Laboratory types can be determined by the hazardous properties and quantities of material and equipment that will be used, the type and nature of work activities performed, and special requirements of the lab based on research being conducted that may have an adverse impact on safety and health either inside or outside the laboratory.

Laboratories involving research with biological materials are classified into four biosafety level (BSL) categories (BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, BSL-4). These categories are outlined in detail in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/NIH, Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories and in Biomedical Research Laboratories, Section: Design Criteria. All NIH laboratories, at a minimum, shall be designed to meet BSL- 2 containment requirements. The NIH Division of Safety must approve any BSL-3 or BSL-4 laboratories.

Biomedical laboratories include, but are not limited to, biology, biochemistry, cell biology, microscopy, molecular biology, virology, immunology, physiology, pathology, and clinical research. Personnel doing biomedical research generally need to have easy access to live research subjects such as animals in animal research facilities and human subjects in clinics. NIH laboratories are generally classified as wet or dry.

C.1 Wet Laboratories

Wet laboratories house functions that include working with solutions or biological materials and utilize benches, sinks, chemical fume hoods, and biosafety cabinets (BSCs). Generally, a wet lab is fitted out with a full range of piped services such as deionized or reverseosmosis (RO) water, lab cold and hot water, lab waste/vents, carbon dioxide (CO2), vacuum, compressed air, eyewash, safety showers, natural gas, telephone, local area
network (LAN), and power. Any wet laboratory where biological specimens are used will require an area to store medical pathologic waste (MPW). Sufficient kneehole space must be provided in each laboratory module to accommodate in-use MPW boxes as well as other in-use waste receptacles. Design consideration should be made for accommodation of these boxes. Laboratories that use radioactive materials will require a storage area for multiple radioactive waste containers including dry and liquid waste. Access to wet and dry ice is required for most biomedical research.

Work areas and desk space require low bench space with kneeholes or adjustable, flexible desktop space. These areas may be used for a large number of computers and may require HVAC, supplemental cooling, electricity, emergency or uninterruptible power, and telecommunications/LAN.

C.1.1 Biochemistry: Biochemistry is the study of the chemical, molecular, and physical changes that occur within living organisms. The laboratories described in this section include those whose functions are mostly biochemical in nature. Large equipment used in biochemistry laboratories include multiple refrigerators and freezers (-20 °C, -70 °C, and - 135 °C), possibly some undercounter refrigerators, and a large number of benchtop and floor model centrifuges that may require single-phase 208 V, 30 A service. Connections for reverse-osmosis water should be available at each sink with a shelf and outlet for a waterpolishing unit. Benchtop space is needed for many pieces of smaller equipment that might
include multiple water baths, mass spectrophotometers, and balances. Vacuum pumps may also be needed. Both flammable and nonflammable chemical storage space is required. Access to a 4 °C cold room, chemical fume hoods, BSCs, and a decontaminating autoclave may be required.

C.1.2 Molecular Biology: Molecular biology is the study of the physical and chemical makeup and development of biological systems at the molecular level. In addition to the requirements listed for a biochemistry lab, a molecular biology lab also requires nonautomatic defrost freezers for storage of restriction enzymes. Space may be needed for freestanding robotic instruments. A great deal of bench space for equipment such as
tabletop centrifuges, water baths, sequencers, protein synthesizers, thermocyclers for PCR reactions, pipette equipment, and robotic analysis equipment is required. Access to environmental rooms, bacteriological incubators, shakers, a darkroom with an automatic film processor, microscopes, and microscope table with kneehole may be needed. Radioactivity of different types and concentrations are used in molecular biology labs. Shared isolated rooms to manipulate radioactivity may be required.

C.1.3 Cell Biology: Cell biology is the study of the structure, function, and development of individual living cells and their relationship to other living cells. Cell biology laboratories require tissue culture rooms in addition to laboratory bench space to conduct research experiments. In addition to the requirements listed for a biochemistry lab, a cell biology lab requires access to BSCs with high/low CO2 incubators, autoclave, cold room, and bottled liquid nitrogen. Cell biology labs may be associated with tissue culture labs, molecular biology labs, and electrophysiology labs.

