Materials Science Labs: Meeting Diverse Demands for Innovation, Precision, and Flexibility

Laboratory design has evolved over the past 30 years from simply accommodating research to a more dynamic and flexible approach. Today, labs are designed to support evolving research methodologies, prioritize user well-being, and integrate automation and AI-driven processes transforming labs into high-throughput research production lines. These adaptations increase efficiency and sustainability. They also enhance research accuracy which is particularly important in in materials science labs where precision and stability are paramount.

“Materials science encompasses diverse treatments of a wide variety of different materials—some research is focused on developing materials, while other work focuses on characterizing or testing materials. Some may include dangerous chemicals, while others develop materials that can be swallowed,” shares Greg Aldridge, associate principal planner at HDR who specializes in physical science environments. “Designing to accommodate the specific type of research being conducted with precision and stability is paramount.”

This article highlights key considerations for designing materials science labs including owner engagement, equipment considerations, planning for precision, adaptability, and flexibility and optimizing for energy efficiency and sustainability.

Provide good data throughout the design process

One of the best things that owner’s management teams can do to realize a materials science facility that meets the ambitious goals of supporting precision, innovation, and flexibility is to provide good data and intel throughout the design process. Before the project begins, the owner's management team should plan to compile comprehensive data, including generating a list of requirements vs. nice-to-haves and establishing priorities within that list.

Collaborative early-stage planning between owners, users, and the design team—grounded in clear problem statements and continuous data sharing—helps set shared expectations, question assumptions, and avoid costly redesigns and delays.

This information can be presented to the consultant team and together the entire project team (including both owner and consultant) can work to craft a problem statement before going straight to design. “Materials science presents a lot of novel situations that don’t have typical solutions,” shares Aldridge. “The entire design process should be collaborative between the design team, users, and owners to question initial assumptions and presumed requirements.” This initial evaluation sets shared expectations and prevents inefficiencies, for example, retrofitting a space for a new program when an alternative area already meets the user's MEP, structural, and equipment requirements.

Once the project has started, the owner should be prepared to provide data and input at each stage in the process for a successful design collaboration. Providing good data throughout the design process will allow the design team to effectively explore different strategies and solutions while delivering the project with minimal cost increase and project delays.

Right-size space for large analytical equipment

Materials science labs focused on measuring and testing materials house a variety of highly sensitive analytical instruments, which can require dedicated spaces with specialized conditions to ensure optimal performance. Key design considerations include floor load capacity and structural integrity considerations, equipment clearance considerations for installation and maintenance, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) mitigation and vibration isolation strategies.

Incorporate flexibility and adaptability where appropriate

Materials science labs are diverse; each type is tailored to specific focus areas, technique, and application. “While creating flexible, adaptable labs is a trend we are seeing in many research organizations we work with, it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ in materials science labs by any means,” shares Anisha Kothari, principal planner at HDR. “While some labs require highly controlled environments with fixed infrastructure to support heavy equipment, precise instrumentation, or hazardous materials, others benefit from flexible, adaptable designs that accommodate evolving research needs.”

The shift, where applicable, to more flexible and adaptive laboratory design allows researchers to accommodate new equipment and evolving workflows without significant disruption. By eliminating long periods of downtime or costly renovations, labs can maintain continuous operations, ensuring productivity remains high and financial losses are minimal. Some spaces that stand out as prime candidates for adaptable workspaces include nanomaterials labs, composite labs, mechanical testing labs, select optical and microscopy labs, biomedical labs, and 3D printing labs.

Isolate high-precision instruments from nearby vibrations

Mitigating vibration is critical in designing research labs for sensitive analytical equipment. “When we measure vibration levels, we do so in velocities of microns per second,” shares Aldridge. “That’s about one-tenth the width of a human hair over a relatively long period of time. Control at that level must be maintained across a huge range of vibration frequencies, far beyond the ability of a person to feel it.”

