Laboratory & science

Applied R&D Building, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ

Multi-use buildings

Laboratory and other science buildings are usually multi-use facilities with laboratories, offices, storage, and frequently, teaching spaces. 

These buildings therefore present a combination of the challenges found in other building types and often include the added complexities of multiple facade system types and interfaces.

Contamination management

Laboratories always require a focus on inbound and outbound contamination management.  Strategies such as high air-change rates, strict pressurization control, and careful intake / exhaust separation all impact enclosure design. 

Sketch detail of the glulam, mullion and shading device support connection & waterproofing on the curved facade of the Applied R&D Building at Northern Arizona University.

Sketch of shade support connection on the facade of the Applied R&D Building, NAU

End view of the interior-lit facade the Applied R&D Building at Northern Arizona University, showing the curved shading system set against a dark blue night sky.

Applied R&D Building facade end view, Northern Arizona University

Risk mitigation

One of our key considerations on lab projects is risk mitigation.  Risk is a combination of consequence of occurrence and likelihood of occurrence.

The biosafety level (BSL) obviously impacts the consequence of a breach but we work with the architect and team on reducing the likelihood to levels acceptable to the owner. 

On lab projects we therefore advise on:

  • Air-tight detailing, particularly at cladding system interfaces,
  • Compartmentation seals between interior walls & the enclosure to allow required facade movements,
  • Multiple lines of defense for air- & water- barriers
  • Specification of high-quality facade materials & components to reduce the potential for failures now & in the future,
  • Emphasizing high levels of supplier quality control combined with extensive in-situ facade performance testing to increase assurance & lower the risk of breaches.

Energy efficiency

According to the National Institute of Building Sciences, a typical lab uses five times the energy per square foot of a typical office building. 

The design team thus needs to also emphasize energy efficiency and the facade plays a large part in that effort. 

We work closely with the architect & team to mitigate high mechanical energy costs through the use of:

  • Seamless integration of the facade with the usually extensive mechanical systems,
  • Building overhangs & shades to control thermal gain,
  • Appropriate glazing makeup & thermal breaks,
  • Additional roof & external wall insulation without the addition of bulk,
  • The potential use of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs).

A close up of the metal slatted shading devices on the facade of the Applied R&D Building at NAU.

The shading system on the Applied R&D Building

Interior view of the curved facade of the Applied R&D Building at NAU showing the glulam facade support structure.

Concourse interior, Applied R&D Building, NAU

Interior shading pattern analysis of the curved facade of the Applied R&D Building at Northern Arizona University.

Facade shading pattern analysis, Applied R&D Building, NAU

Sample projects

  • 1450 Owens – Mission Bay, CA
  • 1499 Old Bayshore Highway Life Sciences – Burlingame, CA
  • Applied R&D Building, Northern Arizona University – Flagstaff, AZ
  • Brain & Cognitive Sciences Complex, MIT – Boston, MA
  • California Academy of Sciences – San Francisco
  • Center for Health Sciences South Retrofit, UCLA
  • Chemical Engineering Teaching Annex, Sydney University – Australia

Sample projects

  • Donald Danforth Plant Science Center – St. Louis, MO
  • Goel Quantum Science & Engineering Building, Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
  • Nursing & Biomedical Sciences, UT Houston
  • Science + Engineering Building, UC Merced
  • Skaggs School of Pharmacy Sciences, UCSD
  • Snyder Hall, University of Hawai’i – Honolulu
  • The Landing Life Sciences – Burlingame, CA

The Landing Life Sciences, Burlingame, CA

The facade blue reflective glass facade of The Landing Life Sciences, a laboratory / science building in Burlingame, CA.

Brain & Cognitive Sciences Complex, MIT

Details of blue glass windows set in a tan stone facade on the MIT Brain & Cognitive Sciences Complex.

Skaggs School of Pharmacy Sciences, UCSD

The external glass facade shades on the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at UC San Diego against a right blue sky.

Center for Health Sciences South, UCLA

Ground-level upward view of the metal horizontal shading devices and vertical fins on the facade of the Center for Health Sciences South Retrofit, a laboratory / science building at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA.

Gordon Yu-Hoi Chiu Bldg, Sydney University

The shading devices on the facade of the Gordon Yu-Hoi Chiu Building, a laboratory / science building at Sydney University in Sydney, Australia.

1450 Owens, Mission Bay CA

Construction image of the glass and steel facade of the 1450 Owens laboratory / science building in Mission Bay, CA.

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