C.1.4 Tissue Culture Laboratory: A tissue culture laboratory is used primarily to support molecular biology and cell biology research. A tissue culture laboratory is often a shared space that includes multiple BSCs, multiple stacked CO2 incubators with central CO2 access as well as safety guarded storage for backup CO2 tanks, an adjacent sink, deep shelf storage space for plastic ware storage, a refrigerator in the room, a tabletop centrifuge, and a microscope bench. There should be a small amount of working bench space near the sink to prepare media. Easy access to ice rooms, cold room storage, large centrifuges, an autoclave, and liquid nitrogen freezer storage is also required.

C.1.5 Pathology: Pathology includes the disciplines of histology (tissue preparation and examination), hematology, chemistry, serology, virology, and immunology. Any or all of these disciplines may be used in conjunction with cell biology labs or molecular biology labs in addition to lab functions related to an animal facility or a clinical facility. Many types of analytical instruments are used in a pathology lab. In addition to the requirements listed for a biochemistry lab, access to an autoclave is also required. A downdraft table may be needed. In addition to standing-height bench space, low bench space with kneeholes will be needed for microscopes.

C.1.6 Anaerobic Chamber: An anaerobic chamber is an airtight bacteriologic cell culture laboratory that mimics an oxygen-free environment. Old versions were specially constructed steel chambers with an adjacent control and monitoring room and a small cold room located within the chamber. Anaerobic chamber rooms are rarely used anymore.

A less expensive alternative is a self-contained windowed anaerobic chamber glove box that has external controls. A source of nitrogen and hydrogen is required to create the appropriate internal anaerobic atmosphere. Sound control for vacuum pumps and nitrogen recirculation blowers is required.

C.1.7 Fermenter: The fermenter is used for the production of bacteriological cultures that may generate odors, vibration, spills, and other wet problems. Therefore, consideration should be given to avoiding locations above occupied space. In addition to the fermenter, the space must accommodate computer components and centrifuges. A fermenter prep laboratory is a typical biochemistry laboratory with a cold room and/or a warm room located adjacent to the fermenter.

C.1.8 Organic Chemistry: Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds. All biological material is made up of carbon compounds. Flammable substances, solvents, and highly odiferous chemicals may be used in an organic chemistry lab. In addition to the requirements listed for a biochemistry lab, a chemical fume hood for each investigator is desirable. Cleanup sinks with a means of ventilation and acid-resistant waste piping are required. Areas for storage and distribution of gas cylinders that are easily accessible to the laboratory through a central or manifolded system are required. Flammable and nonflammable and hazardous chemical storage areas are required. Materials used in an organic chemistry laboratory should be corrosion resistant. Countertops, sinks, and drain, waste, and vent (DWV) should be acid and solvent-proof.

C.1.9 Physical Chemistry: Physical chemistry involves the analysis of the physical properties and behavior of chemical systems. Materials used in a physical chemistry laboratory are similar to those used in an organic chemistry laboratory. A physical chemistry laboratory typically has large electrical demands for equipment. Power ranges from 110 V and 208 V up to 480 V. Increased floor-loading capacities and higher ceilings may be
required for special equipment. Floor space for equipment, generally accessible from four sides, is often required. The floor space is occupied by complex machinery, some of which may require direct piped services such as cryogenic gases as well as electrical power. Services associated with physical chemistry laboratories are lab cold and hot water, deionized water, DWV, vacuum, compressed air, nitrogen, gas, and electrical power. In
addition, the services might include a means to distribute a cooling water system, liquid nitrogen, and high-pressure air.

C.1.10 Summary Space Schedule for Wet Laboratories:

Table C.1.10 Summary Space Schedule for Wet Laboratories

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C.2 Dry Laboratories

Dry laboratories involve work with computers, electronics, and large instruments. These laboratories are typically analytical laboratories that utilize sophisticated, highly calibrated electronic equipment in spaces that require accurate temperature and humidity control, stable structure and vibration control, shielded space, clean power, and filtered chilled water. These laboratories do not require extensive piped services or built-in fixed casework.
Floor loading and ceiling heights are equipment driven. Access must be planned for routine maintenance, repair, or calibration of equipment. Examples of dry laboratories are computer and analytical areas, electron microscope rooms, bioengineering laboratories, and imaging rooms.

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C.3 Combination Wet/Dry Laboratories and Special Function Laboratories

Most laboratories at the NIH are a combination of wet and dry laboratory space. Many special-function laboratories require specialized analytical or observation space that is dry lab in nature. However, sample preparation is usually done in an adjacent wet lab.

