Sustainable Casework Opportunities for Labs

Victoria David, AIA, and Roger Maynard, Maynard/David Partnership, Inc.

Objectives:

We worked with Case Systems to develop a wheatboard product that met both the strict lab requirements for durability and fire safety, plus the owner's need for products with no off gassing or traits that would be picked up by its highly sensitive analytical instrumentation. The objective is to demonstrate that there are options available that are very cost effective and adaptable to lab casework materials and construction. Additionally, Case Systems was so impressed by this alternative that they are implementing a new product line that uses this product. It is also important to understand that this is small project - 24,000SF, but that both the casework manufacturer and the client were willing to explore some alternative solutions that might well benefit a larger audience.

Findings:

We want to demonstrate the design process we initiated, present some of the early iterations and show how we developed the final product. Case Systems will contribute some costing information to demonstrate how it achieved success both technically and economically. We would like to demonstrate how a collaborative design process can effectively produce exciting and beneficial results, not only to the client but for the greater community.

Cost is one of the big hurdles, it seems, in developing or trying new products or new ways of doing things. Green development is not always an "easy sell' with clients because they perceive that there are added costs associated with design and construction done in the name of environment. So it is important to showcase successes achieved within a variety of often competing criteria. With the terrific collaboration of the project's owner, Design-Balance, Case Systems and ourselves, we were able to effect a solution that met several objectives, including cost and schedule.

Labs21 Connection:

The casework material innovation is one of several project items that were targeted for designing as "sustainable." Indeed, with the participation of Kelly Karmel, the client, the design team and the contractor were able to include many elements of the Labs21 Approach.

The casework solution is noteworthy because it evolved as a whole team effort on a small project scale - it is important to remember that this is a relatively small project 24,000SF. However, the quality of the product developed by Case Systems demonstrates that there can be sustainable design opportunities for other lab facilities. Since so many projects are within this square footage range, it is important to acknowledge how they, too, can contribute to the Labs21 Approach.

Biographies:

Victoria G. David, AIA, Principal, Maynard/David Partnership, Inc., has over 23 years experience. Ms. David has planned and designed facilities for a variety of clients both nationally and internationally, including health care, corporate and non-profit research and development, advanced technology, analytical and medical device scientific fields. Her myriad project roles include project management, strategic facility planning, master planning, laboratory programming, planning and design, project coordination, facility assessment, renovation and new design. Experience includes work performed as Laboratory Planner, Project Manager, Designer and Project Architect for numerous national architectural firms.

Roger E. Maynard, AIA, Principal, Maynard/David Partnership, Inc., has 34 years experience as an architect, project manager and project principal on a full range of project scopes and sizes. For more than 30 years, he has focused primarily on laboratory and process intensive industrial facility design. Project experience includes work by his predecessor firms, The Planning and Design Group; and Maynard Affiliates; as well as experience as an independent lab consultant to many nationally known firms and architects.