biological safety level to minimize the potential for personnel exposure
and release to the environment. The following descriptions of
facility requirements for biological safety levels are based on the
requirements identified in the above-mentioned NIH/CDC guidelines.

BLl is the lowest level of safety for biological hazards. It requires a sink for handwashing.
50 Design Criteria
<^

a.
Containment Requirements: BL2 laboratories are similar to all other laboratories. For ultimate flexibility, a general laboratory shall minimally be designed to conform to BL2 containment requirements.
b.
Directional Airflow: All laboratories shall have
single-pass air. The airflow shall be directed from clean areas to
potentially contaminated areas and from low-hazard to
high-hazard areas. Air supply diffusers must be supplied with
diffusers to direct flow away from fume hoods and BSCs in order to minimize potential disruptive air currents.
c.
Ceilings: The requirements for cleaning and decontamination of BL2 laboratory space require that exposed surfaces be
smooth and cleanable. Dropped ceilings with cleanable tiles
(mylar face with smooth surface or equivalent) are recommended
for BL2 laboratories.
Open ceilings are acceptable provided minimal ducting and piping are present and all exposed surfaces are smooth and cleanable.
Architects/engineers shall consult with facility safety personnel
in establishing the final design criteria for ceiling finish in any
renovation or new construction project.
d.
Flooring: Due to the potential for spills of biological materials in BL2 laboratories, flooring materials must be installed
in such a way as to allow for decontamination with liquid disinfectants and to minimize the potential spread of spills.
e.
Laboratory Furniture: BL2 laboratory furniture shall
be appropriate for the work to be performed in the laboratory.
Furniture shall be easily cleanable, and finishes must be compatible with materials used for cleaning and disinfection.
f.
Caulking/Splash Guards/Coves: The seams between the
cabinet and floor or wall are always a difficult area to decontaminate in case of a spill. Caulking of the seams of laboratory
furniture, countertops, floors, etc., shall be done to provide a
smooth finish for ease of cleanability. Architects/engineers shall
also review caulking and sealing requirements for pest management when designing BL2 facilities.
Design Criteria 51
g.
Decontamination Requirements: OSHA requires the use
of "EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] registered tuberculocidal hospital disinfectants" for the decontamination of
biohazardous spills. These disinfectants may include
halogen-containing compounds (hypochlorite, iodine), phenols,
alcohols, aldehydes, and quaternary ammonium compounds. Selection of a specific disinfectant depends on a number of criteria,
which could be different for different laboratories. Personnel must
choose appropriate disinfectants that are compatible with the surfaces on which the spill may have occurred.
Materials for laboratory finishes shall be as resistant as possible
to the caustic chemical activity of disinfectants and other chemicals used in the laboratory.
h.
Medical Pathological Waste (MPW) Storage Areas:
Sufficient kneehole space must be provided in each laboratory
module to accommodate the MPW containers as well as other
waste receptacles. Design consideration must be made for accommodation of these containers.
There must be space provided in the area of the loading dock for
the collection and storage of MPW. A cold box capable of holding a minimum of 30 MPW boxes overnight must be supplied in
close proximity to the loading dock.
Space must also be provided for MPW collection stations on each
floor of laboratory buildings.
i.
Autoclaves: For maximum flexibility, autoclave space
shall be provided on each floor where microbiological research
is performed. Actual installation of autoclaves and their use is an
operational decision. Since quality control considerations may
require separate autoclaves for clean and dirty procedures, space
must be considered for both "clean" autoclaves (for sterilization
of microbiological media and clean instruments, etc.) and "dirty"
autoclaves (for decontamination purposes). Architects/engineers
shall review the requirements of the building personnel when
designing and specifying autoclave space.
Autoclave space must be of sufficient size to accommodate carts
and other equipment necessary for the handling of materials to
be sterilized.
52 Design Criteria
Autoclave space shall be finished with epoxy coatings and shall

not have a suspended, acoustical ceiling. This area must be thoroughly caulked and sealed to promote cleaning and reduce pest
harborage.
The space must have adequate exhaust capacity to remove heat,
steam, and odors generated by the use of the autoclave(s). A
canopy hood shall be provided over the door of the autoclave.
The autoclave space must operate at negative pressure to the surrounding areas.
j.
Vacuum Systems: Vacuum systems must be protected
with appropriate filtration (0.2 micron hydrophobic filter or
equivalent) to minimize the potential contamination of vacuum
pumps. Filters must be located as close as possible to the laboratory in order to minimize potential contamination of vacuum lines.
Some mechanism for the decontamination of filters must be incorporated in the design of the vacuum system. The facility safety
personnel must be consulted with regard to the suitability of the
decontamination mechanism design and must approve of the system prior to finalization of design.
Vacuum system exhaust must be vented to the outside of the building and not recirculated to the mechanical room. A sampling port
may be needed to sample exhaust.
k.
Maintenance: Facilities must be designed for ease of
maintenance. This is particularly important with regard to the
specific containment devices (i.e., HEPA filter housings, HVAC
systems, vacuum systems, etc.) designed for the facility. Facility
safety personnel shall be consulted regarding the appropriate
design for maintenance of containment devices and facilities.

a.
Conversion Potential: BL2 laboratory space is normally
not easily convertible to BL3 containment space due to specific
requirements for limiting access, airlocks, HVAC filter decontamination processes, autoclave space, etc. If programmatic flexibility is required for the future, the laboratory could be constructed using appropriate BL3 criteria. This space could be used
as BL2 and easily upgraded or converted to BL3 as necessary.
Design Criteria 53
b.
Containment Requirements: BL3 laboratories require
all of the design considerations for BL2 laboratories plus specific requirements for the additional containment of those
biohazardous materials used in the laboratory. No compromise
of the integrity of the containment of the BL3 laboratory is allowed.
c.
Restricted Access: BL3 laboratories must be separated
from areas with unrestricted traffic flow by passage through two
sets of "self-closing" doors. There must be a ventilated airlock
designed to separate the common corridor(s) from the BL3 containment laboratory.
The purpose of a BL3 laboratory facility is to ensure containment of agents used in this laboratory. It is recommended that
airlock doors be interlocked to prevent simultaneous opening of
doors between the outside corridor and containment areas. Interlocks, when present, shall be provided with a manual override
for use in case of emergency. Final determination on the design
of airlocks for these facilities shall be made in consultation with
facility safety personnel.
d.
Sinks: A sink for hand-washing is to be located near the
exit door in each BL3 laboratory (not in the airlock). Sink faucets must be foot, elbow, or automatically operated.
e.
Interior Surfaces: Interior surfaces of walls, floors, and
ceilings must be water resistant (i.e., epoxy paint, caulking, etc.),
gas tight (i.e., capable of containing decontamination gas during
decontamination process), and easily cleanable.
f.
Ceilings: All BL3 facilities must have a ceiling with a
smooth, sealed finish. In all new construction, all access to critical mechanical equipment (ventilation ducts, fans, piping, etc.)
must be provided outside of the containment facility. (See paragraph h, HVAC System/Mechanical Equipment, below.)
g.
HVAC/Airflow: Ventilation must be single-pass air, and
all BL3 space must be kept negative with respect to outside corridors and laboratories. Exhaust ducts must be under negative
pressure until the air is discharged outside the building.
Note: HEPA filtration of BL3 space may, in some cases, be required. (See paragraph o, Filtration of Laboratory Exhaust, below.) If the BSC cabinet exhaust system is connected to the build-
54 Design Criteria
ing exhaust, it must be connected in such a manner as to maintain

