STRF Issues, Operations and FAQ

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: I need to replace a -80 freezer but wonder whether I should hold off on the purchase since I will be moving my lab to STRF next year.  Will new -80 freezers be provided at STRF?

Question 2: What is the size of the STRF building and what is the total space available for research activities?

Question 3: How do I schedule a tour of the building?

Question 4: What new lab equipment will be furnished as part of the construction project?

Question 5: What new furniture will be provided as part of the construction project?

Question 6: What is the Research Space Productivity Index (RSPI) for the STRF?

Question 7: I have heard that there are no dark rooms at STRF.  Is there a place for investigators to develop films?

Question 8: What will be the administrative structure at the STRF?

Question 9: I do not need as many biological safety cabinets as will be installed in the tissue culture rooms allocated to my program.  Can some of these cabinets not be installed making the rooms available for program-specific equipment?

Question 10: Who will pay for the move to STRF?

Question 11: I do not understand the Research Space Productivity Index (RSPI) calculation using the published factor of 0.168 linear feet = $1/square foot for bench space.

Question 12:   Some investigators affiliated with my program have not yet positively decided to relocate to STRF.  Their decision may impact the decisions of others.  How should I proceed with relocation planning?

Question 13:  What arrangements are being made to move my laboratory animals to the STRF/GCCRI vivarium?

Question 14: How much storage space will be available in STRF faculty offices?

Question 15: How can I request minor building modifications at the STRF such as moving biological safety cabinets or reconfiguring furniture?

Question 16: Please explain the telephone and data connections at the STRF.

Question 1: I need to replace a -80 freezer but wonder whether I should hold off on the purchase since I will be moving my lab to STRF next year.  Will new -80 freezers be provided at STRF?

A. Freezers and refrigerators will not be provided at STRF.  We will relocate your existing freezers and refrigerators subject to the footprint depth maximum of 34’’ in the linear equipment rooms at STRF.  Upright freezers and refrigerators will make the best use of floor space.  If you have an item that exceeds 34” in depth you should identify it as an issue when we collect relocation data for your lab.

 

Question 2: What is the size of the STRF building and what is the total space available for research activities?

A. The STRF building is 188,530 gross square feet with 125,750 square feet of space that can be assigned to occupants, including research cores.

 

Question 3: How do I schedule a tour of the building?

A. We will advise when tours will be available.

 

Question 4: What new lab equipment will be furnished as part of the construction project?

A. Each linear equipment room will be provided with an ice machine.  Each tissue culture room will be provided with one  6-foot vented biological safety cabinet, one 6-foot non-vented biological safety cabinet, one 4-foot non-vented biological safety cabinet, a carbon dioxide manifold including regulator, and a cylinder rack.

 

Question 5: What new furniture will be provided as part of the construction project?

A. New furniture will be provided throughout the STRF. This includes laboratories, enclosed offices, cubicles, conference and meeting rooms, break rooms, and public spaces.  Break rooms will be furnished with an under-the-counter refrigerator and a trash receptacle.

 

Question 6: What is the Research Space Productivity Index (RSPI) for the STRF?

A. The current overall RSPI for the graduate school, medical school and dental school is $500 per square foot.  This is also the RSPI for the STRF.  However, bench space at STRF will be assigned as linear feet at 0.168 linear feet, equaling $1 per square foot.

 

Question 7: I have heard that there will be no dark rooms at STRF.  Is there a place for investigators to develop films?

A. Two dark rooms are planned for STRF, one for the Adult Cancer program and one for the Metabolic Obesity program.  Film development equipment will be provided from project funds.  Even if you are not a member of these programs you will be able to arrange with them to use the equipment.

 

Question 8: What will be the administrative structure at the STRF?

A. A summary of the STRF administrative structure is available here.

 

Question 9: I do not need as many biological safety cabinets as will be installed in the tissue culture rooms allocated to my program.  Can some of these cabinets not be installed making the rooms available for program-specific equipment?

A. Unfortunately, no.  The time for such customization has long past.  The cabinets have been purchased and will be installed this month.

 

Question 10: Who will pay for the move to STRF?

A. The move will be paid for by the institution.

 

Question 11: I do not understand the Research Space Productivity Index (RSPI) calculation using the published factor of 0.168 linear feet = $1/square foot for bench space.

A. Application of the RSPI in the STRF has resulted in a significant amount of confusion.

The large open laboratories in the STRF—which will be occupied by multiple investigators, occasionally in different programs—each contain 12 single-sided benches 21 feet long, except when the laboratory abuts the east or west end of the building in which case it contains 13 single-sided benches.

