In the Boston area, the pandemic-era boom in life science development led to more companies being caught out by code and building restrictions.
We often hear from life science companies who signed a lease on a new lab building without fully considering whether these rules might limit their desired lab program.
Today, local regulators are applying even more scrutiny to lab building projects. New energy and building codes, particularly in Cambridge and Boston, are impacting how life science companies and universities can carry out their research.
In the face of these trends, future tenants must be strategic in deciding what lab building to move into. While there may be dozens of questions to ask about your potential new space, four stand out in importance.
It is critical to lease lab space on floors that are conducive to the type of scientific work you wish to do. Understanding MAQs will allow you to maximize the potential of your research and eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming retrofits.
Good news has arrived with the newly proposed 10th edition of the Massachusetts Base Building Code. It promises to resolve contradictions between various code documents that have long caused disagreements between code officials, consultants, and MEP designers. Following California’s lead, the new codes may allow for lab development on higher floors, which until now has not been practical. At SMMA, we are already thinking about the design possibilities this may open for clients in Massachusetts.
3. What is my sustainability potential?
Life science companies have a duty to operate sustainably, starting in the lab. But moving into an existing building, whether built for lab or converted from an office, comes with certain limitations. If you are not designing the building’s core and shell, you have no say over the most crucial factors that dictate its energy efficiency: the envelope, orientation, core mechanical systems, and ability to harvest energy onsite.
This makes it all the more important to choose a lab building that excels in at least some of these factors. A well-designed core and shell will allow you to reach more ambitious sustainability goals, no matter how you approach the fit-out. A good example is 10 Stack Street, a new core and shell lab/office building designed by SMMA for developers Catamount Management.
If you are fortunate enough to own your new building, you can achieve meaningful sustainability gains by upgrading the MEP systems you inherit.
This should include using a hydronic cooling solution instead of less efficient all-air systems; upgrading inefficient fume hoods to high-efficiency or ductless units; and designing a flexible lighting system with smartly placed fixtures and sensors.
