Share thisWhen people begin to plan for a new vivarium, they are sure the facility is going to perform perfectly in all aspects. The human tendency is to want to believe all the problems associated with the old facility will go away. However nothing is quite that easy. Perfection requires a lot of work and often is better achieved by working in a larger team.
It is never easy to build a laboratory facility, new or renovated. By necessity there are many entities and specific expertise that need input and these areas of influence do not necessarily intersect with easy transition. This is particularly true of flooring. There are those, who for some reason, still see flooring as a commodity purchase. As long as those individuals continue to operate, flooring decisions promise to be tough work. If you need to be convinced flooring should not be treated as a commodity, read further. Before the end user has the opportunity to give their input, others have already begun to shape the project. Considerations such as the affordability of the project, the impact of the construction on other programs, financial, architectural, and general programmatic aspects of the project are key elements of planning. These considerations are necessary in order to determine the feasibility of the project. If the project is not feasible it does not proceed.
What Does the Guide Say?
With specific respect to the interior finishes, there are several influences that affect opinions regarding finish selection. First, there is the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals or what is generally known as the “Guide.” While the Guide does not tell us specifically what materials to use or how to construct the space, it does serve as a starting point where we begin to establish industry recommendations toward the spirit of what is considered good quality housing for the reasons of cleanability, disinfection, and maintenance of long term environmental quality. In short, good husbandry yields quality data. To paraphrase the Guide with respect to facility finishes in general, it says that building materials should facilitate efficient and hygienic operations. It says that finishes should be durable, moisture proof, fire resistant, and that seamless applications are most desirable. It continues to say that they should be highly resistant to the effects of cleaning agents, scrubbing, high-pressure sprays, and impact. Finally, it says that the facility in general should be well-planned, well designed, well constructed, and properly maintained so as to facilitate efficient, economical, and safe operation. (The Guide continues to further delineate specific recommendations for floors, walls, and ceilings separately.)
However, the Guide is not the only influence at work. In the real world there are construction considerations that come into play. Cost of construction is a real concern. Considering the overall cost of vivarium space, counting dollars does not necessarily equate to being cheap: it is simply prudent. Cost should never interfere with selecting finishes that are of the highest quality or assure safety and durability, but neither should money be wasted on useless virtues. Further, cost is not always defined as the cost of the installed product. Costs can also be related to the time lost during installation. The speed of construction is often a major concern in the selection of construction finishes. Research deadlines for new drug approvals or to coordinate with specific teaching cycles often need to be met. The need to allow research to begin on time can be critical in overall planning. Interior finishes can either enhance or delay construction time. In short, time also equals money.
Material and labor availability are another influence that can affect the type of materials that are used in the construction. These considerations are often geographic and/or event driven. The rebuilding of the Southeastern United States after the 2004 hurricane season will surely increase the cost of construction products and affect labor availability. There are likely to be price increases and/or a shortage of products available to the trades. If these shortages or price increases are severe enough, they will force comparisons with alternate materials to allow other construction to continue.
Local building codes always have some affect on the type of materials that can be used and the type of construction that will be accepted. All of these influences affect price and consequently the design of the facility. Furthermore, as a facility manager or director, most of these influences are beyond your control.