The NSLS-II lab-office buildings (LOBs) were scheduled to be designed in fiscal year (FY) 2010, put out for bid in FY11, and have a construction contract awarded in late FY11 that would enable start of construction at the beginning of FY12. Given that plan, the LOBs would have been ready for occupancy in late FY13.
However, the availability of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has changed all that. The design and construction of the LOBs are one part of the NSLS-II Project that is being accelerated due to the provision of $150 million in ARRA funds to the project earlier this year. As a result, the LOBs will now be available for occupancy in FY12 - at least a year earlier than originally planned.
A rendering of an LOB attached to the NSLS-II ring building.
The detailed design of the LOBs began in April 2009 and took into account the feedback and recommendations of beamline groups and advisory committees to reconsider the amount of laboratory and office space. The amount of lab and office space for beamline support in earlier LOB designs was limited by cost concerns due to the volatility of construction costs prevalent during the 2007-08 preliminary design period. Construction costs have stabilized since then, which has provided an opportunity to re-evaluate space requirements. Our goal is to optimize the space available for users and beamline support staff to get the highest productivity out of each beamline. From January through March 2009, the Experimental Facilities Division studied the lab and office space allocations for other similar light source facilities and developed detailed lists of equipment and staff expected to be used in support of the NSLS-II beamlines. Working closely with HDR-the architectural and engineering firm working on the project-the NSLS-II architects and lab planners, detailed layouts of each lab and office were developed to assure the right type and amount of space was provided to support beamline operations.
The design development work has now been incorporated in the detailed design package of the LOBs, which is scheduled for completion in mid November. The design package is flexible so that, depending on available funding, the number of LOBs built can range from three to five. Several of the LOBs also can be constructed as a building envelope with the interior fit-out of the space reserved for future budgets, if necessary.
Each LOB will feature 11 labs, with a mix of wet labs, dry labs, fabrication/assembly shops, and tech spaces that have easy access to the experimental floor. The LOBs also include a shipping/receiving and storage area with roll-up door and rolling access to the experimental floor. Each LOB has offices designed for up to 124 occupants, with a mix of single-person and multi-person hard-walled offices and open-plan soft-walled offices for flexibility. The open-plan offices are in areas that are drenched with natural lighting provided by clerestory windows in the roof. The clerestory windows also extend above a central lobby area for gatherings, displays, and informal interaction space. All the offices and labs are on the ground floor. The mechanical and electrical services are located in a second-floor penthouse to reduce sound and vibration near the ground floor and adjacent experimental floor. Each LOB includes two kitchen areas, interaction areas, three conference rooms, and bathrooms that with locker and shower areas. The LOBs will have a number of environmentally conscious design features to reduce energy consumption and qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
The LOB design will be issued for contractor proposals in December with award of a contract slated for March 2010. Occupancy of the first of the LOBs is anticipated in mid FY12, around the time that the ring building construction is completed.