Lab Relocation

Whether you are expanding into a new space, renovating, moving operations, consolidating laboratories, or decommissioning a facility, laboratory clean-out and relocation can be complicated and costly, and the stakes are very high; your research is your life’s work, and it is irreplaceable. When relocating a laboratory, every detail is critical. As a result, many laboratories are including transition planners and move managers on their projects.

Context and value
Laboratories are relocated for many reasons: growth of program, funding changes, or renovation of the building where the laboratory is located. Planning the transition and move of a laboratory and its associated equipment is just as critical as designing the actual laboratory space itself. A typical laboratory relocation can take four to six months of planning before a single piece of equipment is moved. When you engage a lab transition planner to manage your move, your laboratory personnel can focus on their research while experts plan, prepare, and manage the logistical needs specific to the move.

Challenges

One of the most significant challenges in laboratory transitions is fully understanding the environment the laboratory will be moving into. Identifying the future location of shared equipment and ensuring that the proper mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure is in place must be clarified early on in the transition process. When you are relocating a cryogenic freezer with a decade’s worth of research, something as trivial as the length of a refrigerator or freezer cord could be the difference between successfully relocating the specimens and losing years of data

Maintaining the integrity of ongoing research is one of the biggest challenges in laboratory relocations. It is important for the transition planner to gain the trust of the research investigator and the lab manager by meeting with them and their team to fully understand the nature of the research in order to develop a plan to relocate it safely and efficiently. Many times it involves providing specialized climate- and humidity-controlled environments for relocating live specimens such as cells, flies, mice, worms, or other animals.

Key considerations
Every research lab sets up core equipment unique to their research. Sometimes the equipment is used across the facility or even off-site at multiple institutions. The equipment could include machines needed for tissue culture, incubators that grow cells, and biosafety cabinets. When planning a move, it is critical to consider all the equipment being used, not just the equipment in a specific lab.

No one wants to move to smaller lab space, but that is a fact of life with grant-funded research if grants are not renewed. No one wants to give up equipment or bench space. On the flip side, when a large research grant has been awarded, often multiple moves may be required before contiguous space is available. It is often difficult to find large enough temporary or “swing” space. This is especially frustrating for the researchers involved, as it requires moving more than once.

Lab transition planning requires ongoing monitoring and reassessment. Often a lab move will be planned and issues are uncovered when the move begins—for example, the lab manager on a recent move ordered new equipment and did not inform the moving team. When it was delivered, much of the equipment in the lab had to be relocated to accommodate the new equipment.

Solutions
When undertaking a major laboratory relocation, proper planning can make the difference between a successful move and a disaster. Laboratory relocation is never routine. No two laboratories are alike, and they all have specific challenges that should be approached with care when attempting relocation. Below are some best-practice recommendations when relocating a laboratory into a new facility.