Best practices for vibration control include strategic room placement. Locating high-precision instruments away from mechanical rooms, elevator shafts, and high-traffic areas such as loading docks, street traffic and areas with heavy foot traffic reduces potential disturbances. In some cases, even routine actions like a door opening affect experimental measurements by introducing light and vibration. Slab reinforcements can minimize vibration transfer from foot traffic and equipment movement, while utilizing non-ferrous construction materials (i.e., materials that do not contain iron) ensures that magnetic-sensitive instruments avoid electromagnetic interference.

Mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can compromise the accuracy of delicate instrumentation, making EMI mitigation essential. If the facility being built will have EMI-sensitive equipment, it can be valuable to do a field survey before the project begins to understand the ambient conditions that might need to be considered (potentially even miles away)– for example, power lines, nearby industrial equipment, and traffic.

Early involvement of EMI consultants to mitigate EMI emissions is another critical consideration. Key design strategies that can be used to mitigate EMI include:

Proximity: The first mitigation measure that should always be considered is putting distance between EMI-generating equipment (sources) and EMI-sensitive equipment (receivers).
Electrical wiring placement: Proper electrical wiring placement, like running power lines along non-sensitive corridors instead of directly within lab spaces can help reduce interference.
Rigid steel conduit: Using rigid steel conduit is like shielding the EMI source, and cheaper than shielding the lab.
Interstitial space: Using an interstitial space helps separate building services like AHU’s that create EMI and vibration interference by placing them in an area adjacent to the lab space rather than in the lab.
Remote drivers for LED lighting: High-quality LED remote drivers keep the AC EMI out of the lab. As an added benefit, they also reduce flicker which is great for labs doing laser spectroscopy.

In addition to the above strategies, consultants might suggest different types of active or passive shielding solutions on a case-by-case basis.

Zone research spaces for efficiency and precision

As AI and automation removes the human element from certain research phases, laboratory spaces are increasingly organized into dedicated research zones—a simple, low-cost strategy to reduce EUI (energy use intensity) and dependence on mechanical systems in the building. Dedicated research zones improve energy efficiency through more targeted air circulation reducing overall energy consumption by transferring air from low-hazard to high-hazard rooms. This zoning strategy also provides unique benefits in spaces with specialized environments for sensitive equipment, by isolating high-precision instruments from general laboratory activities while minimizing vibration and contamination risks. This, in turn, streamlines workflow by separating equipment-intensive areas from administrative and general workspaces therefore enhancing operational efficiency.

While these strategies provide significant energy savings in all laboratory buildings, for materials science laboratories the most significant impact that can be had on a project comes at the outset. “When both owner and consultant are asking the right questions at project initiation, passive strategies like risk-based zoning can be explored and the amount of square footage dedicated to precision environments can be right-sized,” shares Aldridge. “This information can help simplify the overall mechanical design.”

Optimize temperature and humidity control

Temperature and humidity controls are essential for maintaining experimental integrity by preventing condensation, corrosion, microbial growth, or sample dehydration. Installing radiant cooling systems and low-wall air returns prevents unwanted airflow disturbances around sensitive instruments, such as electron microscopes. Sustaining a stable environment not only extends sample shelf life but also improves experimental accuracy and research reproducibility. One way that design can support these requirements is through strategically placing dedicated anterooms, utilizing transition spaces between lab environments to minimize temperature fluctuations and airborne contaminants.

Looking to the future

“Materials science labs can unlock new possibilities, reshape industries, and push the limits of what materials can achieve. They have the ability to transform ideas and concepts into groundbreaking technologies for the future,” shares Kothari. Lab owners and operators must adopt strategies that prioritize adaptability, enabling scalability to accommodate future technologies. This includes designing flexible infrastructure that can evolve with advancements in AI, automation, and changing research methods. Lab managers should get to know the building they’re in and how it’s intended to work, so that they can optimize their operations within the building context. Clear communication between owner, manager, and consultant, along with thorough exploration of some of the strategies outlined in the article can ensure materials science laboratories are designed to support both the integrity of research and long-term cost savings.