the air balance of the cabinets and the building exhaust system.
(See section C.11.6.)
Continuous-flow centrifuges and other aerosol-producing equipment must be contained in devices that exhaust air through HEPA
filters prior to discharge into the laboratory. Where possible, such
containment devices shall be discharged to the outside through
the cabinet exhaust system.
h.
HVAC System/Mechanical Equipment: Supply and exhaust ducts for BL3 laboratories must be supplied with gas-tight
dampers to maintain the capability of gas decontamination of the
laboratory without compromising the rest of the building.
Ductwork between the laboratory and the damper must also be
gas tight.
When retrofitting existing laboratory space as BL3 containment,
it may not be possible to keep access to critical mechanical equipment outside of the laboratory space. In these cases, an access
panel must be supplied inside the laboratory to allow access to
such mechanical equipment. The access panel must be hinged
(piano-type hinge) and gasketed with gas-tight gaskets to provide an appropriate seal for both containment and decontamination procedures.
i.
Penetrations and Joints: All penetrations in walls, floors,
and ceilings must be sealed (with a smooth finish) to facilitate
decontamination and cleaning. All joints between fixed cabinetry
(i.e., shelves, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc.) and the floor or
wall must be smooth coved and sealed to ensure maximum
cleanability.
All light fixtures, conduits, and supply and exhaust ducts must
be gasketed or sealed at the point of penetration into the laboratory to ensure containment and to ensure the capability of gas
decontamination.
j.
Laboratory Furniture: Laboratory furniture must be designed and installed in such a way as to facilitate cleaning around
and under the furniture. Movable furniture with minimal wall
and floor connections shall be considered for installation in BL3
laboratories. Such cabinetry lends itself to ease of cleanability
and decontamination of the entire laboratory space.
Design Criteria
55
k.
Windows: Laboratory windows, where present, must be
designed not to open. All interior windowsills must be sloped,
and the seams around the windows must be sealed as are other
seams in the laboratory.
1.
Autoclaves: Decontamination equipment (preferably autoclave) shall be available in the BL3 laboratory. Autoclave space
shall meet specifications as provided in section B.4.1 of this document.
m.
Vacuum Systems: Vacuum systems in BL3 laboratories
must be protected by filtration. (See section C.10.3.)
n.
Alarms: BL3 facilities must be designed to ensure notification of inappropriate directional airflow. Both visual (gauges)
and audible local alarms are acceptable. In addition, alarms indicating the potential failure of BL3 containment shall be tied to a
central system at the Building Engineer's office, where possible.
Notification devices shall indicate the failure to maintain a negative pressure differential between a noncontaminated area and
potentially contaminated areas.
All alarm systems must be validated prior to occupancy of the
containment space by research personnel.
o.
Filtration of Laboratory Exhaust: While HEPA filtration of room exhaust from BL3 laboratories is seldom necessary,
an evaluation of the need for specific filtration shall be performed
during the initial planning and design stages of the project. The
need for HEPA filtration shall be determined on a case-by-case
basis in consultation with the facility safety personnel and shall
be based on a hazard assessment of the materials in use and the
procedures to be performed.
p.
Autoclave Exhaust Filtration: The exhaust from an autoclave contains a significant amount of moisture, and exhaust
ductwork should be designed accordingly. Filtration of this exhaust, when necessary (as determined above in Filtration of Laboratory Exhaust), must be through a moisture-resistant (hydrophobic) filter such as a 0.2 micron filter or equivalent. Filtration of
moist exhaust through a cold filter housing containing a paper
HEPA filter will result in the destruction of the HEPA filter and a
break in integrity.
56 Design Criteria
q.
HEPA Filter Housings: When installed, HEPA filter exhaust housings must be constructed in such a manner as to allow
for appropriate particulate testing (i.e., DOP or equivalent) and
must be capable of being isolated from the ventilation system for
gas decontamination and testing (i.e., gas-tight dampers and housings). Facility safety personnel must be consulted with regard to
the suitability of the decontamination mechanism design and
approve of the system prior to the finalization of the design.

a.
BL4 is required for work with exotic agents which pose a
high individual risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infection
and life-threatening disease. Construction of BL4 laboratory facilities requires careful planning and unique design features and
is well beyond the scope of this document. This type of containment laboratory must be designed and constructed to specific
containment requirements in order to minimize the potential for
personnel exposure and to prevent dissemination of BL4 organisms to the environment.
b.
Specific requirements for the design and construction of
BL4 containment labs shall be reviewed by the facility safety
personnel.

a.
BSCs are safety devices that are used for primary containment of biohazardous materials. These units are uniquely different from other types of laboratory hoods, and installation involves specific design consideration. BSCs are classified by the
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) as Class I, II, or III. Class
I cabinets are no longer being manufactured on a regular basis.
The description that follows is based in part on the National Sanitation Foundation requirements.
b.
Where BSCs are needed, Class II cabinets are being installed in new and renovated laboratories. Class II cabinets include both Type A and Type B cabinets. The Type A cabinet
recirculates approximately 70% of the air in the cabinet and exhausts approximately 30% to the room. Type B cabinets are further classified as Type Bl (exhausts 70% of the air of the cabinet
directly out through the building exhaust system), B2 (exhausts
100% of the air of the cabinet), and B3 (a ducted Type A which
Design Criteria 57
exhausts approximately 30% of the air of the cabinet). Each type

of cabinet has unique properties and specific uses.
c.
Class III BSCs are totally enclosed gloveboxes primarily
used in BL4 laboratories but may also be used for work with
hazardous chemicals. Note that Class III BSCs are
negative-pressure cabinets and are not to be confused with
positive-pressure gloveboxes, which may, if they leak, release
hazardous materials to the laboratory.
d.
Modern BSCs are designed to minimize personnel, product
(research), and environmental exposure to biohazardous agents and
other particulate matter. In addition to specific requirements for placing and installation of BSCs, absolute attention to procedural details
by the user is necessary so that these cabinets will perform in the
manner intended.
e.
BSCs are certified according to NSF Standard 49. This
standard establishes the stringent cabinet performance requirements for both personnel and product protection.
f.
Class II, Type A Cabinets: Type A cabinets are suitable
for routine microbiological research in the absence of volatile
chemicals. These cabinets vent to the room in which they are
housed. Although the exhaust is HEPA filtered, there is some
small possibility of release of agents to the room if the filter is
damaged. Volatile chemicals shall not be used in these cabinets
since the recirculation of the air would result in concentration of
the volatile chemical in the cabinet with potentially hazardous
consequences. In addition, when these cabinets are vented to the
laboratory, volatile chemicals would be released to the room with
the potential for significant exposure to personnel in the laboratory and in the building.
g.
It shall be noted that Type A cabinets may have a contaminated positive pressure plenum. A pressure test of this plenum to verify that no leakage is occurring shall be performed on
all new or relocated cabinets. Such tests shall also be performed
following maintenance involving the removal of panels used to
form the positive pressure plenum.
h.
Class II, Type Bl Cabinets: Type Bl cabinets are also
used for routine microbiological research and for tissue cultures.
Although these cabinets are recirculating (70% exhaust and 30%
recirculating), it has been shown that small volumes of volatile
58 Design Criteria
chemicals may be used in them provided the work is performed

past the middle of the work surface, toward the back of the cabinet. The exhaust from the work surface in Type Bl cabinets is to
the back of the cabinet, and the air in this portion of the cabinet is
exhausted to the outside and therefore not recirculated in the cabinet. The HEPA-filtered exhaust from these cabinets is hard ducted
through the facility ventilation system. All contaminated areas
of these cabinets are under negative pressure. Potentially contaminated air from the work surface that is exhausted through
the front vent of the cabinet is HEPA filtered below the work
surface and then recirculated back into the work surface.
i.
Type Bl cabinets are versatile since they may be used
with volatile chemicals. However, since these cabinets require
that they be hard ducted to the building exhaust system and such
ducting is not always possible in retrofit projects, Class II, Type
A or B3 (if volatile agents are not used) cabinets may be substituted when appropriate. Again, the final decision on the type of
cabinet to be used shall be provided by the facility safety personnel.
j.
Class II, Type B2 Cabinets: Type B2 (total exhaust) cabinets are useful when working with both biological and hazardous chemical materials, including volatile chemicals and carcinogens. The exhaust of these cabinets is HEPA filtered, and additional filters may be added for special purposes (i.e., charcoal
filters for radioactivity or volatile organics). Filters other than
the HEPA shall be located downstream of the HEPA filter since
biological agents present in the exhaust airstream would be deposited on the HEPA filter without contaminating the additional
filter.
k.
Installation of Class II, Type B2 cabinets requires special
ventilation engineering considerations. Type B2 cabinets are total exhaust cabinets which exhaust over 0.38 m3/s (800 cfm) of
air. This air must be supplied either from the room or from outside of the facility. At least 0.14 m3/s (300 cfm) must be supplied
from the room to satisfy the inflow air velocity at the front grill
of the cabinet and to contain materials in the cabinet. It is important to evaluate the ventilation of the laboratory to maintain sufficient air supply to the room to prevent robbing adjacent areas
of air. Failure to adequately supply such cabinets could result in
the failure of other containment devices (i.e., fume hoods, BSCs,
etc.) in adjacent laboratories.
Design Criteria
59
1.
Class II, Type B3 Cabinets: Type B3 cabinets function
in the same manner as Type A cabinets but have been redesigned
to provide a negative-pressure zone around all positive-pressure
contaminated plenums. They have the same limitations as the
Type A cabinets. If a small amount of volatile is used in this
cabinet, the exhaust is hard ducted to the building exhaust system and thimble connection is not allowed.
m.
Requirements for BSC Installation: All BSCs must
meet NSF Standard 49 requirements. Selection of cabinets is to
be based on the evaluation of the work to be performed and the
specific safety requirements necessary to protect personnel, research, and the environment.
n.
Air supply diffusers, or exhaust vents, shall not be placed
directly over or in front of BSCs where the movement of air can
affect the airflow of the cabinet.
o.
The safe operation of BSCs depends upon the air curtain
formed by incoming and downflow air in the cabinet. Disruption
of the air curtain will result in potential compromise of the operation of the cabinet and possible contamination of personnel or
work. Personnel traffic results in air pattern disruption in BSCs.
Therefore, these cabinets must be placed toward the rear of the
laboratory module and out of the direct traffic pattern of the laboratory. Some codes dictate the placement of BSCs relative to exits.
p.
A gas-tight valve must be provided on the Class II, Type
B1 cabinet exhaust. This valve is required in order to facilitate
decontamination and pressure testing of the cabinets.
q.
The design of the HVAC systems must allow for the maximum exhaust capacity for all BSCs which may be required in the
facility.
2 Radiation Safety
a.
Work performed at biomedical research laboratories may involve the
potential for occupational exposure to radioactive materials and other sources
of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. While laboratory procedures identified as good radiation safety practices and techniques are essential to minimize exposures, the implementation of good facility design in security, engineering controls, and shielding are important elements to enhance safety.
Design Criteria
b.
The intent of this section is to provide the architect/engineer and construction contractor with a working knowledge of facility design parameters
associated with facilities using a variety of radiation sources and radioactive
materials in the biomedical research environment.
c.
The designer should be aware that all sources of ionizing and
non-ionizing radiation may not be licensed by a single regulatory authority.
Radioactive materials and various radiation sources may be subject to regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), state regulatory
agencies, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and/or by policies and
guidance of the facility's radiation safety personnel. Contact should be made
early on in the design process with the facility's safety personnel to avoid
confusion and possible design issues related to regulatory authority.
d.
In addition to the protection of the occupationally exposed, good
facility design translates into adequate protection of the environment as well
as members of the general public who work and reside near such facilities.
C.12.1 Specific Areas of Concern

