APPENDIX E
ROOM SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE BFRS

1 ADMINISTRATION & LABORATORY BUILDING

4 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Air Conditioning

In view of the need to provide continuous temperature control in specified laboratories and to ensure that delicate instruments are not damaged and that recalibration is not required at excessively frequent intervals, both the main Administration and Laboratory Building, and the Hatchery should be centrally air conditioned. Trunking for the air conditioning and supply pipelines can be run overhead. Suspended ceilings to disguise the trunking should be provided in all rooms and corridors, except store rooms without air conditioning, workshops and wet laboratories, viz:

Algal Culture Laboratories
Algal Starter Room
Algal Stock Room
Demonstration Laboratory
Diet Testing Laboratory
Electrical and Engineering Workshop
Garage
General Wet Laboratory
Hatchery
Maturation Laboratory
Pipework and Carpentry Workshop
Quarantine Laboratory
Spawning Room
Stores (without air conditioning)
Water Treatment Plant
Zooplankton Laboratory

Compressors and heat exchangers for both air conditioning units and the cold store should be positioned on the roof and screened in such a way that the roof line of the building is not spoiled.

Air Pumps

The air delivered to all laboratories by low pressure air pumps and compressors must be guaranteed oil-free. Oil lubricated pumps are therefore unacceptable. Provision must be made for Roots blowers for the main air supply and regenerative blowers for smaller capacity systems which may be required.

Drainage

Three separate drainage systems will be required for the BS as follows:

Foul Sewer and Septic Tank:

All effluent from toilets, hand basins etc should be directed to a suitable septic tank and filter bed such that contamination of tubewells, other water supplies and experimental ponds is absolutely prevented.

General Laboratory Drainage

General laboratory effluent together with rain water should be connected to the main drainage canal of the experimental ponds via open concrete channels in order to permit easy maintenance.

Specialised Laboratory Drainage and Septic Tank:

The effluent from certain specified laboratories and rooms (identified above) will from time to time contain potentially hazardous chemicals and pathogens. This effluent MUST be directed to a separate storage or septic tank and filter bed well removed from other facilities on the site. CONTAMINATION OF TUBEWELLS, OTHER WATER SUPPLIES AND THE EXPERIMENTAL PONDS MUST NOT OCCUR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER.

Floor Drains

Floor drains in wet laboratories must be fitted with suitable removable traps and gratings as a safety precaution and to prevent the entry of vermin (snakes, rats, mice etc).

Drainage gutters in outside experimental areas (eg. the Hatchery and Demonstration Laboratory) and the Water Treatment Plant should be fitted with removable grids. All gratings and grids should be manufactured from galvanised steel or other suitable corrosion resistant material.

Materials (see also Paintwork and Pipework)

All metallic fittings and fasteners in wet laboratories MUST be manufactured from corrosionproof materials in view of the extremely high humidity which will exist in these areas. In some cases plastic, GRP or other non-metallic substitutes can be employed in order to avoid corrosion problems.

All timber (including wooden benches and other fitted furniture) should be treated against fungal and insect attack (especially white ants or termites).

Paintwork

Light colours (preferably white) should be chosen throughout to provide light pleasant working conditions. All surfaces in wet laboratories, except floors and ceilings should be finished with non-toxic epoxy paint. Recommended suppliers are listed in APPENDIX K. It is recommended that easily wiped plastic finger plates are positioned behind light switches, and along the opening edges of doors, in order to reduce the accumulative effects of finger and hand prints.

Pipework

All laboratory water services, other than ‘domestic’ hot and cold fresh water, should be installed exclusively in GRP (glass reinforced plastic), uPVC (unplasticised polyvinylchloride) or ABS (acrilonitrile-butadiene-styrene). The most readily available and cost-effective is uPVC. ‘Domestic’ supplies can be piped in copper or other suitable material. Without exception ALL uPVC pipelines should be protected from direct UV radiation from the sun, otherwise serious degradation and eventually failure will occur.

All uPVC pipelines should be assembled with flange fittings (with stainless steel or uPVC bolts, nuts and washers, depending on the diameter and pressure rating of the pipe) at intervals to permit easy maintenance, repair and replacement of components. The saline uPVC pipelines supplying the overhead water storage tank should be duplicated so that these can be used alternately (weekly) in addition to being backwashed periodically with hot fresh water in order to control the growth of fouling organisms inside the pipes.

All pipe runs should be colour coded for easy identification. The following different supplies and drainage systems are required:

• Untreated fresh water supply from tubewell to storage tank
• Untreated saline water supply from supply canal to storage tank
• Filtered fresh water
• Filtered saline water
• Sterilised fresh water
• Sterilised saline water
• Hot water (domestic)
• Cold water (domestic)
• Low pressure compressed air
• High pressure compressed air
• Gas (butane and propane)
• Steam (Feed Preparation Laboratory only)
• Common drainage and storm water
• Contaminated laboratory drainage
• Foul drainage (sewers)

Service Channels

Service channels between buildings, carrying the various water and compressed air pipelines, should be constructed in concrete and be fitted with removable concrete covers with lifting rings or eyes. The service channels should be connected to the common drainage and storm water system to prevent them becoming flooded as a result of heavy rainfall.

Water Pumps

Fresh water supplies can be delivered using pumps with bronze impellors. Saline water pumps and pipelines must not contain any brass, bronze or copper components that are actually in contact with the water. Cast iron pumps with cast iron impellors are acceptable for saline duties, but will have a relatively short life. Stainless steel pumps with stainless steel impellors are preferable.

Windows

Aluminium windows have been specified in those rooms where saline water will be in use. In order to maintain a consistent external appearance to the buildings, it is recommended that all windows should match and be manufactured of the same material. All windows should be fitted with wire mesh fly screens. It is recommended that vertical or horizontal blinds should be installed in most rooms. In the case of dry laboratories and preparation rooms these should be fire resistant.