The instrument is the important element in an instrument laboratory. The instrument size and type, rather than personnel or bench needs, will often determine the size of the laboratory. Increased floor-loading capacities and higher ceilings may be required for special equipment. Evaluation of the instrument should be done during the programmatic phase of design to ensure that there is no adverse impact by grouping the special-function
laboratories together. Special-function laboratories include but are not limited to areas that house the following instruments: confocal microscopes, electron microscopes, electrophysiology racks, electron spin resonance spectroscopes, fermenters, flow cytometers or cell sorters, lasers, mass spectrometers, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging equipment, and x-ray crystallographers.

Finely calibrated electronic equipment may require accurate instrument-dependent temperature control, rigid vibration or local vibration dampening control, and the availability of “clean” electrical power. Vibration control is critical for most special-function laboratories. Those laboratories that are vibration sensitive should be grouped together wherever possible in the overall design of the facility. It is important that the laboratory be designed to
provide easy access to the apparatus for maintenance and/or calibration.

C.3.1 Electrophysiology/Biophysics: Electrophysiology laboratories are concerned with the study of electric impulses through tissues or cells. Electrophysiology laboratories can be either an instrument (dry) laboratory or a wet laboratory. Electrophysiology laboratories are electronics intensive. These laboratories must be vibration stable so as not to compromise highly sensitive experiments. Heavy vibration-stabilizing air tables may be needed, but ideally a high degree of structural vibration stability is required.

Lighting controls are required. Darkrooms or light-tight rooms may be required as either adjacent space or actual working space and should be determined with the user. Imaging rooms will be associated with the electrophysiology area. The imaging rooms may have special requirements such as attachment grids at the ceiling. The room may need to be painted black. Imaging rooms will contain optical tables that will require wider light-tight doors in order to get the tables into the room. Special ventilation is needed in these labs to distribute airflow to minimize flux/area.

Typically, a large number of electronic racks will be needed with minimal bench space. However, a wet lab prep room for dissection and terminal surgery should be adjacent to the electronic rack area. The surgery will require downdraft tables, fume hoods, bench areas with air, gas, and vacuum, and sinks with RO water, High-pressure compressed air and nitrogen may be required. Electric power may require isolation transformers and/or special grounding. Services may include nitrogen, other gases, and high-pressure compressed air. Some of the instruments used in an electrophysiology lab include microscopes, air tables, recording electronics, oscilloscopes, micromanipulators, recording pipette fabricators,
vibrotomes for slicing, cameras, balances, confocal scanners, and high power lasers.

C.3.2 Electron Microscope: Electron microscope (EM) laboratories are concerned with evaluating tissues and/or cultures at the subcellular and molecular levels as well as imaging of atomic structures, viruses, and their components. The laboratory typically will be centered on the microscope itself, which must be housed in a closed room. A higher ceiling will be required for equipment. Immediately adjacent space is required for microscope components such as chillers, compressors, pumps, and so on that are noisy and/or dirty, as well as for ancillary equipment such as vacuum evaporators with similar operating characteristics that dictate isolation. Adjacent space is also required for the preparation of fragile or sensitive specimens (such as cryospecimens), for ultramicrotomy, or both. An additional sample preparation area, essentially a biochemistry laboratory with fume hood, is needed to support chemical aspects (fixation, staining, embedding, etc.) of specimen preparation. In most
cases, the EM laboratory will further be associated with a typical biochemistry, physiology, or molecular biology lab. Lastly, the lab will require easy access to a negative and print darkroom and to a graphics/print layout room that increasingly will be a computer graphics space.

The EM must be isolated from electromagnetic fields such as elevators and from vibration. Low-impedance clean ground power supply to the microscope should be provided. Highvoltage, multiphase electric services may be required. LAN connections to network computers supporting the EM are required. Cooling water supply and return (both city and house chilled) for equipment are normally required. The EM laboratory must be light tight with variable room lighting; heavy, concentrated floor loading must be accommodated. Humidity and temperature control may be required, and air distribution around the microscope is critical to equipment performance. Laminar airflow is preferred; other methods may be used as long as air is not directed toward the column. Provision should be made for storage and distribution of cylinder gases and liquid nitrogen within the lab or
immediately outside the lab.

C.3.3 Confocal Microscope: The confocal microscope employs a laser and an optical path using a pinhole to remove out-of-focus fluorescence. This results in images with extraordinarily shallow depth of field that can be used to generate three-dimensional image reconstructions of specimens. To function optimally, the room housing the confocal microscope must have space for both computers to analyze the fluorescence information obtained by the microscope and VCRs to collect and store confocal information. Such a facility requires a graphics and printing area and an area for sample preparation.