a.
The following key radiation issues shall be identified
relative to laboratory activities:
Radiation safety requirements for laboratories using radionuclides

Sampling of potentially radioactive air and liquid effluent
releases
Radiation safety requirements for devices producing radiation
or containing radioactive materials, such as X-ray machines,
accelerators, and irradiators
Radiation safety requirements for non-ionizing radiation (only
including MRI and high-intensity lasers (e.g., C0 2 ))
Waste management
Security of radioactive materials
b.
All radioactive materials and/or sources of radiation that
are in storage or in use shall be secured when unattended in conformance with requirements of the applicable regulations. This
may be implemented with locking containers, storage cabinets,
or possibly key card access.
C.12.2 Radioactive Waste Storage and Staging

a.
Laboratory buildings shall be designed with a separate
area for the temporary staging of hazardous and radioactive waste.
Design Criteria 61
Mixed waste (hazardous waste that is also radioactive) shall be

treated as radioactive waste in this temporary staging area. These
staging areas are discussed in detail in section C.14.3. Only the
specific issues which are directly related to radioactive waste are
discussed here.
b.
A staging area is needed if the waste will not be taken
directly to a secured or attended waste storage or processing area.
The staging area serves as a temporary location for waste to be
placed until it is transported. The staging area shall be large
enough to provide for temporary staging of specialized carts or
waste containers used to transport the radioactive waste from the
laboratories to a storage or processing location. It is anticipated
that containment of the waste will be accomplished using the
specialized carts; however, if this is not the case, the designer
shall consider a design of the staging area (nonporous floors and
berms/curbs) that will adequately contain spills of radioactive
materials that may occur during the handling of the waste. This
staging area must have the capability to be secured against unauthorized access when waste is not attended in the staging area.
Consideration shall also be given to requiring a service elevator
in laboratory buildings that can be used to transport radioactive
waste (as well as other waste streams).
c.
Radioactive waste storage locations shall be designed to
safely store, contain, and secure the quantity and type of waste
streams anticipated to be generated. When radioactive waste storage areas are constructed in satellite buildings away from the
main waste processing, storage, and packaging areas, consideration shall be given to the requirements for packaging and possible bulking of waste materials for transport to that facility or
for disposal. Such an area in a satellite building will require a
chemical fume hood for bulking of radioactive and chemical
waste, spill containment in the bulking area, and provision for
the installation of air monitoring systems for both occupational
and environmental sampling. The design of the ventilation system shall consider the need for possible filtration equipment.
d.
Separate space may be required in a walk-in type cold
room segregated from other animal carcasses to store animal carcasses containing radioactivity.
e.
Special consideration of fire protection issues must be
given to areas used for radioactive or mixed waste storage. NRC
62 Design Criteria
Information Notice 90-09 provides guidance for fire protection

systems and requirements to minimize the likelihood and extent
of fire involving radioactive materials in interim storage. A 2-hour
rated wall may be required to separate radioactive and hazardous
waste storage areas.
C.12.3 Laboratory Design

a.
All laboratories shall be designed for the safe and secure
storage of radioactive waste and materials. The volume and type
of radioactive waste generated by a laboratory is a function of
the type and quantity of work to be performed. Thus, the designer needs to consider the laboratory function to determine the
space necessary for radioactive materials use, and radioactive
waste handling. Some types of waste also require segregation,
and the design shall consider the waste storage and management
needs, particularly space to accommodate multiple waste containers.
b.
All laboratories shall be designed to house the appropriate low-level radioactive waste receptacles and containers. The
following waste streams, at a minimum, need to be considered
by the designer:
Liquids
( aqueous waste
solvents/other hazardous chemical constituents (mixed
waste)
Dry or solid waste (dry active waste)
disposable labware, gloves, absorbent paper, etc.
sharps (may be categorized as medical pathological waste
(MPW) if also contaminated with pathogens/body fluids)
Liquid scintillation cocktail and vials
MPW
animal carcasses/tissues
animal bedding/excreta
other radioactive waste containing pathogens
c.
The location of the radioactive waste in each laboratory shall
be standardized to assist emergency response personnel in the event
of a fire or accident. It is recommended that this storage be located
near the laboratory door, particularly if a service corridor exists, to
facilitate easy access and collection by radioactive waste collection
personnel. This will reduce or avoid the need to transport waste
Design Criteria 63
through the main corridors of the building. The configuration of the

area to house waste receptacles shall be designed to facilitate decontamination and minimize the spread of spills of radioactive material
(spill containment). Surfaces of the storage area shall be readily cleanable and properly sealed/caulked to prevent migration of contaminated liquids.
d.
The designer shall consider the following:
All laboratories shall have the ability to be locked against unauthorized access
All radioactive materials use and storage areas shall be capable
of being secured when unattended
Laboratories and waste storage and accumulation areas shall
be sized appropriately for the anticipated workload and to reduce unnecessary accumulation
Appropriate spill containment shall be included in all storage
and accumulation areas
The space required for shielding waste containers shall be considered
Potential shielding requirements for adjoining or adjacent laboratory benches shall be considered for laboratories using
high-energy beta-emitting radionuclides. This may be accomplished through the use of 0.95 to 1.27 cm (3/8" to 1/2") plastic
sheets (Lucite)
Potential shielding requirements shall be considered for laboratories using high-energy photo-emitting radionuclides. The design
may need to consider loading of countertops and chemical fume
hoods due to the addition of appropriate lead shielding
Corridors and public space shall not be designated and used
for storage of radioactive materials or to house equipment such
as refrigerators/freezers, liquid scintillation counters, gamma
counters, centrifuges, lyophilizers, water baths, or other equipment that houses, contains, or may be contaminated with radioactive materials
Secure equipment alcoves or rooms are required for equipment such as refrigerators/freezers, liquid scintillation counters,
gamma counters, centrifuges, lyophilizers, water baths, or other
equipment that houses, contains, or may be contaminated with
radioactive materials. Secure rooms are required for
radiation-producing equipment such as irradiators, X-ray machines, etc.
Epoxy coatings, laminates, floor coverings, and protective coatings shall be utilized for ease of decontamination of surfaces
64 Design Criteria
Sinks shall be either plastic composite, stainless steel, or nonporous surfaces suitable for the laboratory environment
Chemical fume hoods used for radioactive materials shall have
a minimum face velocity of 0.5 m/s (100 lfpm)
A typical chemical fume hood designed for chemicals/hazardous materials is acceptable for use with radioactive materials.
The hood design shall include smooth, nonporous surfaces for
ease of decontamination
e.
Additional design guidance for chemical fume hoods used
for radionuclides is available from the following references:
Various central systems manufacturers

ACGIH, Industrial Ventilation: A Manual of Recommended
Practice (current edition)
Radioactive Liquid and Airborne Effluent

