Flexibility Strategies: A Cost Effective Approach Supporting Sustainable Research Building Design

Brad Wellstead, ETHOS Development, Inc.
Mark Van Buskirk, Oregon Health Sciences University

Grant driven, result oriented, academic biomedical research is an ever evolving environment. Daily discoveries lead to new approaches, techniques and protocols. Lead researchers are faced with capital decisions: How should my new lab be outfitted? Can I afford to renovate my existing lab to accommodate new exploratory directions? How does my new space accommodate my current and future needs?

Responsible lab facility design should address and support all these concerns. Flexible design strategies offer a means to fulfill the majority of researcher's needs without necessarily costing more in upfront capital. As importantly, accommodating even a small fraction of future lab modifications will easily pay back in non-spent capital early in a project's life. This presentation will compare two separate lab projects at a large medical research university: one traditional design and one flexible design. Direct comparisons of costs both pre and post occupancy will be examined supporting the cost effective characteristics of flexible design.

Further, flexible design also supports sustainable practices. The economic costs related to waste, change, modifications, lost time, and deferred effectiveness are all explored in comparing flexible versus nonflexible design.

This case study compares an existing lab facility to a new under-construction laboratory facility (also pending LEED™ Silver certification). Flexible design strategies are pervasive in several key lab components. Each will be presented in a clear, easy-to-understand format. The comparison will conclude with all adjusted cost examination, illustrating the overall cost effectiveness of flexible lab designs.

Labs21 Connection:

This case study illustrates a unique approach by its consistency throughout the project as a whole from vivaria to labs to offices. It uses real life examples where flexibility is underscored by comparison to a recent and similar but less flexible facility.

The presented building follows the Labs21 approach in many ways. A pending Silver LEED™ certification project, it also aligns with many of the Labs21 approaches including: Life Cycle Cost Decision making, Sustainable Energy and Water Efficiency Strategies, Measure of Energy and Water Efficiency operations and Training Efforts.

This project goes even further to present the argument that flexibility is actively sustainable in its adaptability and ease of functionality relative to rapidly changing research environments.

Biographies:

Brad Wellstead, founding principal and president, established Ethos Development on one guiding philosophy: Providing unparalleled service which anticipates customer needs and creates sustainable projects that reflect the unique character of their communities. He has led more than $1.3 billion in design, construction and management projects, including some of the region's most highly visible.

Brad is a member of the American Institute of Architects and Cayuga Hospitality Advisors, the world's largest network of hospitality industry consultants
He's a widely published professional who has delivered presentations at numerous conferences and conventions.
Following are some papers/articles he wrote:

Research Findings, and Recommendations of the Environmental Concerns Task Force Issue Paper for the White House Conference on travel and Tourism. 30-31 October 1995.
Tourism and the Environment: Impacts and Tools Towards Enhancing Tourism's Physical Environments 1996. W.S. Roehl (Ed) Proceedings of the Second Environments for Tourism Conference (pp.283-292). UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada.
From Sustainable Tourism to Reality 1994. W.S. Roehl (Ed) Proceedings of the Environment for Tourism Conference (pp.521-542) UNLV Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mark Van Buskirk, Associate Vice President of Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), directs the school's comprehensive facilities program. OHSU is the west coast's single academic medical center between Seattle and San Francisco. Mark has been planning, designing, constructing and operating healthcare and biomedical research facilities at OHSU for over 26 years, and is still alive to talk about it. Mark earned his Masters degree from Portland State University, with a focus in Finance and Administration. OHSU's physical plant is approximately five million square feet, with an additional one million expansion currently in construction. Part of the expansion will connect the traditional hill top campus with an exciting new river front campus, via a unique aerial tramway system. In addition to the Biomedical Research Building, Mark led the design and construction of other notable labs, including the Mark O. Hatfield Research Center, Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, the Dotter Imaging Center and the Center for Research of Occupational and Environmental Toxicology.

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