Basics of Laboratory Setup in the Office

Conclusions

This chapter describes most of the critical components of laboratory design and construction, including specifications that at this time are neither standard nor regulated for IVF laboratories. Knowledge of these factors is essential for the reproductive endocrinologist or laboratory director planning a new facility or redesigning an existing one.

Without question, the single most important component of a new or redesigned facility is the indoor air quality for the IVF laboratory and the incubators. Indoor air quality is influenced by nearly all major design components of the laboratory, including the HVAC system, engineering of the system for proper pressurization, temperature and humidity control, physical layout and construction quality of the laboratory to maintain pressurization, and choice of building materials to minimize off-gassing of noxious fumes.

Although many of the important design decisions can be arrived at intuitively, fundamental knowledge of the workings of an HVAC system and related variables offers a measure of security. This security translates into the ability to make an educated assessment of the validity of the construction and design plans, or if nothing else, the ability to recognize when a second opinion is in order.