Discharges
a.
Provisions shall be made for the installation of appropriate sampling probes/systems to enable the assessment of airborne
and liquid effluents being discharged from laboratory facilities.
This includes main air exhaust systems and sanitary sewage systems. These systems are often required to demonstrate compliance with the regulatory requirements of a variety of agencies. It
should be noted, and considered in the laboratory design, that,
ideally, disposal and discharge of radioactive materials in laboratory sinks is prohibited.
b.
Liquid effluent monitoring can be accomplished by batch,
composite, or continuous sampling prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer system.
c.
The following design and construction elements shall be
considered:
All systems used to exhaust air potentially containing radioactive materials shall have the ability to sample the effluent being discharged (primarily gases and vapors) and shall be prominently marked for ease of identification
This sampling point shall be located inside an accessible mechanical room at a point downstream from any exhaust treatment systems (filtration, etc.). This location shall be provided
with a 120V, 20A grounded receptacle to power an air sampling
pump, or sufficient house vacuum to be used to pull samples
Design Criteria 65
Where radioactive iodination is performed in specific laboratories, the exhaust system serving those laboratories shall be
equipped to accept appropriate charcoal filtration systems
Airborne radioactive effluent sampling systems shall be designed in accordance with ANSI Standard N13.1, Guide to Sampling Airborne Radioactive Materials in Nuclear Facilities. A
single-nozzle sample probe shall be designed to accomplish
sampling of gases and vapors, as specified in ANSI Standard
N13.1
C.12.5 Building Vacuum Systems

a.
Vacuum systems shall be protected with appropriate filtration (0.2 micron hydrophobic filter or the equivalent) to minimize the potential for contamination of vacuum pumps. Filters
shall be on the suction side of the pumps. Exhaust from vacuum
systems shall be routed to the main laboratory exhaust system,
chemical fume hood, or outside the facility. Vacuum system exhaust shall not be discharged in mechanical rooms or recirculated into occupied areas.
b.
Filters shall be located as close as possible to the laboratory in order to minimize the potential contamination of vacuum
lines, thus minimizing decontamination and decommissioning
costs.
c.
Filter systems and housings shall be designed for easy
filter replacement and maintenance to reduce the potential for
maintenance worker exposure and provide for easy disposal.
C.12.6 Irradiators Utilized in Medical Research

a.
Irradiators are designed and constructed to safely contain
and adequately shield large quantities of radioactive materials
and have numerous interlocks and engineering controls to prevent inadvertent exposure to radiation. However, the following
facility design parameters shall be considered to adequately house
this equipment:
Due to the weight of such equipment, floor loads must be assessed for structural integrity
The available means for moving this equipment must be examined (e.g., structural loads and capacity of elevators and
floors when placing the equipment; structural floor loading limi-
66 Design Criteria
tations in path of equipment moving/sagging)

The room or facility housing the irradiators must be securable
against unauthorized access. Ideally, a dedicated room for this
purpose is desirable. However, a room with low personnel traffic
is acceptable
Facility safety personnel shall be contacted when the design
and installation of an irradiator are considered
C.12.7 Radiation-Producing Equipment

a.
The facility safety/radiation safety personnel shall be notified when there are any changes in the setup of
radiation-producing equipment or machines. This includes the
installation of new equipment, and changes in shielding, usage,
or output.
b.
With respect to the installation of radiation-producing
equipment, the following design guidance shall be used:
National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP), Report No.

34, "Medical X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Protection for Energies
up to 10 MeV," Structural Shielding Design and Evaluation
Handbook, March 1970
NCRP, Report No. 49, Structural Shielding Design and Evaluation for Medical Use ofX-Rays and Gamma Rays ofEnergies
up to 10 MeV, September 15,1976
c.
For design purposes, the dose equivalent limit goal shall
be 10 mRem to members of the public and 500 mRem occupational exposure.
C.12.8 Non-Ionizing Radiation

a.
This section applies only to MRI and high-power intensity lasers.
b.
With respect to the use of MRI devices, the following
regulations and design considerations apply:
FDA regulations 21 CFR 892.1000, Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Security requirements for housing and enclosing the equipment
Warning placards, signs, and postings, which may also include
barriers
Design Criteria
67
Warning requirements for cardiac pacemakers as well as other

prosthetic devices and/or equipment
Shielding requirements to minimize radiation exposure to electric and magnetic fields
Posting concerning electrical hazards
c.
With respect to the use of lasers, specifically high-power
intensity lasers, the following regulations and design considerations apply:
FDA regulations 21 CFR 1040, Performance Standards for

Light Emitting Products
ANSI Standard for the Use of Lasers, ANSI Standard 2136.1,
1986
Suggested State Regulations for Control of Radiation, Volume
II: Non-Ionizing Radiation (latest edition)
Security requirements for housing and enclosing the equipment
Warning placards, signs, and postings, which may also include
barriers
Appropriate personal protective equipment warnings prior to
entering and/or working with the equipment to mitigate and
prevent eye and skin exposure
d.
A Class III laser system is a medium-pulse system requiring control measures to prevent viewing of the direct beam.
Design and control measurers emphasize preventing direct access to the primary or reflected beam. Safety eyewear is necessary and required with this class of laser.
e.
High-power intensity lasers (e.g., C0 2 lasers) are classified as Class IV lasers in 21 CFR 1040. These lasers produce
radiation so powerful that they can cause injury with a direct or
reflected exposure, even when the beam is scattered or diffused
by a rough surface or smoke screens. Class IV radiation lasers
emit more than one-half watt continuous output.
f.
Laser facilities shall be designed to minimize the use of
reflective/refractive surfaces to provide additional protection to
personnel.
68 Design Criteria
C.12.9 Clearance for Renovation/Remodeling

The facility safety/radiation safety personnel shall be notified prior
to any renovation or remodeling of laboratories using radioactive materials or exhaust systems servicing such laboratories.
Typically, the laboratory will be surveyed by the principal investigator/authorized user's staff and/or a confirmatory survey will
be performed by the radiation safety personnel. Once this survey
is performed and the results confirmed as safe, the area or equipment will be released for unrestricted use and remodeling/renovation or demolition. It is essential that the contractor coordinate
with the appropriate safety personnel prior to commencing work.
C-13 Fire Safety/Fire Protection

a.
This fire protection section includes specific requirements for laboratory facilities.
b.
All laboratory areas are considered Class B per NFPA 45 definitions.
c.
Fire Resistant Materials and Construction: All laboratory corridor walls shall have a minimum 1-hour fire rating. One-hour fire-rated partitions shall have 45-minute opening protection. Each vision panel shall not
exceed 0.84 square meters.
d.
Fire Dampers: Fire dampers shall not be provided on any fume hood
system.
e.
Automatic Sprinkler Systems: All sprinkler system designs shall
meet, at a minimum, NFPA 13 Ordinary Hazard Group II spacing and hydraulic requirements.
f.
Open storage (in the laboratories) shall not be permitted, on a horizontal plane, within 450 mm (V 6") of the sprinkler deflectors (as measured
vertically from the bottom of the sprinkler deflector to the horizontal plane).
Enclosed perimeter storage (i.e., within cabinets), to the underside of the
ceiling, shall be permitted.
g.
Fire Protective Signaling Systems: All laboratory corridors shall
be equipped with ionization type smoke detectors if the constructed width of
the corridor is greater than 1,500 mm (5' 0").
h.
Duct Smoke Detection: Duct smoke detectors shall not be installed
in air handling units of less than 7 m3/s (15,000 cfm), in air handling units
Design Criteria
69
which serve only one fire area, or in fully sprinklered buildings. Where duct
smoke detectors are installed they shall be of the photoelectric type, connected to the building fire alarm system, and shall cause shutdown of the
associated air handler upon alarm.
i.
Fire Extinguishers: Laboratory fire extinguishers shall be located
in the corridors. The maximum travel distance to an extinguisher, from any
point, shall be 15,000 mm (50' 0").
j.
Fire Water Pumps: A pressure test shall be performed at the nearest hydrant/fire water source during the design phase to determine the need
for fire water pumps.
C.14 Environmental Management

a.
This section describes the general requirements and specific goals
for managing environmental issues. Specific issues that are addressed in this
section include
Hazardous construction materials

Hazardous waste storage and handling
Bulk storage facilities
Wastewater discharges
Solid waste management and recycling
Air emissionssee section C.7.5
b.
Attention to environmental management issues and proper waste
handling is a key portion of the facility's overall goals of ensuring the health
and well-being of facility employees, visitors, and neighbors and maintaining the facility campus atmosphere.
C.14.1 Background
a.
These guidelines regarding environmental management
encompass the current federal regulations regarding environmental management issues. State and local requirements are not included and must be addressed.
b.
Federal laws applicable to environmental management
include
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