Confocal microscopes can be placed on an isolation air table and should be located in an area isolated from vibrations. The confocal microscope room must be properly ventilated to avoid buildup of ozone generated from the microscope’s laser and mercury lamps.

C.3.4 Laser Laboratories: Laser laboratories are concerned with utilizing concentrated light to study and evaluate a wide range of biomedical research such as reaction of light in cells and compounds. A laser suite might include the laboratory housing the instrumentation, office space, and an equipment room. A sample preparation area must support the laser laboratory. The sample preparation area is an organic chemistry laboratory that will include a fume hood. The laser laboratory must be isolated from vibration; it must be light tight; heavy concentrated floor loads must be accommodated; provision should be made for storage and distribution of cylinder gases within the lab or outside the lab; and high-voltage electric services may also be required. Rooms where laser equipment is used must be properly ventilated to avoid buildup of ozone generated from the laser and mercury lamps.

C.3.5 Electromagnetic Instruments: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy (ESRS): MRI, NMR, ESRS, and other high-powered magnets that are used to create images of living specimens have very specialized requirements. The designer must work closely with the end users and the manufacturers to determine the details for the instruments to be placed in these spaces. The magnetic fields (gauss fields) created when some of these instruments are in use must be shielded from other equipment and from the users. Nonferrous partitions must be provided within the magnetic field, and specialized exhaust venting should be considered. Electromagnetic Instruments must be isolated away from electro-magnetic fields such as elevators. Special acoustical design features may be required to mitigate the transfer of sound and vibration through the structure to adjacent areas.

Pits may be needed for the larger pieces of equipment. Access and clearance, both vertical and horizontal, around the equipment must be carefully planned for both equipment requirements and delivery. The weight and size of these instruments may require that they be lowered into their resting place by crane and through a specially designed well outside the footprint of the facility. Alternatively, wide access doors should be provided and tracks may be required to slide the units into place. Special cooling requirements will be determined on the basis of the specifications of the instrument.

Electromagnetic suites may include cold rooms, computer work areas, storage for gas cylinders, and a subject and sample preparation space. Office space may be required within the suite.

C.3.6 X-Ray Crystallography: X-ray crystallography laboratories are used to study three-dimensional properties of molecules and compounds and the structure of proteins and nucleic acids at the atomic level. The laboratory will require light, temperature, and humidity controls. A suite may include a basic biochemistry laboratory with a fume hood for protein purification and crystal growing. A darkroom and computer graphics/modeling room, office space, tape storage area, and computer room will also be needed. Vibration isolation, cooling water supply, and return to specialty equipment may be required, and electrical low-impedance and clean ground should be provided.

C.3.7 Mass Spectrophotometry (MS): Spectrophotometry is the process by which the ability of atoms to either absorb or emit light is measured. The MS laboratory will feature a sample preparation laboratory (chemistry laboratory or an instrument laboratory) that houses the mass spectrometer, computers, consoles, and so on.

Vibration isolation and a clean electrical ground may be required. Stray magnetic fields may affect equipment performance. High noise levels are generated in these labs by vacuum pumps. Noise reduction and isolation methods should be provided wherever possible. Provision should be made for storage and distribution of cylinder gases within the lab or from outside the lab. Local exhaust at equipment may be required.

C.3.8 Flow Cytometry: Flow cytometric analysis consists of pushing cells (one by one), under pressure, through a small orifice so they can be passed in front of one or two laser beams. These lasers are designed to emit specific wavelengths of light and can be used to excite fluorescent molecules on the cells. The resulting fluorescence can be measured using photomultiplier tubes and converted to electrical impulses that are stored on computers for analysis of data.

A flow cytometer or cell sorter (fluorescence-activated cell sorter, or FACS) is a freestanding instrument that can be housed in an equipment room along with its associated equipment such as computers, microscope, fume hood, temperature-controlled water circulators, and refrigerators. Because of the heat generated by the lasers and computers, adequate cooling of the lab is essential.

C.3.9 Robotic Equipment Rooms: A large percentage of laboratory equipment is robotic. Robotic equipment is designed to eliminate human error and the monotony of performing repetitive tasks. Robots are able to process hundreds if not thousands of repetitive micromanipulations and sample transfers in short periods of time. Some robotic equipment such as a PCR thermocycler can be placed on a benchtop. Many laboratories have a large number of thermocyclers or other relatively small pieces of equipment that are used simultaneously. Total power capacity should be enhanced to allow for greater flexibility and increased future usage. User needs should be considered in planning the location and spacing of electrical outlets.

