Many of these issues can be mitigated simply through good design, and, in our experience, layouts need to be detailed earlier than a new-build project.

Regarding productivity, office to lab conversions tend to be less spatially efficient (e.g.bench space per floor area) than a new-build.

This can be due to structural grids or the general proportions of the available space, among other things.A tight or convoluted lab layout may mean disorganised or congested material and personnel flows, adding time to processes or increasing the risk of mix-ups and cross-contamination.There may be insufficient maintenance space, or a lack of space for collaboration between scientists or analytics and informatics work, which are particularly important in R&D environments and increasingly so with the rise in automation..

Regarding flexibility, science and technology are evolving rapidly, which means new processes, equipment, and requirements.Furthermore, the life science industry is very fast-moving, and businesses are routinely scaling-up or going bust.

Flexibility is therefore vital not just for businesses and tenants, but also for developers looking to ensure buildings remain occupied.

In our experience, open plan offices with 7.2m grids and above are best suited to flexible lab conversions as these enable a wide range of bench configurations, larger equipment, subdivision into smaller rooms, as well as compliant installation of future MBSCs (microbiological safety cabinets) and fume cabinets.I feel my own responsibility for the situation.

I have consumed, benefitted from cheap energy, travelled on business and for pleasure to far flung places.My lifetime carbon footprint will be in the top 25% of the world population despite my efforts now to minimise it.

I have three children who are very aware and are taking decisions which will mean their impact on the world will be positive.. What should I do in this contrite state?Should I wear a hair shirt, carry around my guilt, or go and live like a hermit?.