Insights from verto360
Circularity in Lab Environments
Andrew Lutowicz, President, Verto360
January 10, 2025
Recently, I spent some time pondering the question, “Does circularity in a construction environment apply to labs?” Or more specifically, “Can a prefabricated construction approach, designed for disassembly, play a valuable role in lab settings?”
While I’m no authority on labs, I strongly believe that the answer is a resounding yes. The need for flexible spaces that can adapt to evolving needs in corporate, healthcare and educational environments is self-evident, so why not in labs, too? Labs, essential for scientific experimentation and analysis, inherently require adaptability - adaptability that traditional construction approaches simply can’t provide.
Here are the key aspects of my thesis:
The jury is in: Prefabrication is the future of construction, offering numerous advantages, and as such, it only makes sense that labs embrace this forward-thinking approach.
The bones: regardless of the environment being designed and built, the bones of a prefabricated environment remain consistent. Finishes, scope, or levels of complexity may change, but the structural materials and components remain unchanged. Think of it this way: a good construction system is a bit like Lego. The basic building block remains constant, and can talk to all other components and pieces in the system, as well as the building elements, fixtures and equipment.
The more the merrier: grouping related disciplines (like walls, doors, casework, and graphics) and utilities (like power, data, and plumbing) within a prefabricated construction system that’s designed for disassembly dramatically increases its ability to be flexible, adaptable and sustainable. As the needs of the staff, researchers or scientists within a lab evolve, the lab itself can, too - much more affordably and efficiently than with a typical construction approach.
Designed for disassembly: the ability to disassemble - and reassemble - a space is key to ensuring any built environment is capable of adapting to future needs. Because the world changes, and your space should, too. System components need to have a material labeling system in place for reconfiguration and/or replacement. Without this (ie. with a traditional approach), you have a single-use, disposable construction system at best.
Sustainability: a prefabricated construction process in a controlled environment reduces waste dramatically. And this inherent sustainability is amplified when, later down the road, the space can be reconfigured as many times as needed.
The MX factor – MX refers to mixed reality technologies including virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, BIM and digital twin technologies. Unlike in all other elements of our daily life, these tools are underutilized in the construction industry, but have the potential to significantly improve design accuracy and minimize construction waste, re-work and unexpected costs. Here at Verto360, we incorporate technology into our projects, so clients can see and experience their new space before construction starts.
Ultimately, I propose rewording my original question, asking instead: “What impact does an unsustainable, single-use construction approach and its materials have on a lab environment?”
There’s a better way to build, for organizations spanning across sectors and sizes, including labs. And Verto360 can help you find it, revolutionizing your construction experience every step of the way.
We’ve been at the forefront of construction innovation and fitting out interiors for nearly 20 years, using prefabricated solutions. And our clients have seen the tangible benefits, re-using between 80-90% of their materials as they reconfigure their space to meet their evolving needs time and time again.
At Verto360, we don’t just build spaces, we build possibilities. We help build offices, clinics, retail spaces and yes, even labs, that evolve as fast as you do. We help you build smarter, greener and better than ever before.
-Andrew Lutowicz
President, Verto360
