S-Lab Awards Shortlist, at March 5 2015
The shortlist has 40 entries from 9 countries in 8 categories:
· New Research and Analytical Laboratory Building
· New Teaching and Mixed Use Laboratory Building
· Refurbished Laboratories
· Laboratory Effectiveness
· Environmental Improvement
· Making a Difference
· Laboratory Data and Informatics
· New Product.
The text below has been provided by entrants (with minor editing by S-Lab for focus and space reasons) and is therefore their responsibility. Applicants are from the UK unless stated otherwise.
New Research and Analytical Laboratory Building
The Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (USA): A Design that Embodies Inter-Agency Collaboration
The laboratory overlooks the Damariscotta estuary in East Boothbay, Maine and has a mission of understanding marine biological and physical processes ocean ecosystems. It has three ‘laboratory wings’ that are funded by different agencies and which house relevant scientists and laboratories, with each connected to a shared ‘Commons’. It also has a strategic partnership with Colby College that engages undergraduates in its research.
More info: www.labdesignnews.com/articles/2014/06/platinum-solution-ocean-sciences.
University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building: Collaborative Drug Discovery Using State of the Art Equipment
The NDM Building brings together, and fosters collaboration between, diverse research groups working at different stages of target discovery. It has XX m2 of gross floor space which houses state of the art instrumentation including mass spectrometry, high content imaging, microscopy and liquid handling and a purpose built and designed chemistry lab.
More info: http://www.ndmrb.ox.ac.uk/about
University of Saskatchewan (Canada), International Vaccine Centre (InterVac):
The $150 million, 145,000 square foot, InterVac is the Canadian Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization’s (VIDO) main facility for research and vaccine development relating to zoonotic infections. Its CL3 space includes 6 laboratories, 18 animal rooms, animal surgery suites, a necropsy suite, clinical pathology, and an aerobiology challenge isolation area for large and small animals built to CL4 standards. InterVac’s large capacity and unique flexible design can safely house all animal species and can accommodate a wide range of experiments.
More info: www.vido.org
Washington DC Consolidated Forensics Laboratory (USA): A Coming of Age for Forensic Science
This LEED Platinum building allows the city to coordinate crime, public safety and health investigations, and balances the accountable flow and security of materials with a collaborative science environment. It includes a ballistics facility, naturally lit CL3 biological laboratories, vehicle examination rooms that operate as laminar flow clean rooms, and autopsy suites with natural light on the upper floors, bringing this critical work out of its traditional place in the basement.
More info: http://issuu.com/hok_scienceandtech/docs/2013_loty_dc_consolidated_forensic_lab?e=2936765/1318764
New Teaching and Mixed Use Laboratory Building
Charles R. Drew Charter School (USA): From STEM to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics)
This Junior and Senior Academy in Atlanta has been designed to support a project-based curriculum that emphasizes inquiry, making and sharing in both humanities and sciences. Most subjects are taught in a ‘project lab’ for each grade. This is a large flexible space outfitted with technology, presentation equipment, mobile and reconfigurable furniture, and utilities such as water and power, and is intended to provide a completely flexible environment that is student centred.
More info: www.drewcharterschool.org.
Sydney University, Charles Perkins Centre (Australia): Translational Research and Teaching in an Inspiring Building
A striking 50,000 m2 building, located next to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, which fosters inter-disciplinary and translational research and teaching focused on obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Open-plan office ‘neighbourhoods’, a suite of shared core lab facilities and shared informal meeting spaces, offer the next generation of researchers and practitioners a place to collaborate, mentor, learn and be inspired.
More info: http://www.fjmt.com.au/projects/projects_codcd.html
University of East Anglia, Bob Champion Research and Education Building: Translational Research and Teaching Based on User Consultation
The BRCE is adjacent to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. It houses (in different wings, connected by a central atrium and courtyard) both clinical teaching and translational research. The laboratories have been developed through extensive user consultation, including mock-ups and prototypes of laboratory benching, and feature generous floor to ceiling heights, natural lighting and exciting use of colour. The teaching wing is naturally ventilated.
More info: http://access.hawkinsbrown.com/_OvT25EoZHQgYyR
University of Florida, Lake Nona Research and Academic Centre: Strengthening Medical Innovation in Orlando
This LEED Platinum building houses research and teaching of UF’s College of Pharmacy and College of Medicine and is located next to hospitals and research centers at the rapidly expanding Lake Nona Medical City. A multi-story atrium entry acts as a central collaboration zone to bring researchers and students together and the internal functions of the building are organized to provide day-lighting to the labs and windows into the classrooms.