Most robots are compatible with standard-depth lab benches, although some robots housed on lab benches will require greater than standard depths. Other robots are very large, freestanding units that may require access from all sides and electrical connections from above or below.

In general, a room housing robots should have good control of temperature (about 20 °C) and humidity (about 50 percent). Robots that need better control than the room can provide have inboard units to regulate humidity. Large heat-generating refrigerators or freezers are often in the same room as the robots. This may complicate the heat control for the robots and should be taken into consideration in the planning process. Robotic laboratories require flexible RO water supply and waste plumbing installation because the robots have built-in automatic liquid supply systems. High-pressure air or vacuum may also be required.

Almost all robots are computer controlled. Some units have integrated CPU controllers within the instrument, while others have stand-alone systems. The laboratory should be designed with the flexibility to provide space near the robot for the stand-alone systems
without using storage or bench space that is needed for other purposes.

Sequencers, which are usually benchtop size, may need venting, as do DNA and protein synthesizers. Most laboratory designs require that the laboratory be under negative pressure with respect to the outside rooms, corridors, or other public areas. The exception will be a room designed for genomic DNA analysis by PCR. When the program calls for a genomic analysis laboratory, it should be positive with respect to surrounding spaces. This is a critical element in genomic DNA analysis. Synthesizers also generate toxic waste that must be picked up and disposed of as chemical waste. Most other liquid-handling robots do not generate toxic waste. Some robots are very noisy when in operation and may require a dedicated room with acoustical separation.

C.3.10 Summary Space Schedule for Combination Wet/Dry Laboratories and Special Function Laboratories:

* Scientist or other personnel. The area in the schedule is based on two scientists per module.

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C.4 Laboratory Support

Laboratory support space shall 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 a laboratory. This space is often shared by multiple laboratories and includes areas such as autoclave rooms, environmental rooms, computer rooms, darkrooms, developing rooms, equipment areas, glass wash, bench support, radioactive
work areas, ice rooms, and storage. Common-use lab support spaces and equipment shall provide accessibility to individuals with disabilities.

C.4.1 Autoclave/Sterilizer Room: An autoclave is an industrial appliance that uses pressurized steam to sterilize laboratory instruments, glassware, and other hard materials and to decontaminate infectious waste. When an ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilizer is required, the NIH Division of Safety must test and approve it. ETO sterilizers must be ventilated according to EPA standards, and manufacturer guidelines must be followed for installation. The autoclave area requires overhead exhaust, floor drains, power, hot/cold water, steam and condensate return lines, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and drain, waste, and vent (DWV). Autoclaves come in a variety of sizes and models including those
that have pass-through capability. The size and type of the autoclave should be determined by the specific function for the area and by the anticipated frequency of use. Decontamination autoclaves should have adjacent waste storage space. Glassware autoclaves should have associated marshalling and glassware storage areas nearby. All finishes must be moisture resistant. Doors to the room must accommodate large-equipment
sizes.

C.4.2 Glass Wash: The glass wash area should provide space for either an industrial-sized unit or an undercounter glass wash unit depending on the needs of the facility. Glass wash areas may be centralized to serve an entire building or floor. However, since so much laboratory ware is now disposable, there is less need for large glass wash facilities. Many labs are purchasing undercounter glass washers that can run small loads and do not require support staff to operate them. Storage for detergents must be provided.

Glass wash areas may be combined with autoclave functions because similar utilities are required. Marshalling areas for clean and dirty glassware, drying appliances, and carts are required. Counters should be stainless steel and on legs. A large sink and overhead exhaust are required.

All areas in a centralized glass washroom shall be thoroughly caulked and sealed and have a fixed ceiling, epoxy floors, and cleanable walls to withstand moisture and prevent pest infestation. Masonry or metal stud construction is appropriate. Epoxy-coated walls are required. Space must be provided for staging clean and dirty glassware. Utilities include HVAC with supplemental cooling, electricity, cold water, reverse osmosis, DWV, vacuum, telecommunications, and equipment alarm systems.

C.4.3 Controlled-Environment Rooms: Controlled-environment rooms are used for longterm experiments that are temperature controlled (warm or cold) or humidity-sensitive and often require instrument setups that are not easily moved, such as adsorption columns or chromatography gel apparati.

