It includes things such as the expected lifetime of components and materials, the wellbeing of the workforce, and the impact on the environment and climate change.

Welfare facilities will need to be provided somewhere in the building, with food, drink, toilets, showers, and break areas typically kept outside the main lab space.Furthermore, given the increasing competition to attract talented scientists and lab technicians, more luxurious social spaces such as gyms and chill-out areas are becoming the norm.

Office buildings that already provide these facilities may be more cost-effective overall..Complications can arise where elevators, corridors, and external areas used to store or transport critical, sensitive, expensive, hazardous, or large volumes of materials are then shared with office or other lab tenancies.In some cases these issues will be covered by regulations and can therefore impact health and safety or quality compliance.

Further considerations include containment and contamination control, building security and opening times (e.g.for 24/7 lab operations), shared lab functions (e.g.

washrooms or stores), and IP sensitivities – with the size and type of life science business or tenant a driving factor in how these are managed.

In all cases, a lab design should be developed as soon as possible, with material and personnel flows and relevant zonings mapped out across all lab and common areas to identify any potential issues.. 8.This is one of the most powerful ways we can tackle climate change.. What is the circular economy in sustainable construction?.

The principles of a circular economy involve planning ahead for the reuse of products, materials and resources to minimise waste.The key design principles are shown below:.

Only once circular design principles are fully integrated can residual waste be identified and managed in a responsible manner to maximise its highest value..This is entirely applicable to sustainable construction practices..