The Clean Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act
The Clean Air Act
70 Design Criteria
The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
C.14.2 Hazardous Construction Materials

a.
In general, most new construction will result in the release (off-gassing) of odors that can affect occupant comfort. If
hazardous substances are avoided in the construction, these odors
will generally be nonhazardous; however, they can still have a
detrimental effect on indoor air quality. Examples of nonhazardous substances that can affect indoor air quality include systems
furniture, carpets, and latex paints.
b.
New facilities shall be allowed to off-gas prior to occupancy. Ventilation systems on new construction shall be operated for at least 1 month before the building is occupied. For
renovations, where it is not feasible to isolate the employees from
the off-gassing, materials which are going to off-gas and affect
indoor air quality shall be allowed to air out and off-gas in a
warehouse or well-ventilated, unoccupied area before they are
installed.
c.
Insecticidal dusts, such as boric acid, shall not be applied
in wall void and/or chase areas as part of the facility construction
or renovation.
C.14.3 Hazardous Substances Storage

a.
Hazardous substances used fall into two categories. Either they are substances used in the facility directly by the research activity, or they are substances used in support of the facility. An example of the hazardous substances used directly by
the research activity would be laboratory chemicals used for the
analysis. An example of the hazardous substances used in support of the research facility would be chemicals used for washing of glassware or neutralization of wastewater discharges.
b.
Hazardous substances used in a laboratory that are delivered directly to the end user laboratory will require a staging and
temporary storage area in the receiving area for these materials.
c.
Materials that will be used in support of a facility must be
placed in a hazardous substance storage area. Storage capability
shall exist for adequate inventory.
Design Criteria 71
d.
Each building utilizing these hazardous substances shall
be designed with a receiving and storage area. This area shall be
located at or near the point of use of the materials and will be
used for long-term storage of hazardous materials.
e.
Hazardous substance storage areas shall be out of the
normal flow of personnel traffic. There shall be convenient access from the storage area to the freight elevator and/or the loading dock without having to traverse heavily traveled or public
corridors.
f.
The staging area shall be large enough to provide storage
of the hazardous substances and room for loading and unloading
the drums or containers. If multiple substances will be stored,
the design shall allow for incompatible materials to remain segregated while in storage.
g.
The storage area shall be designed to contain any spills
of hazardous substances that may occur due to handling. Spill
containment may be accomplished with a curb around the area,
secondary containment bins, shelving designed to contain spills,
or a combination thereof. A chemical-resistant coating shall be
applied to the walls and floor in this area to make it easier to
clean up spills. These areas shall be thoroughly caulked and sealed
to minimize pest harborage and exclude pests.
h.
Safety equipment shall be provided for each hazardous
substance staging area in accordance with the direction of facility safety personnel. This safety equipment shall consist of an
emergency eyewash and an emergency shower. Special consideration must be given to this area in the fire protection design if
flammable materials will be stored.
i.
All laboratory spaces shall be designed for the safe storage of hazardous substances while discouraging the storage of
excessive amounts of hazardous substances. Thus, the designer
needs to consider the function of the laboratory and the potential
use of hazardous substances to fulfill this function.
j.
A flammable storage cabinet (FSC) shall be provided in
each laboratory. Additional FSCs shall be provided per NFPA 45
requirements. All FSCs shall be constructed of metal. The exterior of all FSCs shall be appropriately signed. The FSC shall be
located as remote as possible from the exit doors of the labora-
72 Design Criteria
tory. FSCs shall not be installed beneath fume hoods. FSCs shall
not be located in corridors. The integrity of the FSC shall not be
compromised by its mounting method. The FSC shall not be
vented. The size of these cabinets is based on the volume of flammable materials permitted by code that are used in the laboratory
and stored in the building.
k.
An additional storage area for nonflammable hazardous
substances shall also be provided. This storage area shall have at
least two physically separated sections to allow segregation of
incompatible materials. Each section of the storage area shall be
designed to contain a spill of at least 1 gallon of liquid. The configuration of the storage area shall be designed to facilitate spill
cleanup. Interior surfaces of the storage area shall be cleanable,
corrosion resistant, and nonreactive.
C.14.4 Hazardous Waste Storage and Handling

a.
Generally, handling hazardous waste requires accumulation of the waste at the generation point, temporary (1 day or
less) staging at the building loading dock, and transportation for
processing.
b.
Laboratory buildings shall be designed with a room for
temporary storage of hazardous waste and radioactive wastes.
Mixed waste (hazardous waste that is also radioactive) shall be
treated as radioactive waste in this temporary storage area. Hazardous waste is generally stored in this room for several hours,
although it may be stored overnight.
c.
The room shall consist of two individual segments: one
for the hazardous waste and one for the radioactive wastes. The
storage room shall be large enough to provide for temporary storage of the hazardous waste and radioactive waste and room for
storage of specialized carts to transport the hazardous waste from
the laboratories.
d.
There shall be storage cabinets in each room to provide
segregated storage of incompatible materials. There shall be sufficient open floor space in the storage room to accommodate waste
carts while allowing a person to access the storage cabinets and
shelving.
e.
The storage room shall be designed to contain any spills
of hazardous waste that may occur due to handling or mishan-
Design Criteria 73
dling of the waste materials. The waste materials will normally

be transported using specialized carts which will provide spill
containment. The designer may propose alternate means for spill
containment within the storage room. Options may include a spill
containment curb around the room and shelving or bins designed
to contain spilled materials. A chemical-resistant coating shall
be applied to the walls and floor in this area to make it easier to
clean up spills.
f.
The storage room shall be located near the loading dock
for easy access to the trucks that will be used to transport the
waste. Personnel shall be prohibited from any processing of the
hazardous wastes, such as bulking or lab packing, in this storage
room.
g.
There shall be convenient access from the storage room
to the freight elevator without having to traverse heavily traveled corridors. This will allow the collector of the waste to bring
the waste down from the laboratories to the storage room while
minimizing the risks to the building occupants.
h.
A separate ventilation system shall be installed for the
storage room. Exhaust shall be directed away from the building
and surrounding buildings' air intakes. This ventilation system
shall be connected to the building's standby power system and
contain appropriate filtration and monitoring devices. Standard
illumination requirements exist for this room. The room shall be
designed to fire protection Hazard Group 2.
i.
Safety equipment should be provided for each hazardous
substance staging area in accordance with the direction of the
facility safety personnel. This safety equipment shall consist of
an emergency eyewash and an emergency shower.
j.
A walk-in fume hood is necessary in the bulking and packaging area where exposure to harmful fumes is possible. Appropriate means shall be designed to dissipate the impact of an explosion in the storage room. Intrinsically safe lighting and devices shall be provided in both areas. Walls of the storage room
shall have a 2-hour fire rating.
k.
All laboratory spaces shall be designed for the safe storage of hazardous waste generated by the laboratory activities.
The volume of hazardous waste generated by a laboratory is a
function of the type of work being performed in the laboratory.
74 Design Criteria
Thus, the designer needs to consider the function of the laboratory to determine the space necessary for hazardous waste storage. At a minimum, a 750 mm by 750 mm (21 6" by 2' 6") area
will be required.
1.
The designer must also recognize that some types of hazardous waste may be incompatible with other types and design
the hazardous waste storage area to accommodate multiple containers. The designer shall investigate the possibility of stacked
containers that will provide sufficient storage space while minimizing the footprint in the laboratory. Each storage container shall
be designed to provide secondary containment of the hazardous
wastes.
m.
The location of the hazardous waste storage area in the
laboratories shall be standardized to assist emergency response
personnel. It is recommended that this storage area be located
near the laboratory door for convenient access by the technician
collecting the hazardous waste. For laboratory modules with a
service corridor, it is recommended that this storage area be located near the service entrance rather than the hall entrance. This
will avoid the need for moving hazardous waste through the main
corridors of the laboratory building.
n.
The hazardous waste storage area shall have at least two
distinct segments to allow segregation of incompatible materials. Some laboratories may require three segments depending
upon the types of hazardous waste that will be generated. Each
segment of the storage area shall be designed to contain a spill of
at least 1 gallon of hazardous waste. The configuration of the
storage area shall be designed to facilitate spill cleanup. Interior
surfaces of the storage area shall be cleanable, corrosion resistant, and nonreactive.
C.14.5 Bulk Storage Facilities