A cold room is an environmentally controlled prefabricated unit usually operated at 4 °C. A warm room is an environmentally controlled prefabricated unit often used for growing cell cultures, usually at 37 °C at a constant temperature and humidity. Controlled-environment rooms are available with variable temperature ranges and can be adjusted for use as either cold or warm rooms.

Controlled-environment rooms should have stainless steel counters on legs, wire shelves, and a stainless steel sink. Utilities include power, vacuum, and mechanical ventilation, filtered water, and fire alarm strobe light. Natural gas may be required depending on program needs. Requirements for compressed air, gas, and vacuum shall be verified during programming. A sink is sometimes required. Temperature-controlled rooms shall be lockable, and all mechanical components shall be accessible and serviceable from outside the room. A high- and low-temperature monitoring and alarm system shall be connected to a central equipment alarm system. Provide emergency exhaust capability.

C.4.4 Computer Mainframe Area: This area supports computer mainframes or processors. Access flooring may be required. HVAC, electricity, special power, emergency power, uninterruptible power, and telecommunications/LAN systems will be required. Supplemental cooling may also be required.

C.4.5 Darkroom (Working or Developing): This area will have casework, counters, worktables, and a sink. All doors, walls, ceilings, and penetrations must be light tight. Darkrooms should have an infrared light that can be used when film must be exposed. Utilities include HVAC, electricity, hot/cold and chilled water, DWV, compressed air, gas, vacuum, spot exhaust, telecommunications, and reverse-osmosis water. Requirements for compressed air, gas, and vacuum shall be verified during programming. An electrolytic or cartridge silver recovery system shall be provided in darkrooms with automated processors such as an XOMat. Darkroom-in-use indicators must be provided outside this space.

Entrances to darkrooms and the internal layout of the darkrooms must provide access to individuals with disabilities. Based on some facility layouts, multiple darkrooms may be provided within lab support spaces. In this case, at least one accessible darkroom must be provided. Where only one darkroom is planned, it shall be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

C.4.6 Freestanding Equipment Areas: Freestanding equipment areas will provide space for shared equipment that may have high-heat loads and high noise levels, such as large freezers (-70 °C) and refrigerators, ultracentrifuges, and cell sorters. Utilities include HVAC with supplemental cooling, electricity, cold water, DWV, vacuum, telecommunications, and equipment alarm systems.

C.4.7 Bench Lab Support: High-bench lab support rooms provide space for common use or specialized equipment such as DNA sequencers and synthesizers, spectrophotometers, isotope counters, and other robotic analyzers. Low-bench lab support rooms provide shared space for microscopes, computer terminals, common desk space, or tall instruments. Both high-bench and low-bench rooms, or shared rooms with a combination of both types of bench space, will have a sink, eyewash, and emergency shower in accordance with Division of Safety requirements. In addition to the standard provision of utilities, compressed air, gas, spot exhaust, nitrogen, reverse-osmosis water, and telecommunications/LAN will be supplied.

C.4.8 Radioactive Work Area: This area provides space for isolated radiation work. It will have access to a chemical fume hood and an emergency shower. It shall have a sink, eyewash, and flammable solvent storage cabinet. Space must be provided for storage of wet and dry radioactive waste containers of different types. Utilities needed include HVAC, power, vacuum, compressed air, gas, hot/cold water, DWV, nitrogen, telecommunications, and reverse-osmosis water.

C.4.9 Standard Ice Support Room: In addition to housing ice machines and dry ice boxes, these storage areas may also house liquid nitrogen freezers and liquid nitrogen cylinders. This room shall be located near a freight elevator and be provided with HVAC, supplemental cooling, power, floor drain, and cold water.

C.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.

C.4.11 Instrument Repair: Space should be provided for a customized instrument fabrication and repair shop. The space shall include countertops or work surfaces to fabricate and repair small customized laboratory instruments or devices. Limited floor space should also be provided to fabricate and repair larger instruments. Adequate space for tools and materials should be provided.

C.4.12 Summary Space Schedule for Laboratory Support:

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C.5 Administrative, Interaction, and Ancillary Space

C.5.1 Offices: Offices should be positioned to achieve close proximity to the occupant’s laboratory work space. Laboratory chiefs, section chiefs, principal investigators, and senior scientists should be provided with private offices wherever possible. If feasible, offices should be provided with natural light. Semi-private offices may be provided for postdoctoral fellows. Open office space should be provided for clerical personnel. Desk and storage space for laboratory technicians is usually in open areas adjacent to lab benches and should include provisions for privacy. 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. Ergonomic furniture should be used in the office.