More info: http://issuu.com/hok_scienceandtech/docs/st_sqbook_general_s_t?e=2936765/2992138
University of New South Wales, Tyree Energy Technologies Building (Australia): Inspiring Students and Researching About Energy Innovation
This landmark building provides a gateway to the University and is an educational hub for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students. It also provides a space where research, education and industry can collaborate in the development and implementation of sustainable energy technologies. A roof-top area is set up for the testing of photovoltaic arrays, a key component of the research of this new facility.
More info: www.fjmt.com.au/projects/projects_unswetb.html
Refurbished Laboratories
Cell Therapy Catapult: R&D Centre at Guy’s Hospital Enables Commercialisation of Cell Therapies
A state-of-the-art 1200 m2 facility with panoramic London views combines flexible laboratories with offices, meeting rooms and collaboration space to support and advance cell therapy commercialisation. The 100 person facility includes cutting edge modular laboratories which mimic commercial manufacturing suites whilst visibility is maintained internally though the extensive use of glass, to ensure full connectivity, delivering cohesiveness and workforce integration.
More info: https://ct.catapult.org.uk/
Huntsman Pigments: Consolidation of R&D Improves Efficiency and Innovation
As part of the relocation of its Global Headquarters to North-east England Huntsman has consolidated an R&D function spread over a multitude of ageing single-use labs, into one innovative open-plan multi-discipline facility. Creativity and morale has increased as a result, and procedural bureaucracy has been reduced through streamlining of a multitude of health and safety documents and systems, procedures and training needs.
More info: www.huntsman.com/pigments/a/About%20us
King’s College London: New Zebrafish Aquarium Creates Better Science and Increased Efficiency
Consolidation of two aquatic systems into a single zebrafish facility with an in situ manager, dedicated quarantine, nursery, photoperiod and main tank sections, micro-injection facility and wash up area, and remote monitoring. Automated feeding and washing has allowed increased capacity with the same staffing levels, and also feeding regimes that better mimic wild conditions. Growth rates of embryo to adult have reduced from 3.5 to 2 months in the new facility.
More info: www.kcl.ac.uk/newsevents/news/newsrecords/2013/11-November/New-zebrafish-aquarium-launched-at-Kings-.aspx
Sheffield Hallam University: Overcoming Building Constraints to Create a Vibrant Multi-Discipline Teaching Laboratory
Four small laboratories and a plant room have been consolidated into a multipurpose space that can deliver a wide range of practical laboratory classes for up to 40 students from most science disciplines. Build constraints required innovative use of Live CAD sessions with facilities and technical staff to enable dynamic design of the facility. The result is an open, spacious laboratory and a much improved learning environment which incorporated energy conservation at every stage of its design.
More info: www.shu.ac.uk/faculties/hwb/departments/bioscience/
University of Edinburgh, Chemical Synthesis Laboratory: New Life for the UK’s First Purpose Built Chemistry Building
Redevelopment of 7 under-utilised laboratories in the Joseph Black Building (the first to be purpose built for a chemistry department in the UK) into a large multi-occupancy chemical synthesis laboratory resourced with 13 VAV fume hoods, high standard ventilated cabinets for solvents and chemicals and centrally supplied house gases. There are also recirculating chillers for all fume hoods as well as for a bank of rotary evaporators.
More info: www.chem.ed.ac.uk/about-us/safety-and-sustainability/sustainability/s-labs-awards-2015
University of Glasgow, Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory: Maximising Collaboration and Minimising Energy and Water Use
A 500m2 laboratory that has consolidated smaller units into an open plan organo-synthesis lab that is facilitating collaboration between chemists and biomedical staff as part of a translational medicine approach to the development of synthetic vaccines and cancer treatments. The laboratory has low velocity (0.3 m/s) fume cupboards, with IR auto sash closure and heat recovery; re-circulating chillers and ‘Findensers’ (water free condensing apparatus using a heat sink) to minimise water use.
More info: www.gla.ac.uk/schools/chemistry/research/chemicalbiologymedicinalchemistry/
Laboratory Effectiveness
Massey University: A Model for Increasing Utilisation of Teaching Laboratory Space and Optimising Technical Support
Massey University College of Sciences (Palmerston North, New Zealand) has delivered a cost-effective and innovative solution to ageing and under-utilised laboratory teaching space that could be widely replicated. Its features include flexible design,sharing of teaching laboratories across multiple disciplines (and Colleges), sharing of equipment, lean staffing (only one staff member is required to manage the facility: College technical staff set up and dismantle labs for their particular disciplines but remain based in their Institutes) and enhancedcross-disciplinary collaboration between technical staff.