a.
Above-Ground Storage Tanks: Wherever possible, the
designer shall consider the use of clean-burning fuels such as
natural gas or liquid propane. If storage of these fuels is required
(for example, a day tank for uninterrupted availability of fuel), it
shall be in above-ground storage tanks installed in accordance
with federal, state, and local code requirements.
b.
All above-ground storage tanks shall meet the requirements of NFPA.
Design Criteria 75
c.
Design considerations regarding the above-ground storage tanks include the location of the tanks to provide access for
delivery trucks. At the same time, the tanks shall be sufficiently
isolated and protected from traffic flow to minimize the risk of
accident. The tanks shall also be placed in a location to minimize
the aesthetic impact of the tank on the surroundings. This would
include the use of berms and landscaping to block the view of the
tanks.
d.
Spill Control: All bulk storage facilities and
above-ground storage tanks shall be equipped with secondary
containment to prevent discharge of the material in the event of a
spill or a leak. For single storage tanks, the secondary containment shall be large enough to contain the volume of the tank and
rainfall from the 10-year, 24-hour storm. For multiple storage
tanks, the secondary containment shall be large enough to contain the volume of the largest tank and rainfall from the 10-year,
24-hour storm.
e.
Materials used to provide the secondary containment shall
be impervious to the substance contained in the storage tank. The
containments shall be equipped with a normally closed and
locked/secured valve to prevent accidental discharge of the substance from the containment. This valve can be manually opened
to discharge accumulated rainwater after it has been determined
that the water is not contaminated.
f.
The other potential spill areas for hazardous substances
are the loading docks. Spills can occur at the loading docks during the loading and unloading of hazardous substances or hazardous wastes.
g.
Loading docks shall be designed to contain spills of hazardous substances and minimize the contamination of stormwater
runoff. One option that would accomplish this objective would
consist of a loading dock with a grate drain at the base that would
accumulate any spilled substances. This drain would be equipped
with a normally closed and locked/secured valve to prevent accidental discharge of spilled substances. Uncontaminated runoff
would be diverted from this drain by a second grate drain and a
small berm. An overhang would divert direct rainfall from the
base of the loading dock to the uncontaminated runoff drain. Alternative designs which meet this objective may be proposed by
the designer.
76 Design Criteria
h.
To maintain proper water quality, all drainage systems
which collect runoff from the parking areas shall be equipped
with oil water separators.
C.14.6 Wastewater
a.
Wastewater Discharge: Only uncontaminated stormwater runoff shall be discharged to a receiving stream. All wastewaters generated shall be discharged to the sanitary sewer. Typical wastewaters generated include domestic sewage from the lavatory facilities, nonhazardous waste discharged from laboratory
or research area sinks, waters used for cage washing and animal
care, waters used in cafeteria operations, and all floor drains.
b.
Wastewater Sampling: The wastewater sampling may
be a requirement of the local municipality or sanitation district.
c.
For new laboratory facility construction, the sanitary system shall be designed to allow for sampling at the discharge point
from the individual building. This will allow for testing and
troubleshooting of individual building wastewater streams.
d.
The sampling point shall be designed to allow for installation of a continuous pH monitor, installation of a programmable
sampler, and personnel access for grab sampling. Cage-washing
facilities shall be provided with a continuous pH monitor and
recorder.
e.
Wastewater Treatment: It may be necessary to provide
neutralization and equalization of wastewater streams from some
laboratory buildings to comply with local agency requirements.
f.
To allow for these circumstances, the sanitary system for
new laboratory buildings shall be designed with sufficient hydraulic gradient that an equalization or neutralization tank can
be installed at a later date without a redesign of the sewer system
or the installation of a pump station.
g.
Tanks used for equalization and neutralization of wastewaters can accumulate sludges and hazardous wastes, require
maintenance, and cause odor problems. Therefore, equalization
and neutralization tanks will not automatically be installed in new
construction. The designer shall investigate the potential use of
the building and attempt to characterize the potential wastewater
stream based upon this proposed use. Equalization and neutral-
Design Criteria
77
ization tanks shall be included in new construction if the anticipated characteristics of the wastewater stream indicate that these
facilities are likely to be required.
h.
Any facility being designed with darkrooms or
photoprocessing facilities shall have a processing facility for recovering silver from the wastewater stream from the
photoprocessing rooms.
C.14.7 Solid Waste

a.
Waste Minimization: All laboratory facilities shall adhere to the Environmental Protection Agency's solid waste management hierarchy, which encourages reduction of waste at the
source. This hierarchy emphasizes waste minimization as the first
step in sound solid waste management. The utilization of reusable products, which also has the effect of reducing the overall
solid waste stream, is also encouraged. Waste products that cannot be reused shall be investigated to determine if they can be
recycled. Only those products that cannot be reused or recycled
shall enter the waste stream for energy recovery or landfilling.
b.
In general, solid waste management is an operational function. However, the requirements for environmentally friendly solid
waste management must be included in the design of new construction in order for the solid waste management system to be
efficient and convenient to use. Ease and convenience are keys
to implementation of a successful solid waste management program. All facilities shall be designed with modern and sanitary
waste compaction equipment. This equipment shall minimize
attraction of pests and spillage of wastes and debris.
c.
One design feature that can assist in waste minimization
in laboratories is hazardous substance storage capacity. The designer shall closely examine the anticipated use of the laboratory
to determine a reasonable volume of hazardous substances that
shall be stored in the laboratory to allow efficient laboratory operations. Excessive storage space in a laboratory can result in
over-purchasing and hoarding of hazardous substances. This, in
turn, can result in excessive hazardous waste generation as these
substances are stored beyond their shelf lives. An active solid
waste recycling program shall be considered.
d.
Demolition: Prior to the demolition of any research facility, the owner shall have a site assessment performed by a quali-
78 Design Criteria
fied environmental engineer to identify hazardous waste materials specific to the laboratory in addition to those generally found
in building demolition. This site assessment shall include a review of records regarding the design, construction, and use of
the building to be demolished and the site; a review of records
regarding responses to hazardous substances spill incidents or
other emergencies; visual inspection of the building and site; and
sampling and analysis of suspect materials and areas to provide
quantitative data to back up the qualitative assessment.
Design Criteria 79
A
accelerators, 61
accessibility, 11, 12,22
ACGIH, see American College of
Governmental and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
acid, 32, 33
actuators, 19
aerosol-producing equipment, 55
afterfilters, 40
AIA, see American Institute of Architects (AIA)
air pressure, negative, 41
air
balance, 41,42
conditioning, xii
distribution, 21,41
emissions, 70
flow, 21, 40, 51
quality, 39, 71
supply diffuser, 60
unfiltered, 41
airborne contaminants, 37
airlock, 42, 53, 54
alarms, 24, 25, 70
alcohol, 52
aldehyde, 52
alternate distribution systems, 12
amenities, 3, 4
American College of Governmental
and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH),
32,48, 65
American Institute of Architects
(AIA), vii, viii, 31
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI), 32
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE), 32, 33, 37,
40,42
animals, 4, 30,43, 44, 46, 62, 63, 77
ANSI Standards
2136.1,68
N13.1, 66
Z 358.1,48
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 110, 33,48
artwork, 3,4
ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals,
38,43
ASTM, 32
autoclave, 20, 27, 52, 53, 56
exhaust filtration, 56
rooms, 23, 24, 35, 44
autoradiography, 25
B
bank machines, 3, 4
benches, 2, 3, 15, 23, 26
benchwork, 26, 31
biohazard, see biological hazards
biological hazards, xii, 29,41,48, 50,
52,54
biological safety cabinet, 19, 20, 27,
30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 39, 40-42, 46, 48,
51,54,57-60
Biological Safety in Microbiological
and Biomedical Laboratories, 50
Biological Safety Levels
Level 1,24, 50
Level 2, xii, 24, 50, 51, 69, 74
Level 3, 24, 50, 53-56
Level 4, 24, 50, 57
biomedicine, 1
biophysics, 1, 21
biosafety, see Biological Safety Levels
biosafety cabinet, see biological safety
cabinet
Index 81
biotech room, 27
blackout capability, 3
BOCA, see Building Officials and
Code Administrators (BOCA)
break rooms, 1,4, 28
breakers, shunt trip, 49
BSC, see biological safety cabinet
Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA), xiii
bumper rails, 34
c
cafeteria, 30
cage-washing, 44, 77
calibration, 1
canopy hoods, 24, 53
capacity, 2
carbon dioxide, 20, 27, 61, 68
carcass disposal, 30
casework, 25, 32
caulking, 35, 51, 53, 54
CDC, see Centers for Disease Control/
National Institutes of Health (CDC/
NIH)
ceilings, 13, 14, 21, 24, 35,43, 51, 54,
55
Centers for Disease Control/National
Institutes of Health (CDC/NIH), vii,
viii, x, 3, 42
centrifuge, 4,20,26, 55, 64
chase areas, 2,4,71
chemical, xii
fume hood, 4, 21, 22, 32, 65
spill, 16,27,30,62
storage, 19,27,28
waste, 29, 62
chemistry, physical, 21
child care, 4
82 Index
circulation, 5, 12,16, 22, 29, 30

