Renovation/Adaptive Reuse
The Lead
Verinata Health Corporate Headquarters, Redwood City, Calif. (adaptive reuse)
April 16, 2013 3:22 pm | News | Comments
Verinata Health Inc. is a privately held company that develops non-invasive tests for early identification of fetal chromosome abnormalities. The start-up company developed their testing technologies operating out of an existing laboratory space. Rapid growth led to gearing up from an existing R&D facility to one that also supported a process laboratory capable of handling up to 500 samples/day.
Save the Date: Laboratory Design Conference Spring 2013
October 16, 2012 12:26 pm | News | Comments
The annual Laboratory Design Conference, sponsored by Advantage Business Media and Laboratory...
University of Pittsburgh, Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower, 12th Floor, Pittsburgh, Pa. (renovation)
April 16, 2013 3:14 pm | News | CommentsThe Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower (BST), a biomedical research facility providing nine floors of dedicated laboratory space, is located in the heart of the University of Pittsburgh campus. Constructed in 1989, this 20-year-old facility suffered from aging infrastructure, deteriorating interior construction, and an outmoded layout of cloistered laboratories.
Lab Design Conference Room Discount Ends Soon
February 22, 2013 3:08 pm | News | CommentsThe annual Laboratory Design Conference will be held April 8-10, 2013 at the JW Marriott Houston. The discounted room block rate ends March 15, 2013. Attendees and those who are considering attending are encouraged to make a reservation today to ensure accomodations at the conference rate.
Renovate vs. new? Count down your options
February 11, 2013 10:39 am | by Andy Vazzano, FAIA | Articles | CommentsThe inherent limitations of existing facilities—safety, energy performance, floorplate and height constraints, and so on—can make renovation an extensive and expensive undertaking. Let's explore a "Top 10" approach to analyzing the "renovation vs. new construction" dilemma.
UMass renovation meets changing research needs
February 11, 2013 10:26 am | by Lisa Reindorf, AIA, LEED AP, and Mitchell Goldman, RA | Articles | CommentsIn December 2012, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst celebrated the opening of renovated research laboratories in the 16-story Lederle Graduate Research Center. New laboratories, offices, and classrooms will support the department of chemistry and the department of biochemistry and molecular biology.
Old buildings can be greener than new
January 23, 2013 9:00 am | News | CommentsIn a report that may seem counterintuitive, New York City has revealed that some of its old buildings are more energy efficient than new, LEED-certified ones. A law passed in 2009 requires private-building owners to report a variety of sustainability data.
Labs receive architectural awards
November 21, 2012 9:55 am | News | CommentsWake Forest Biotech Place, a Wexford Science & Technology property in Winston-Salem, N.C., has received a Gold Award in the 2012 Reconstruction Awards competition, administered by Building Design + Construction magazine. The 252,000-ft2 project consists of about 80% Class A laboratory space, plus related offices, common facilities, and a business incubator.
AIA says building industry imperiled by mandatory spending cuts
November 6, 2012 10:25 am | News | CommentsA new report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) says Congress and the White House must agree on a federal budget by Jan. 2, or massive mandatory spending cuts will kick in, potentially wreaking havoc on the building industry.
ELANTAS PDG Inc., lab renovation/addition, St. Louis
October 16, 2012 12:58 pm | News | CommentsRenovation and addition project for ELANTAS PDG Inc. includes the complete gutting and remodeling of a two-story, 32,000-ft2 building, constructed in the 1930s, into administrative, engineering, and research space. A 4,000-ft2 addition will house mechanical systems.
Get with the program: Planning for renovation
October 11, 2012 1:29 pm | by Charles A. Johnsrud, RA, Johnsrud Architects | Articles | CommentsThere is a time-honored process for the creation of a new building or renovation of an existing one. However, over the past decade, new factors have emerged that influence the design process. Alternative techniques have been developed in response, to ensure an effective result.
Retrofits constitute most promising green building market
September 4, 2012 7:09 am | News | CommentsData indicating a bright future for green facility retrofits continue to pile up, including a new report by Pike Research.
Call for Papers: Lab Design 2013
August 14, 2012 10:35 am | News | CommentsThe 2013 Laboratory Design Conference will be held at the J.W. Marriott Houston Galleria on April 8-10. Advantage Business Media currently seeks abstract submissions for presentations to be given at this professional meeting, accredited by the American Institute of Architects.
