Through surveys and interviews, crime lab directors have talked about various challenges they face in regard to their facilities and operations. Responses reveal several common issues related to lab renovations/additions or new facilities that are at the top of their minds. Let’s take a closer look at some of these notable and interesting challenges.

• How to retrofit a building into a forensic lab that was not originally constructed as a laboratory.
• Understanding the pitfalls and challenges of pursuing a forensic laboratory renovation.
• Understanding the actual costs for renovating a forensic laboratory.
• Applying up-to-date standards for facility design criteria, including size, layout, and engineering.
• How to make a flexible lab design that satisfies current and future disciplines.

To Renovate or Not to Renovate
Any building can be renovated into a crime lab, if you throw enough money at it. The problem is that you have very little money and must spend it wisely. Begin with a simple evaluation of the existing building for possible retrofit into a state-of-the-art forensic facility. You should observe the following four areas, giving each item within these areas a score of either “0” for bad, “1” for good, or “2” for great.

Exterior envelope – Examine the doors and windows, foundation and walls, and then check out the roof. Look for straight horizontal and vertical lines. If these lines are no longer straight, then the building has settling problems, leading to leaks, entry of vermin, and costly maintenance throughout the life of the building. On the roof, you should not see holes or punctures in the membrane, flashing should appear intact, and there should be few visible signs of patching. Also check inside the building for water damage or stains in ceiling tiles, walls, and floors.

Interior quality of life – As you enter the building, ask yourself “How does it feel?” Look for a place that feels open not confined, has natural light or the possibility for it, welcomes you, and shows great potential of meeting your needs. A facility that is inviting stimulates positive morale and directly effects work habits and productivity. Flexibility – Pace off column spacing in both long and short directions. If the bay in the long direction of the building is a multiple of anything between 10'-0" to 12'-0", you should be in good shape. If the bay in the short direction of the building also follows a multiple between 10'-0" to 12'-0", terrific! If they are identical, then that might outweigh every other problem with the building. Equal bay spacing along both sides allows you to rotate individual rooms 90 degrees, adding to a higher degree of flexibility.

Infrastructure – Finally, inspect the building’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems. No, you don’t need a professional at this point. Rather than trying to determine the condition of these systems, look for the following: room to adequately maintain or replace the air handling unit; many electrical panels feeding electrical distribution throughout the facility; running water with decent pressure; and sprinklered fire suppression system. These indicate that the building follows some life safety codes.

Now, total your score. If it is 7 or less, run away as fast as you can. If it is 11 to 18, further investigation is needed. Don’t let it go if your building evaluation score is 22 or more. Retrofit may be a viable option.