Class II, 27, 33, 57, 58, 59
Class III, 33, 57, 59
Clean Air Act, 70
clean room, 27
Clean Water Act, 70
cleanup sinks, 20
clustering offices, 28
cold rooms, 20, 22-25, 27, 32, 46, 62
collaboration areas, 28
common equipment rooms, 34, 44
computer, 22, 23, 25, 28
containment, xii, 19, 32, 33, 51, 53, 76
contaminants, airborne, 37
copy centers, 1
corner guards, 34
corporate research facilities, 11
corridors, 4, 7-11, 15, 30, 43, 63, 70,
75
corrosion resistant, 20, 75
coves, 51
credit union, 4
D
darkroom, 20-23, 25, 44, 78
daylight, 6
decontamination, 52, 56
demolition, 78, 79
Department of Health, 30
design, 1,12,31,37
desk space, 2, 31
developing rooms, 23
disaster provisions, xii
distribution, 12, 13, 17, 22
DNA sequencers, 26
domestic sewage, 77
doors, 35, 54
drain, waste, and vent, 24-26, 39, 77
dry ice boxes, 26
duct smoke detection, 69, 70
ductwork, 24, 55
DWV, see drain, waste, and vent
E
earthquake, 28
electric, standby, 20, 27, 28, 43,45
electromagnetic field, 22
electron microscope, 21, 34
electronic
monitoring, 1
racks, 21
electrophysiology, 21
elevator, 2,4, 29, 30, 36,45,46, 62,
66, 72, 73
energy conservation, 37,42
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), 52, 78
environmental
approach, xi
management, 70
rooms, 47
EPA, see Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
epoxy paint, 35, 54
equalization, 77
equipment, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33
cooling loads, 44
pathway, 37
equivalent linear measurement (ELM),
31
exercise facilities, 3
exhaust, 56
exotic agents, 57
expansion, 3
eyewash fountain, 19, 26,48, 49, 72,

74
F
facility safety, 30, 33, 53, 69
facility-specific construction, 47
FDA, see Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
fiberglass, 40
fibrous material, 40
filtration, 40, 56
fire
dampers, 69
extinguishers, 70
protective signaling systems, 69
safety, 69
water pumps, 70
fire-resistant materials and construction, 69
flammable liquid storage, 20
flammable storage cabinet, 49, 72, 73
floor-framing systems, 35
flooring, 51
material, 34
monolithic, 34
floors, 21, 23, 32, 34, 43, 52, 54, 55,
64,66
depressions, 37
penetrations, 45
fluorescence microscopy, 25
Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
37, 61, 68
foot-candles, 46
freestanding equipment areas, 25
freezers, 20, 25, 27,46, 47, 64
FSC, see flammable storage cabinet
fume hood, 19-23, 31, 33-35, 37, 3942, 46, 48, 59, 69, 74
Index 83
chemical, 4,21, 22, 32, 65

radioisotope, 26
furniture, 28, 32,45,46, 51,55
G
gamma counter, 64
gas cylinders, 11,20, 22, 23,26, 27,49
gas piping systems, 45
generators, 36
GFCI, see ground fault circuit interrupter
glassware, 23,24, 71
glassware washing, 24, 32, 35,44
gross area allowance, 31
ground fault circuit interrupter, 49
grounding system, 47
gypsum board, 35
H
hazard assessment, xii
hazardous materials, xii, 27, 70, 72, 78
Hazardous Materials Transportation
Act, 71
hazardous waste, 29, 70, 73-76, 78, 79
handling, 70, 73
storage, 63, 70, 73, 75
heat loads, 43,44
heating and cooling load calculation,
43
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, 8,9, 11, 20,21, 24-26, 37-42,
44,45,46, 53-55, 60
HEPA filters, 40, 53-59
high-bench lab, 26
hood, kitchen, 39
humidity, 21,22, 37
HVAC, see heating, ventilation, and air
84 Index
conditioning
hydrophobic filters, 48
l
ICBO, see International Conference of
Building Officials (ICBO)
ice machines, 26
IESNA, see Illumination Engineering
Society of North America (IESNA)
Illumination Engineering Society of
North America (IESNA), 46
incubators, 20, 46, 47
Industrial Ventilation: A Manual of
Recommended Practice, 48, 65
information processing, 1
insecticidal dusts, 71
integrity of experiments, 42
interaction areas, 1, 3, 4, 28, 29
International Conference of Building
Officials (ICBO), xiii
interstitial space, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16,
17,18
ionizing, 60, 61
irradiators, 61, 66, 67
K
kitchen, 30
L
laboratory
analytical, 21
biomedical, vii, xi, xiii, 1, 19, 31,
33,40
dry, 19,21
general, 5, 19 (
generic, 19
modules, 5, 18,32,75
neighborhoods, 6,10
physics, 40
space diagrams, 1,7-11, 13-16
staff, 2
support, 5, 6, 23, 31
support space, 2, 23
wet, 19
lasers, 22, 61,67, 68, A-2
facilities, 22, 68
high-power intensity, 67, 68
light, natural, 3, 8,10, 11, 16, 27
lighting, 3, 9, 22, 28, 29, 37,43-46, 74
liquid effluent monitoring, 65
liquid nitrogen, 20,26, 27
liquid scintillation, 63, 64
live loads, 12
loading dock, 11, 29, 30, 41, 52, 72-74,
76
local area network, see telecommunications/LAN
locker facilities, 4
Lucite, 64
lyophilizers, 64
M
magnetic resonance imaging, 22, 34,
61,67
^
mass spectrometry, 23, 34
materials
handling, 29, 30
storage, 11, 30
medical pathological waste, 52
MEP systems, 5, 6, 12
Metric standards of measurement, xiii
microscope, 21, 27, 34, A-l, A-3
electron, 21, 34
modules, planning, 5-7, 23
monitoring, 47
MPW, see medical pathological waste

MRI, see magnetic resonance imaging
MS, see mass spectrometry
N
National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP), 67
National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), xiii
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), 45, 69, 72, 75
National Fuel Gas Code, 45
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF),
57
NC 50, 37
NCRP, see National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP)
NEHRP, see National Earthquake
Hazards Reduction Program
(NEHRP)
neutralization, 25, 71, 77
NFPA, see National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA)
NFPA 45, 69, 72
NIH, see Centers for Disease Control/
National Institutes of Health (CDC/
NIH)
noise, 2,4, 16,23,34,37,40
NRC, see Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
NRC Information Notice 90-09, 62, 63
NSF, see National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC), 26, 61, 62, 63
Index 85
o
Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), 29, 32, 52
odors, 37, 42, 53, 71, 77
offices, 1,28,29
oil/water separators, 77
open areas, 15
optical diagnostic techniques, 3
organic chemistry, 20
OSHA, see Occupational Health and
Safety Administration (OSHA)
p
paint booths, 39
pathology, 20
peak system, 43
penetrations and joints, 55
perimeter wall, 8, 9, 11
pests, 11, 53
pH monitor, 77
phenols, 52
photography, micron, A-l
piped service, 15,19, 20, 21
piping systems, 37,44
planned zoning, 6, 7
plumbing, 17,32,44
postings, 67, 68
primary activities, 1
programmable sampler, 77
Q
quality control, 11
quaternary ammonium compounds, 52
86 Index
R
rack-washing, 44
radiation
non-ionizing, 60, 61, 67
safety, 60, 69
work, 26
radiation-producing equipment, 67
radioactive, 60-64, 66, 69
iodination, 66
shielding, 20
staging, 61, 62
waste, 61, 62, 63, 73
work areas, 23
radioisotopes, xii, 26, 32, 33,40
radiological, xii
radionuclides, 61, 64
recycling, 11,78
refrigerator, 20, 27, 29,46, 64
regulations
federal, 70
safety and health, 47
relative pressurization, 41
remodeling, 69
renovation, see remodeling
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, 70
restricted access, 54
reusable products, 78
robotics, 6
rooms
autoclave, 23, 24, 35,44
cold, 20, 22-25, 27, 32,46, 62
common equipment, 34,44
conference, 28
constant temperature, 23, 24
environmental, 47
general storage, 27
glassware washing, 24, 32, 35,44
warm, 25,46
s
Safe Drinking Water Act, 70
sampling port, 53
satellite building, 62
SBCCI, see Southern Building Code
Congress International (SBCCI)
scrubbing, 41
security, 1, 11
service corridor, 9, 12,13,15, 16
shafts
exterior, 12-14
multiple internal, 12, 13
shielding requirements, 68
shipping and receiving area, 29
shower, 19, 20, 26, 48, 72, 74
signage, 4, 67, 68
silver recovery unit, 25, 77
sinks, 19, 24-26, 29, 32, 48, 54, 65, 77
slab-on-grade, 35
smoke detectors, 69
Southern Building Code Congress
International (SBCCI), xiii
space requirements, xi
specimen, 1
spectroscopy, 34
spill containment, 27, 62, 64, 73, 76
splash guards, 51
sprinkler systems, 69
staff, support, 1
staffing patterns, xi
staging, 11,29,71,72,74
stairwells, 1,2,4, 30
steel structures, 35
sterilizer, ethylene oxide, 24
storage, 22, 23, 25, 27-29, 61, 69, 72,
74
areas, 11, 15,28,72,73,75
bulk, 70, 75
cabinet, 49, 72, 73
cabinets, 33, 57-60
chemical, 19, 27, 28
flammable, 20,49, 72, 73
flammable liquid, 27
laboratory materials, 29
lockable cubicles, 27
materials, 11, 30
medical pathological waste, 52
open, 69
personal effects, 29
radioactive waste, 61, 63
tanks, 75, 76
temporary, 11,71,73
stormwater runoff, 76, 77
structural, 35, 37, 66
Structural Shielding Design and
Evaluation for Medical Use ofXRays and Gamma Rays of Energies
uptolOMeV,61
Structural Shielding Design and
Evaluation Handbook, 67
structural
bay, 18,36
columns, 2, 6, 12
systems, 6, 12, 36
Suggested State Regulations for
Control of Radiation, Volume II:
Non-Ionizing Radiation, 68
surfaces
interior, 54
reflective, 68
refractive, 68
T
teaching institutions, 9
telecommunications/LAN, 20, 24-26,
28,47
temperature, 15, 22, 37
Index 87
temperature control, 19,39