Doing more with less: The ups and downs of modern laboratory design
August 9, 2012 11:41 am | by Lindsay Hock | Articles | CommentsIn tough economic times, construction projects often are early victims to budget cuts. During the recent recession, research laboratories were no exception. Many laboratory construction projects were delayed or canceled. However, a majority of architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms surveyed by R&D Magazine say the laboratory construction business is picking up again.
Lansing (Mich.) Community College, Arts and Sciences Building (renovation)
July 27, 2012 5:52 am | News | CommentsThe 150,000 ft 2 building has been home to the arts and sciences department since it opened in the 1960s. The entire building is being reconfigured to better accommodate the latest pedagogies and to improve interaction between students, faculty, and departments.
Study: Reconstruction offers greatest potential
July 10, 2012 12:53 pm | News | CommentsRenovation holds vastly more promise for reducing negative effects on global climate change stemming from buildings, according to a new White Paper study by Building Design + Construction magazine.
The Pennsylvania State University, Mueller and Whitmore Laboratories renovation, University Park.
June 29, 2012 4:59 am | News | CommentsThe Pennsylvania State University will renovate its Mueller and Whitmore Laboratories, which serve more than 15,000 students annually and provide primary laboratory facilities for the university's biology and chemistry departments. Renovations will address issues of space, safety, and technology.
Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle (renovation)
June 19, 2012 9:57 am | News | CommentsLaboratory and corporate headquarters building is home to 240 staff members for a nonprofit research organization in the South Lake Union Neighborhood. Renovation of an existing LEED Certified laboratory facility aligned the building with the culture and work style of ISB while maintaining infrastructure, walls, and materials as much as possible, including reusing laboratory stations and casework in many instances.
Post-conference materials from Lab Design Pittsburgh available
May 15, 2012 9:01 am | News | CommentsPDF files of all the presentations from the recent Pittsburgh Laboratory Design Conference are now available for purchase on either an individual-use or organizationwide-use basis.
Athabasca University, Athabasca University Labs (renovation), Alberta, Canada
April 3, 2012 11:04 am | News | CommentsRenovation of teaching/research laboratories more than doubled existing laboratory space, serving off-campus students who must have a home base for required laboratory portions of classes, as well as faculty researchers. Fume hood diversity and a modern DDC and sensing system were implemented to allow double the number of fume hoods without replacing the supply air handling.
Energy retrofit benefit data keeps piling up
March 20, 2012 11:45 am | News | CommentsResearch from Deutsche Bank and The Rockefeller Foundation estimates that energy-efficiency retrofits for existing buildings could return triple their value—up to $1 trillion in energy savings over a 10-year period.
Brookhaven National Laboratory, materials science renovations Phase 1, Upton, N.Y.
March 7, 2012 3:30 am | News | CommentsPhase 1 of upgrades to the materials science and fuel-testing laboratories at Brookhaven National Laboratory included facilities in the Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science Department (Building 480) and the Global and Regional Solutions Directorate's Applied Physical and Chemical Sciences building (Building 815).
Retrofits usually greener than building new, study says
February 14, 2012 10:06 am | News | CommentsA new free report from the National Trust for Historic Preservation indicates that it's almost always more sustainable to renovate than to tear down a facility and build a new one.
Transforming offices into labs: Challenges and opportunities
February 13, 2012 9:59 am | by Mark Paskanik, AIA, NCARB, CDT, LEED AP BD+C | Articles | CommentsNeed to build a lab? Think you lack the space or the funds to do so? Think again. You can place high-technology research space in your current office building. All it takes is a good plan up-front and creative thinking from an integrated team.
Register today for our spring Lab Design Conference
January 31, 2012 9:12 am | News | CommentsThe full agenda and online registration tool are now available for Laboratory Design Spring 2012, to be held in Pittsburgh April 16 and 17, with optional laboratory tours on April 18.
Keep moving forward with the Laboratory Design Conference 2012
January 9, 2012 8:41 am | News | CommentsKeep moving forward with the 2012 Laboratory Design Conference.
Lab renovations garner Platinum Awards
November 15, 2011 11:06 am | News | CommentsRenovations of research facilities have won Platinum Awards in the 28th annual Reconstruction Awards, sponsored by Building Design + Construction magazine.
