Office-to-Lab Conversions: What to Consider Before Signing a New Lease
Stefan Domby, project manager at RMF Engineering, informs prospective tenants on office-to-lab conversions.
Written by: Stefan Domby, Project Manager, RMF Engineering
As the commercial real estate industry continues to struggle in finding new opportunities for vast swaths of vacant office space across the country, particularly in urban environments, the fast-growing life science sector has emerged as an exciting repositioning opportunity for many landlords and developers.
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The reality, however, is that the buildings primed for office-to-lab conversion projects are not the new, Class A commercial towers that have been equipped with the latest technology and state-of-the-art systems. Rather, it's often the older, more outdated, stock that are in search of new life and marketed for this new use case. While it's true that even upgraded buildings present challenges for life science use conversion, older structures were built to vastly different standards and requirements––creating significant hurdles that lab managers should consider carefully before signing on the dotted line.
Fortunately, there are strategies and solutions that can make these projects worth the time, money, and effort. By working with highly skilled engineering teams to approach these types of conversions through targeted and forward-thinking interventions and adaptations to accommodate the change of use, lab managers can make more educated building selections and design choices that will best accommodate their needs for the future. Further, for lab managers in need of spaces that office buildings potentially cannot accommodate, this approach opens the door for additional real estate opportunities, such as shopping malls, gyms, and educational facilities.
Addressing code and physical space requirements in fixed settings
Incorporating and meeting CODE requirements (IBC, IMC, NFPA 45, NFPA 30, and ANZI 9.5) can be challenging for purpose-built facilities, much less for those being tapped for lab conversions. This is particularly the case with life safety measures, which require more consideration and planning in a laboratory environment than would traditionally be expected in a commercial office building. For example, fire protection ratings that call for the separation of designated lab spaces from those designed for offices will need to be taken into account when considering this type of conversion. Further CODE and spatial requirements that will need to be addressed include the addition of shaft space to accommodate hazardous exhaust, as well as the modification of some roofs to support the addition of hazardous exhaust fans.
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In many cases, the suggested and CODE-required airflow rates for supply and exhaust air needed to accommodate equipment and ductwork far exceeds the established ceiling and floor space in buildings designed for traditional commercial use. Oftentimes, we find that the rentable floor space that is being paid for by a tenant is consumed with lab support equipment that cannot be supported by the building infrastructure space typically made available to tenants at a reduced rate.
These CODE and space requirements can lead to considerable challenges for both the incoming tenant and their architectural, structural, and engineering design team with respect to lab conversions. Before considering this type of project, it is imperative to understand the impact of these local and national requirements, as well as the physical constraints of the existing structure, within context to determine if the renovation will even be possible for a particular space. In some cases, the criteria outlined for laboratory space may far exceed what a building is capable of supporting.
Planning flexibility for the future
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Technology changes at an incredible pace and lab space must adapt along with it. As science evolves and grant funding opportunities change, a lab must be able to quickly shift gears to accommodate changes in purpose and functionality. The foundational design will remain the same, but the way a research setting is configured and organized can lead to great efficiencies or inefficiencies, depending on those operating within the space.
In order to effectively convert an office into laboratory space, it is important to decide what elements will remain fixed due to the location of utility hook-ups, such as lab sinks, safety showers, and fume hoods. Once that layout is set, you can build in flexibility around those fixed elements with movable casework and shelving, and ceiling-mounted utility panels for incorporating lab gasses, as well as electrical and IT outlets. Standard laboratory modules can create a template for supply and exhaust air terminals units that can provide flexibility for temperature and pressurization control throughout a typical lab floor plan. This same template can identify wet and dry lab zones to adapt readily for changes in research and researchers.
As with any good plan to meet flexibility goals, the lab design strategy needs to be tempered with guidelines to maintain a level of organization within the space. In order to be successful, the template that identifies wet work zones, safe fume hood locations, emergency safety equipment locations, shared lab equipment, high heat load equipment zones, and special use areas should be well thought out––allowing individual researchers to flex fit their needs seamlessly into these fixed elements.
Satisfying sustainability goals
Due to the nature of their flexibility, laboratory spaces often present the opportunity for increased energy and water waste. Oftentimes, there are safety mechanisms put in place to reduce this potential, but it is common for users to not be well trained on how to take advantage of them. Fortunately, there are many sustainable design systems and guidelines, such as LEED and the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), which can provide tools and solutions for reducing energy, water usage, and waste.
Fume hoods, for example, are often designed to reduce energy, but only when the hood sash is closed when it is not in use. Unfortunately, these nuances are not always well-known or well-communicated to researchers. Some manufacturers have introduced design enhancements, such as proximity sensors, as a fail-safe, but many of these enhancements are not trusted and are avoided. Proper training is key to efficient and safe fume hood usage and significant energy reduction in the lab.
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As it relates to waste reduction, many laboratories have standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the handling and disposal of chemicals associated with the mission of the facility. It is important to understand what chemicals will be used within the space being converted and plan in advance for their proper disposal to avoid potential strain on public utilities. This is a major consideration for structures not originally designed for laboratory use, as the building's utility infrastructure may not be able to support or handle the introduction of certain chemicals. Handling of lab-related process waste in accordance with governing disposal regulations is essential in any setting and must be a top priority in the space conversion process.
Another important practice for all lab managers and researchers is the reduction of water waste through the use of water-saving fixtures and Energy Star lab equipment––especially freezers. These components should be part of the day-one discussion on any laboratory design but must be considered during lab renovations and modifications throughout the life of the laboratory space.
Looking outside of office space
Ultimately, it is sometimes the case that the conversion of office space to lab space, despite its location, will be cost prohibitive––whether it be due to the necessary HVAC infrastructure exceeding the existing spatial limitations, the central equipment being too heavy or vibration-sensitive for an available floor renovation, or a myriad of other reasons. Developers vested in creating lab spaces for start-up companies have begun adopting incubator-style strategies as a result––designing their buildings and infrastructure in such a way to help reduce the financial burden to potential tenants.
When traditional commercial space is not an option, slab-on-grade structures such as malls and fitness centers offer the unique potential for conversion, because they are often already designed with the ability to support heavy-weighted equipment and achieve low vibration. Further, the partitioning of these types of spaces is minor compared to established office space, making them good alternatives for developers seeking to cater to the life sciences and research and technology sectors.
As with any renovation, there will always be pros and cons in choosing a particular space or building––each will have its own benefits and challenges that all must be weighed into the decision about what's going to work for a particular type of laboratory. By working with engineering teams to evaluate the time, money, and effort that will be required to successfully convert a space for an entirely new use case on the front end, lab managers can make the best decisions for their needs while mitigating potential surprises or obstacles along the way.
