Lab Design Conference Speaker Profile: Sam Huber

2026 Lab Design Conference speaker—Samuel Huber, design and construction manager, Eurofins

Samuel Huber, design and construction manager with Eurofins, will be speaking at the 2026 Lab Design Conference in Orlando, FL. Sam will be part of a panel on Lessons from the Unexpected–Navigating Challenges in Lab Design, which will take place on May 13 at 10:30-11:30am. He and the other panelists will discuss real-world challenges in laboratory design—including workflow inefficiencies, safety hazards, and compliance considerations—and share strategies for proactively managing risks, maintaining clear stakeholder communication, and ensuring labs remain safe, functional, and adaptable.

Lab Design News spoke with Sam about lessons learned from past projects, his time as a volunteer fire/rescue service member, and why event attendees should attend this panel discussion. Register now to secure your conference ticket so you don’t miss this interactive session! 

Q: What makes this Lab Design Conference panel discussion especially relevant to the current trends and challenges in laboratory design? 

A: I have yet to see a project that the design is a 100 percent success at the end of the day.  Typically, we have MEP issues that could have been avoided had the communication between the lab users and the design engineers been more effective.

Q: What’s one lesson from a past project that significantly influenced your approach to lab design?

A: We developed an internal data collection tool that takes a deep dive into the requirements for the lab equipment being utilized within the space. This is much more complex and thorough then any I’ve ever seen from a design team. We’ve learned from past misses and put a lot of effort into making sure they are not repeated.

Q: Why should lab design and operations professionals attend this panel discussion, and what will they gain from it? 

A: As a former lab manager turned designer, I have a unique perspective on coordination between the lab users and the design community. I’ve lived on both sides of the fence (so to speak) and have made a career out of being the bridge between users and designers.

Q: What’s one soft skill you believe every lab design professional should cultivate, and why?  

A: Not sure it’s a ‘soft skill,’ but lab design professionals need to take every opportunity to learn more about the actual equipment that they’re designing to support. Too often they listen to the user, but the user doesn’t provide all the necessary information because they don’t know what to provide. Designers need to learn when there’s missing information and dive into getting the correct answer.

Q: What’s one innovation in lab design that excites you the most right now? 

A: Not sure it’s a design innovation, but I believe that CO2 chiller plants will become more popular as the ongoing changing of refrigerants continues to drive price escalation. 

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies or interests outside of work? 

A: Not sure it’s a hobby, but I’ve been involved in the volunteer fire/rescue service for over 37 years.

Q: What’s your go-to method for unwinding after a busy week? 

A: Does the week ever end? (I’m filling this out on a Sunday night at 9 pm!)