In these labs it is convenient to assign lab space by numbers of single-sided benches.  Each single-sided bench is equivalent in floor space to the size of the open laboratory divided by 12 (or 13).  The large open labs are about 1,600 square feet each.  Dividing 1,600 by 12 we get or about 133 square feet as equivalent to one single-sided bench 21 feet long.  We can go further and divide 133 by 21 to get about 6.35 square feet as equivalent to one linear foot of bench space.

The RSPI at the STRF is $500 per square foot for laboratory-based investigators, and $1,000 per square foot for office-based investigators (such as epidemiologists), which is the same across the Health Science Center.  The RSPI calculation is based on a three-year rolling average of direct (D) plus indirect (I) funding in dollars:

Lab space in square feet = (D + I)/500.

Please refer to HOP 7.8.1 “Research Space Allocation Policy” for more details.

All lab space assigned to an investigator is included in the calculation.  At STRF, assignment to an investigator of a certain number of benches does not result in a certain amount of support labs (such as tissue culture rooms) being “thrown in.”  Assignment of space within a program is the responsibility of the program leader.  Office space for laboratory-based investigators is not included in the RSPI calculation.  Shared spaces, such as conference rooms, break rooms, and public spaces, are not included in the RSPI calculation.

Example 1.  A laboratory-based investigator is assigned the following space in the STRF:

Two open lab bench bays (4 single-sided benches each 21 ft. long)=552 sq. ft.
One linear equipment room=200 sq. ft.
One fume hood and sink alcove=102 sq. ft.
Two tissue culture rooms=404 sq. ft.
Two cubicles in open office=270 sq. ft.
One faculty office=149 sq. ft.

The total assigned space for RSPI purposes is is 1,258 sq. ft. (office space excluded) Multiplying this by the RSPI of $500, we find that this investigator will need a target, three-year rolling average of $629,000 of D + I grant funding annually.

Example 2.  An office-based investigator is assigned the following space at STRF:

Eight cubicles in open office=1,080 sq. ft.
Four faculty offices=596 sq. ft.

The total assigned space for RSPI purposes is 1,676 sq. ft.  Multiplying this by the RSPI of $1,000, we find that this investigator will need a target, three-year rolling average of $1,676,000 of D + I grant funding annually.

 

Question 12:  Some investigators affiliated with my program have not yet positively decided to relocate to STRF.  Their decision may impact the decisions of others.  How should I proceed with relocation planning?

A.  Relocation planning must proceed on the assumption that all investigators and their research groups slated for relocation will in fact relocate.  Therefore planning data will be collected on this basis.  On a date to be decided, individuals and/or program groups unable to make an affirmative decision will be notified that STRF space reserved for them will be made available to other programs seeking space at the STRF.

 

Question 13:  What arrangements are being made to move my laboratory animals to the STRF/GCCRI vivarium?

A.  All relocations of laboratory animals will be handled by Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) outside the scope of the general move of laboratories and offices.  The STRF Operations office will assist in coordinating your laboratory move date(s) with LAR, however each investigator must contact Dr. Sander Hacker to initiate and make specific arrangements with him to relocate lab animals simultaneously with the laboratory move.  Any proposed relocation of furniture and laboratory equipment between animal rooms must be discussed in advance with LAR.

 

Question 14:  How much storage space will be available in STRF faculty offices?

A.  Each faculty office will contain 7.5 linear ft. of lateral file drawer storage, 7.5 linear ft. of 6 in. drawer storage, 37.5 linear ft. of shelving, and a wardrobe closet.  Furniture visuals are posted on our web pages.

Q. How much office supplies and file storage space will be available at the STRF?

A. In the large open office areas on the second floor each research program has been assigned a minimum of one enclosed storage/file room and one double sized cubicle configured as a copy room/work room with space for supplies storage.  The larger programs have been assigned two or three times this amount.  Use of this space is at the discretion of the Program Leader.  Cubicle layouts are posted on these web pages.

 

Question 15:  How can I request minor building modifications at the STRF such as moving biological safety cabinets or reconfiguring furniture?

A. A Post-construction Building Modifications procedure to accomplish this has been posted on these web pages.  Timely work order submittals following this procedure well in advance of the move will ensure early completion of desired revisions.

 

Question 16:  Please explain the telephone and data connections at the STRF.

A. Each faculty office and open office cubicle will have a duplex data receptacle so that one IP telephone and a computer will use one outlet and the other will be available for another network device such as a networked printer.  In the laboratories, data drops have been placed at strategic locations on the benches in the large open labs and the walls in other labs.  Prior to our move into the building the IT Department will activate the data drops based on a list of room occupancies and programs provided by STRF Administration.  Laboratory investigators need to identify to Coats Group laboratory locations where instruments will need a network connection from day one.