tissue culture, 23, 27
truck height adjusters, 29
U
utility
connection, 12
distribution, 12, 29, 31
services, 2,13,17
V
vacuum, 20, 24-26, 65
pump systems, 4, 23,48, 66
system, 48, 53, 66
VCT, see vinyl composition tile
ventilation, 8, 24, 37,40,42-44, 54,
59, 62, 74
vents, exhaust, 60, 74
vibration, 2, 6, 20-23, 35, 36, A-3
damping tables, 21
requirements, 12, A-3
vinyl composition tile, 34
visual connection, 2
volumetric measure, 31
w
walls, 2,4, 14, 15, 32, 34,43, 55, 71.
74
warning
placards, 67, 68
requirements, 68
waste
aqueous, 63
boxes, 50
chemical, 29, 62
disposal, 11
infectious, 23
88 Index
management, 61, 78
medical pathological, 52
mixed, 62
piping, 20
radioactive, 61, 62, 63, 73
solid, 63, 70, 77
storage, 20, 50, 75
water, 70,71,77,78
water
infiltration, 41
potable, 19, 48
waste, 70, 71,77, 78
windows, 15, 19, 35, 36, 56
work areas, 28
worker protection, 47
X-ray, 22, 25, 34, 61, 64

crystallography, 22,34
machine, 61, 64
zone, 6,12, 17
APPENDIX A
VIBRATION CRITERIA FOR USE IN PLANNING
NEW FACILITIES
Description of Use
Criterion
Maximum Level
microinches/sec (dB)*
32,000 (90)
Distinctly feelable vibration. Appropriate

to workshops and nonsensitive areas.
16,000 (84)
Feelable vibration. Appropriate to offices

and noncritical areas.
8,000 (78)
Barely detectable vibration. Appropriate to

sleep areas and human sensitive areas.
This standard is probably adequate for
probe test equipment, computer systems,
and other systems that are moderately
sensitive to vibration.
4,000 (72)
Vibration not detectable. ISO recommendation for operating theaters and critical
sleep areas. This standard is probably
adequate for bench-mounted microscopes
and other inspection systems of moderate
modification (20 through 100 times).
2,000 (66)
A good standard for bench-mounted

optical microscopes of high power (100
through 400 times), microbalances, optical
balances, ellipsometers, and the like.
1,000(60)
An appropriate standard for ceilingmounted operating room microscopes and

for equipment used in 3-micron photolithography.
500 (54)
An excellent standard for 1.5-micron

photography and for most very sensitive
equipment and systems.
Vibration Criteria A-1
250 (48)
An excellent standard for submicron

photolithography, for lithography using EBeam systems, and for most electron
microscopes operating at high magnification (100,000 times).
125 (42)
The limiting level likely to be achievable

on most sites under normal ambient
conditions. Likely to be acceptable for
most sensitive systems, including long
path laser-based small target systems.
*Reference: 1 microinch/sec.
NOTE: These limits should be applied to the highest one-third octave band within the
frequency range 5 Hz through 100 Hz. Equipment descriptions cover the equipment as
supplied by the manufacturer, including, in many cases, built-in vibration isolation.
A-2 Vibration Criteria
BBN Criteria
A Optical Balance, Bench Microscopes, etc.

B 3 to 10 Micron Lithography (Aligners, Steppers, etc.)
C 1.5 to 3 Micron Lithography (Aligners, Steppers, etc.)
D 1.5 Micron Lithography (Steppers, E-Beams, etc.) SEM5
100
micro inch/sec
90
^v
ISO Workshop
32,000
ISO Office
16,000
ISO Residential (Day)
8,000
o
CD
80
o
o
E
o
70
v_
CO
"D
C
"0
>
0
N V ISO Operating Theatre
4,000
BBN Criterion A
2,000
BBN Criterion B
1,000
X.
BBN Criterion C
N.
BBN Criterion D
60
50
40
500
250
I I I M I I I I I I I I I II
4
6.3
5
10 16
25
40
63 100
12.5 20 31.5 50
80 125
One-Third Octave Band Center Frequency in Hz

Figure A-1. Vibration criteria for sensitive equipment in buildings (also showing
ISO guidelines for human occupation of buildings)
Vibration Criteria A-3
THE AUTHORS
Under the direction of the AIA, a multidisciplinary task group was convened to
develop these guidelines.This group met
during a two-year period to pull together the latest and best thinking about biomedical facility design.The task group
consisted of distinguished and dedicated
experts directly involved in biomedical
research facilities as researchers, designers, and constructors. It also included
representatives of professional organizations and public agencies. Under the
leadership of a seven-member executive
committee, the task group utilized not
only their own knowledge and experience, but that of their staffs and professional colleagues.The result is a balanced,
comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities you face, as well
as the ideas and solutions you need.
A B O U T THE AIA
(AIA) was created in 1857.Through education, government advocacy, community
redevelopment, and public outreach
activities, the AIA works toward a public
environment that is responsive to the
people it serves while representing the
professional interests of America's architects. In close concert with other members of the design and construction
team, the AIA also works to fulfill its
commitment to help coordinate the
building industry.
Jacket design by Max Brinkmann
WW* THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE

^ # OF ARCHITECTS
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006-5292
206.626.7300
www.aiaonline.com
mmmmm
ISBN l-fl7cB0M-c15-3
781879"304956
AIA

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aK'.

Designing a state-of-the-art biomedical

The American Institute of Architects

A PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

B.4.3 Constant Temperature Rooms

C.7 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

C.12.5 Building Vacuum Systems

Task Group Members

Charles Coulter, Ph.D.

Fernand Dahan, FAIA

Provisions for Disasters

Codes and Standards

BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators) National Building

PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

A.1 Laboratory Activities

Planning Goals and Objectives 1

A.2 Laboratory Planning Objectives

Planning Goals and Objectives

Planning Goals and Objectives 3

healthy interaction. These spaces should be designed to attract researchers

Planning Goals and Objectives

General Laboratory Planning Parameters

Planning Goals and Objectives

Zoning of the Laboratory Building

Planning Goals and Objectives

organized with multiple cross corridors or laboratories for ease

Planning Goals and Objectives

Corridor separation of laboratory and support increases flexibility

Planning Goals and Objectives

Planning Goals and Objectives 9

Planning Goals and Objectives

Excellent access to and exit from all spaces

Locations and numbers of loading docks must be based on an operations

Planning Goals and Objectives 11

Distribution of Services to the Laboratory

Planning Goals and Objectives

Ceiling and Shaft Distribution

This system is comparatively economical

Extensive ceiling cavity space is needed

Multiple Internal Shafts

In this system, vertical distribution of utility service is via smaller vertical

Planning Goals and Objectives

The shafts constitute multiple obstructions

Multiple Exterior Shafts

Relatively shorter horizontal runs are necessary that require

14 Planning Goals and Objectives

It is suitable for alteration to existing facilities with low

LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY

LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY

Planning Goals and Objectives 15

Continuous access for maintenance is available through the

The planning efficiency is decreased and the grossing factor is

LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY V %

LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY LABORATORY

16 Planning Goals and Objectives

The volume of the building increases

Planning Goals and Objectives

18 Planning Goals and Objectives

Other general laboratory considerations are as follows:

Services may include cooling water, steam, nitrogen, other

Services may include nitrogen, other gases, and high-pressure

Cooling water supply and return for equipment may be required

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Logistics of equipment assembly, installation, and weight shall

1,000-2,000 mm (34"-68M) ELM