whitepaper The Bursar s Guide to Science Lab Refurbishment architects and surveyors 2013 t: 01565 872 288 www..co.uk
The Bursar s Guide to Science Lab Refurbishment A refurbishment or development of a science faculty is one the more complicated projects for a school to undertake. To help guide you through the process, the following notes explain some of the key lessons we have learnt through recent projects. Design Principles Each department will normally have its own prep-room, which would ideally be placed at the centre of the labs giving direct and discrete access for the technicians. Off the chemistry prep-room should be the chemical store with clear access for deliveries from the outside. This often leads to chemistry being on the ground floor, and biology on the top floor to make the best use of sunlight and possibly a greenhouse. Finally, cleaner stores are often best placed close to the chemistry department to react swiftly to any spills. Lab Designs The requirements for chemistry and biology differ slightly from physics. Chemistry and biology use liquids which directly impacts on the lab layout. Ideally there should be a physical separation between wet (experiments) and dry (theory) areas. This allows the teacher to explain the theory to students who can be sat at normal tables on comfortable chairs, paying full attention and not being distracted by the presence of gas and water taps. It also avoids any damage to books and laptops from spilt chemicals, splashed water or Bunsen burners. So the dry end of the lab looks very similar to a traditional classroom, and the wet end like a traditional lab with fixed benches, sinks, gas taps and electric sockets. However this separation requires a big room, which for 24 students would be 90sqm+. If your space is smaller, then you can consider a wing design. Two rows of fixed benches (laid out in wing shape) with extra wide worktops that allow a knee space to be created on one side. Students can then sit facing the board for the theory sessions, and then walk around to the other side of the bench to complete the practicals. Finally you could consider an array of fixed service pods, between which lose benches can be arranged to produce a variety of different lab layouts. The general principle is to have the students facing the teacher during the theory sessions, without distractions. For this reason octagonal and polygonal layouts, may look impressive but they are not successful. Physics teachers tend to prefer more flexibly layouts. They require limited gas and water, but are heavily dependent on electrical sockets. However the majority of the services can be located around the perimeter benching, allow those in the centre of the room to be mobile. Some laser experiments benefit from long distances so you could consider having the ability to connect labs together with a clear line of sight, and also think about the possibility of pendulum experiments in any high space such as an entrance foyer. Physics labs should, and biology labs prefer, to include black out blinds. With all labs it is important to include an entrance at the back of the lab (normally in addition to the main student entrance) to allow technicians to quietly access the labs during lesson time. t: 01565 872 288 www..co.uk
Detailed design considerations:- Fume cupboards Chemistry labs and prep-rooms require fume cupboards to carry out certain experiments. In addition biology labs and their prep-room would normally have access to a fume cupboard, although their needs are less than chemistry. As health and safety legislation becomes increasingly onerous there is a move towards more experiments being undertaken in fume cupboards, and as a result more units are required within the labs. As well as the traditional fixed fume cupboard, you can now choose an umbilical or mobile unit. Fixed cupboards have a ducted extract to the outside air and can be much wider than the other two options, however because they are normally on a perimeter bench they offer limited visibility for the students. Umbilical units are semi-mobile. They are on wheels and can be moved out from the bench to allow the teacher to demonstrate from behind while the pupils view the experiment through the other three sides of the cupboard. However, their mobility is limited since they are tethered by the physical extract to the outside air. Mobile units differ by exhausting their fumes through an internal filter system and back into the room itself. This allows them almost total freedom to roam the department and be shared between labs. The only restriction on their movement is the need for a docking station wherever they are to be used. This is simply a space allocated within the lab where they can be connected to gas, water and electricity. The disadvantage of a mobile fume cupboard is the maintenance cost. The filters are expensive and have to be replaced annually by staff trained to inspect and maintain the units. However their flexibility can significantly reduce the number of units required throughout the department. If specifying mobile fume cupboards, especially in a refurbished building then please check that door widths are sufficient to allow easy movement around the department. An additional facility that is well worth considering is a video camera link from the fume cupboard to the whiteboard projector. This can allow the teacher to demonstrate whilst the students can sit at their desks. It also allows the experiment to be recorded either for assessment or upload onto the school intranet to help with homework. Worktop Options There are four main options for worktops within the labs and the prep-rooms, which in ascending order of cost are; solid grade laminate, Polylab, Corian and hardwood (the last two being very close on price). 