Engineering a Remodel
Since 1965, Ryon Engineering Laboratory has been the go-to place for Rice’s civil, environmental and mechanical engineering faculty and students: When it comes to concrete batching and curing, strength testing, welding and machining, it’s where they find the answers. But in 2005, members of the George R. Brown School of Engineering finally faced a problem they couldn’t solve in the lab — because the labs were the problem.
Ryon Lab, as well as its next-door neighbor, the Mechanical Engineering Building (MEB), were completely full. New faculty members arrived only to find that there simply wasn’t lab space available for their research. But these are engineers, after all, trained to find solutions to physical problems. The school approached Facilities, Engineering and Planning (FE&P) and commissioned space and infrastructure studies to get an idea of how to utilize the existing space more effectively.
The studies not only established ways that the space in both buildings could be better utilized, but also made an important distinction between the two buildings. “Ryon Lab was targeted for ‘dry,’ or nonhazardous, lab space because it didn’t have the facilities for extensive exhaust capability through the use of chemical fume hoods,” said FE&P Project Manager Tina Hicks. “MEB, on the other hand, already had fume hoods, so it could be converted to ‘wet’ labs, where moderately hazardous materials could be used safely. This allowed us to maximize each building’s potential, while salvaging much of what already existed in the building.”
In addition to meeting the School of Engineering’s current needs, the renovated lab spaces in both Ryon Lab and MEB anticipate future needs as well.Hicks added that after several scenarios were studied, the project’s objectives emerged: Renovate both buildings according to their capabilities, create additional usable research space for the School of Engineering and upgrade the lab facilities and public areas to meet current building codes and Rice lab standards.
To this end, Ryon Lab’s outdated work areas — such as the basement-level wave tank and the soil curing room — were repurposed into additional computational and teaching lab spaces. In all, eight new labs were created, as well as several additional offices, and the building underwent other renovations such as updated air systems and building security features, reconfigured restrooms and new lighting in all public areas.
MEB, which is used primarily for lab space, underwent similar structural updates. Where the building originally had only eight small fume hoods distributed among three wet labs, the renovation project created capacity for 14 fume hoods distributed among more labs. Lab spaces were reconfigured and modernized, with additions such as emergency showers and eyewashes, vacuum distribution systems and an acid-waste-piping infrastructure and collection system.
In addition to meeting the School of Engineering’s current needs, the renovated lab spaces in both Ryon Lab and MEB anticipate future needs as well. “Most labs are designed for a single purpose,” said Susann Glenn, manager of communications for FE&P. “These labs are designed with alteration in mind.” Featuring mobile lab casework, these “flexible” lab spaces allow for simplified reconfiguration if space needs to be altered for other purposes.
The renovation of Ryon Lab was completed in December 2007 and MEB’s redesign was completed earlier this year. Hicks said that while the project was not considered for LEED certification, the designs took sustainability practices into consideration whenever possible. “It is likely the building could be LEED certified as an existing building if the university chooses,” she said. “Green” aspects of the project include the use of recyclable ceiling tiles; the reuse of existing walls, doors and mechanical equipment when practical; and the installation of HVAC controls.