The ASHRAE GUIDE AND DATA BOOKS, Applications Volume, defines laboratories and test facilities as "spaces arranged, equipped, and environmentally controlled for experimental and study work." A first impression might be that the design engineer would limit his involvement to environmental control and some auxiliary services, but from a practical standpoint, you will see that all disciplines should accept the total system approach to meet owner requirements.

The total system approach is extremely important in laboratory building design. The system must be flexible because research is a business of constant change. Substantial owning, operating, and modification costs over the building life can be salvaged if the total system is designed with the basic premise that changes are the norm.