More info: www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/colleges/college-of-sciences/college-of-sciences_home.cfm
Sanger Institute: Multiple Benefits from Space Management Software
The Institute has applied a space planning tool ‘OfficeSpace Software’ to the laboratory environment to capture and automate detailed reports on population density, space occupancy and usage. Data and alerts from the HR system are used to keep the space planning information current and enable maximum use. Electronic location maps provide easily accessible information to aid navigation around the buildings, find meeting rooms, and find contact details and location for colleagues.
More info: www.sanger.ac.uk/ and http://openspace-online.com/.
Science Exchange (USA): The Sharing Economy Comes to Laboratories
An online marketplace that enables researchers to find, evaluate and work with verified experimental service providers, including contract research organizations, core facilities and individual scientists. The site provides communication, project management and payment tools to simplify scientific collaboration. Since its launch Science Exchange has handled over $50 million in projects for researchers from every continent (including Antarctica).
More info: www.scienceexchange.com
Wageningen University (Netherlands): Improved Ultra-Freezing at a Lower Cost
The University’s Plant Sciences Group worked with a local company, Berg, to develop a new -80° C storage system (now called Radix Polaris) with much longer freezer compartments than normal. The system has lowered energy use and storage costs and greatly reduced icing of samples and risk of damage to them in case of power cut or malfunction. Wageningen is now installing two similar storage systems and Berg is offering them as a commercial product.
More info: www.wageningenur.nl/upload_mm/2/9/2/11a3fc3e-fadb-47d1-88a5-8eaf6c1c54f9_poster%20polaris.pdf
Environmental Improvement
Aston University: Go Green Initiative Provides a Focus for Laboratory Improvement
A university-wide initiative involving a network of environmental lab champions who report to ‘Go Green leaders’ that are made up of deans, senior academics or managers has been applied to two STEM schools, Engineering and Applied Sciences and Life and Health Sciences. A number of energy saving projects have been highlighted by this network for colleagues in Estates and Capital projects to investigate and implement.
More info: www.aston.ac.uk/about/environment/staff/
Lilly UK: Chemistry and Biology Laboratory Refurbishment at Windlesham Improves Energy, Space and Water Efficiency
A multi-phase refurbishment programme has so far delivered a ~300m2 chemistry laboratory with 25% energy savings compared with the previous installations, and a ~400m2 flexible laboratory space which can swing between chemistry and biology activities. There is also an Improved working environment and better visual connectivity between labs and write up areas.
More info: www.360ingenuity.com/aecom/events/s_lab_awards_2015_lilly_research_centre.pdf
University of Oxford: Modular Design at the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour Saves Energy and Increases Flexibility
Refurbishment and refitting of two floors of the 1970’s Tinsley building to provide open plan laboratories and supporting technical laboratory spaces, write-up and office space and seminar rooms. Features include a standard grid for internal partitions to maximise flexibility, a modular approach to temperature and humidity controlled spaces (i.e. several small rather than one large), and heat recovery.
More info: www.cncb.ox.ac.uk/ and www.hawkinsbrown.com/projects/tinsley-building
University of Michigan (USA): A Sustainable Laboratory Certification Program Has Saved Carbon, Energy and Millions of Dollars
110 labs have been audited and the State of Michigan has now introduced it to all HE institutions. Achievements include a ‘Shut the Sash’ campaign that has saved $1.2 million pa of energy, local PIAB vacuum systems that have eliminated 200 water aspirators and created water savings of $280,000 pa; recycling of 1500 gallons, and 500 lbs of surplus and unopened chemicals, annually saving $120,000 and $25,000 respectively on annual purchase and disposal costs.
More info: www.ocs.umich.edu/labs.html.
Making a Difference
Allison Hunter, King’s College, London
Allison is a technical manager on two campuses at KCL. Whilst managing the resources for 70% of KCLs highly serviced research space in a difficult environment (constant construction projects and power cuts), she has still played a lead role in driving improvements in freezer use, waste management and other areas within the institution. She has also persuaded the European Commission to pay greater attention to lab freezers and jointly obtained funds for a full-time Sustainable Labs project coordinator.
Biology Department Teaching Laboratories Technician Team, University of York
The team has shown extraordinary enthusiasm and diligence in advocating for, and helping to implement, environmental initiatives within the Department and the University as a whole. They have also passed on this awareness to all students working with them. Initiatives include programmes to switch off equipment and lights each day, and equipment at the end of each term, awareness campaigns, a chemical inventory and a recycling table for unwanted items.
Rekha Joshi, Macquarie University (Australia)
Rekha is Senior Technical Manager in the Faculty of Science. She has successfully integrated a very diverse group of technical teams together, and also created extremely close links between technical staff and both academics and students. Amongst other national recognition, she was awarded a learning and teaching grant to use the expertise of lab technical staff to develop an introductory course for students wanting to gain skills and experience in biology labs.