C.5.2 Lockers: Personal space within the context of an open laboratory is much less private and secure than in conventional, enclosed laboratory space. Although there is the option of installing locks on casework doors and drawers, there is an immediate need to provide space for employees to store personal belongings, including food and coats, outside the laboratory. Lockers may be built-in and located in the corridors or in the break rooms. Lockers may also be located in a separate room.

C.5.3 Conference Rooms: Small conference rooms for 8 to 10 people shall be provided for formal and informal meetings of section staffs. Large conference rooms for up to 25 people will be provided for meetings of the laboratory staff. All conference facilities will be shared. Each space shall be equipped with white boards, outlets to accommodate audiovisual and projection equipment (laptop, slides, and overhead projectors), light dimming, and blackout control, as well as telecommunications/LAN capabilities. All conference rooms and meeting rooms shall include space for waste and recycling containers. These containers shall be adequately sized to support the occupancy of the space and be constructed of durable cleanable materials. They shall be accessible to permit ease of cleaning and servicing.

C.5.4 Break Rooms: Break rooms should permit the safe consumption of food and beverages outside the laboratory while creating an inviting area for interaction. These areas serve as lounges and small informal meeting spaces for the employees. Acoustical separation of these areas from surrounding spaces is required. All break rooms shall be equipped with a white board, tack board, table, and chairs. Some larger break rooms may
also require a bookcase, cabinets, sink and countertops, microwave oven, and refrigerator. Lockable storage within a break room is desirable. All break rooms shall include space for waste and recycling containers. These containers shall be adequately sized to support the occupancy of the space and be constructed of durable cleanable materials. They shall be accessible to permit ease of cleaning and servicing. 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 a separate entity. Provide a break area on each floor, or for each laboratory neighborhood.

C.5.5 Lactation Rooms: In support of the NIH Work and Family Initiative, a lactation room shall be provided. In new facilities, or where significant renovation is planned, these rooms may be colocated with a woman’s rest room or independent spaces in common access areas. These rooms shall be lockable and provide space for a comfortable chair, small table, undercounter refrigerator, and hand-washing sink. Electrical outlets conveniently located near the table and chair must be provided.

C.5.6 Shower and Changing Areas: Personnel showers with changing areas should be provided for each sex. In renovations where this may not be possible, consider providing a unisex shower for employees. Shower and changing areas are typically adjacent to or colocated with rest rooms. Include lockers and changing benches, clothes hooks, and an electrical outlet adjacent to mirror and shelf. Shower and changing areas shall be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Refer to the local plumbing code to determine the number of showers required based on building population.

C.5.7 Summary Space Schedule for Administrative, Interaction, and Ancillary Space:

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C.6 Building Operational Areas

Building operational areas include circulation, elevators, shipping and receiving, mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication areas. See General Design Guidelines for requirements. 

C.6.1 Circulation: See General Design Guidelines, Section: Architecture.

C.6.2 Elevators: See General Design Guidelines, Section: Transportation.

C.6.3 Loading Docks: Provide space in the area of the loading dock for the collection and storage of medical pathological waste (MPW). A cold box capable of holding a minimum of 30 MPW boxes overnight must be supplied in close proximity to the loading dock. See General Design Guidelines, Sections: Site/Civil and Architecture, for additional loading dock planning and design guidelines.

C.6.4 Housekeeping Closets: Each building must be equipped with appropriately sized housekeeping closets located throughout the facility to adequately serve its needs. A housekeeping closet must be provided with both supply air and exhaust to reduce humidity and control odors. Closets should be fitted with wire bar shelving, mop and broom hangers, a floor sink, and adequate lighting. Closets should be sized to hold cleaning supplies and equipment only. Storage of personal items, chairs, cabinets, and so on creates clutter and promotes pest activity. The interior of the closet must be finished with materials and surfaces that are cleanable, moisture resistant, and durable.

C.6.5 MPW Waste Collection Stations: Space must also be provided for MPW collection stations on each floor of laboratory buildings.

C.6.6 Mechanical, Electrical, and Telecommunication Areas: See General Design Guidelines, individual discipline sections, for requirements.