1. Solid Grade Laminate Solid grade laminate (often referred to as Trespa) is the standard material used in state schools (also used in toilet cubicles). Thin sheets of paper are impregnated with formaldehyde resins and compressed into a sheet. The body of the material is made up of darker sheets with phenol-formaldehyde. The surface layer consists of a melamineformaldehyde resin which can be dyed different colours, however this means that if the sheet is dented or chipped the darker body is visible. We have experience of using solid grade laminate on science projects, and it performs adequately. However some issues are apparent, namely; when chipped it cannot be repaired easily, it stains badly with some chemicals and it is relatively thin (16mm) which can mean that cantilevered sections split at the junctions. 2. Hardwood Hardwood is of course the old fashioned traditional material. Visually some people like it, others feel it looks dated and of course it can be easily scratched and marked. However it can be sanded down and re-varnished. Importantly hardwood can only come from sustainable sources and as a consequence the cost has increased significantly, making it marginally the most expensive option. t: 01565 872 288 www..co.uk
We would also highlight that the timber on offer is nearly always Iroko a tropical hardwood from Africa which is dark in colour and often not as close grained or attractive as the workbenches of yesteryear. 3. Corian Corian is a manmade material produced by DuPont. Aluminium hydroxide is bonded with methylmethacrylate to give a marble like appearance which is stable, inert and easy to clean. Sheets of 13mm thick Corian are bonded to an 18mm MDF substrate and moulded around the edges to give a smooth bullnosed finish. Sheets are sealed by means of a liquid equivalent material to provide a completely seamless joint. Integrated sinks are often made from the same material to give a very professional appearance. Because it is a through colour material, any chips or scratches are harder to detect, and if required they can be filled, sanded and repaired or even whole sections replaced with seamless joints. Corian is used extensively across the world in all sorts of professional healthcare and scientific facilities and is considered the best solution for a school lab, offering a modern appearance (there is a wide range of colour options) and a long lifespan. 4. Polylab Polylab is one of many materials on the market that imitate Corian, claiming to have equivalent properties but costing about 30% less. These are polyester and acrylic based and like Corian have a through colour which can be sanded, filled and seamlessly repaired. Unlike Corian they are not bonded to a substrate and the worktop is simply a 20mm thick sheet of the material. Typically they have a more limited range of colours and a shorter guaranty. With all the worktop options the industry standard is to have steel framed carcase, in fact none of the major manufacturers offer an alternative. However it is still possible to source solid timber carcases from local joinery firms. Temporary Labs If you are planning a major refurbishment then you will probably need to decant the department, either in part or whole into temporary labs. Building work can normally be phased to limit the scale of the temporary accommodation, although this clearly needs very careful planning and co-ordination with the main contractor. Companies such as Elliott (www.elliottuk.com) and Portacabin (www.portakabin.co.uk) will provide modular buildings with fully fitted labs and prep-rooms; however the costs can be significant and should not be overlooked in the early planning stage of a project. As a rough guide, a temporary building with eight labs, two preps, a chemical store and office will cost in the region of 400,000 (including VAT) for a 52 week hire period. This facility will also require a temporary planning approval. Finally be aware that these labs may have to served by bottled gas, from which some older Bunsen burners will not work. An idea on cost Science projects are heavily serviced and therefore tend to be quite expensive. As a rough guide, a simple new build two storey project with four labs, two prep-rooms, an office, chemical store and a couple of toilets is likely to cost around 2,000 / sqm (excluding fees and VAT). The floor area would be around 600 sqm making the total build cost in the region of 1.2m. Added to that would be the fit out cost; 26k for a chemistry or biology lab down to 24k for physics. Prep rooms range from 18k to 12k. Taking the total contract to around 1.3m. Finally, you should budget on professional and local authority fees at 17%, plus VAT on the whole, giving a likely project cost of 1.9m. t: 01565 872 288 www..co.uk
Conclusion Science projects are complicated and normally the staff have strong views on the design. Involving an experienced architect from the concept stage will help you to navigate through the process, respond effectively to your teachers demands and ensure a successful outcome from your investment. About squires and brown is an architectural practice specialising in the education sector. From our office in Cheshire we provide a full range of architectural, building surveying and project management services to clients throughout the country. We work on projects of all sizes from science lab refurbishments to masterplanning and whole new-build schools. As specialists in the education sector we have excellent experience of working on historic sites with listed buildings, protected ecologies and complicated planning issues. For more information, please contact John Squires on 01565 872 288 or email john.squires@.co.uk Giggleswick School, Yorkshire, New Science Labs t: 01565 872 288 www..co.uk Malvern College, Worcestershire, Refurbishment and Extension of Science Department