From a school official that worked with Longo Associates on the Mount Academy Science Lab project:
“When the Mount Academy was faced with equipping a science lab for our new location – a renovated monastery – we turned to Longo Associates.
From the beginning they were helpful in the choice of equipment and its layout. Along the way we had various challenges connected with constraints placed on us relating to the fact that it was a 100 year old stone building and that we wanted to maintain the ambience. In addition there was a time constraint as we were determined to have everything completed by the time we opened our doors for the new school year.
With the help of Longo Associates which included several site visits for consultation and installation we were able to meet the deadline and overcome the challenges. The result is a beautiful space which is a delight to both teach and learn in, and it will serve us well into the future.”
Please direct all inquiries with regards to school laboratory planning, science furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo. To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Nat Longo. Nat Longo has been building school science labs and commercial laboratories for over 25 years. Project lists are available from Longo if you wish to see where we have worked in NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA & RI.
Below is an excerpt from a published course advising on requirements for laboratory design and what factors to include in your decision-making when planning high school science classrooms.
Many high schools still plan their lab/classrooms for specific scientific disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and some sort of introductory science course. The specific requirements of each of these spaces can be different, but could, if desired, be accommodated in a common design. Investigations in which students work more independently are common and students are often required to design their own investigations to answer specific questions.
High school science teaching spaces should be primarily combination lab/classrooms with an assortment of auxiliary spaces to supplement these basic building blocks. Perimeter counters, base cabinets and sinks and wall cabinets are common; although, in some specific areas, fixed islands may be desired.
A maximum of 24 students should be housed in a lab/classroom and a minimum of 60 square feet per student provided for a total room size of 1,440 square feet. A shape closer to square than long and narrow provides more opportunities for flexible furniture arrangements and is particularly appropriate for Physics. Students often sit at tables large enough for two students; these tables should be sturdily constructed with epoxy resin or phenolic resin tops. Attention to leg attachment is critical since these tables will likely be moved often during their lifetime and legs may come loose welded metal or through-bolted wood construction. If the same tables are to serve dual usage as work surfaces for discussion and presentations, and as laboratory surfaces, they should be at laboratory height, or 36″. Providing two sets of tables, one for seated discussions and one for standing, laboratory work allows the class to move between discussion/presentation and investigations during the same class period without disrupting the laboratory table arrangement.
Physics lab/classrooms generally require fewer sinks and much more flexible space. High ceilings of 10 feet or more are desirable. A suspension apparatus capable of supporting at least 300 pounds per linear foot should hang beneath the ceiling to provide for the suspension of pendulums, and other devices. Longer, wider tables (seven feet by three feet) are useful since the larger surface can easily support, say, a 2-meter air track. The top material could be resin or wood butcher block (which lends itself more readily to C clamps).
Longer, movable tables should have at least one intermediate pair of legs which should be connected to the others by a stretcher frame construction. Some specifically designed physics tables have been employed to enhance a particular program. Physics requires a large number of electrical outlets placed around the room and in recessed floor boxes. DC power can most reasonably be provided using portable converters, plugged into a standard AC outlet. Provide lengths of wall space with no cabinets or markerboards for the installation of Atwood machines or similar apparatus. An adjacent student project space with power tools and the ability to construct devices discussed in physics can greatly enhance the engineering aspects of a physics course.
Biology lab/classrooms require a minimum of one large sink for every four students with both hot and cold water. A very useful perimeter sink station is called a “rinseaway” station and consists of a molded fiberglass top; 6 foot and 10 foot long models have one or two drain areas sloping to a single sink. A pull-out face shower can be used to wash off the sloping surface as well as an additional safety feature of the room. Glassware drying racks can be located on the wall above perimeter sink stations; make sure that the bottom of the drying rack is flush with the top of the backsplash of the sink so that water drains directly into the sink.
Tables for lecture and class discussion should be separate from tables for lab work so that students can easily move between each activity without disturbing set-ups on the lab tables. Lab table height can be an issue on
Biology as many prefer to sit down while using a microscope, although, from a safety standpoint, this is not necessarily a good thing. If most lab functions will be conducted seated, and the lower desk-height table is used for this function, the table should be 30″ high; if most laboratory functions will be conducted standing up, the tables should be at countertop height, or 36″.
Fixed teacher demonstration tables waste floor space and create a very inflexible area at the “front” of the classroom; many new facilities are providing a rolling demonstration surface consisting of a 72″ x 32″ resin countertop with various base cabinets for storage beneath. The entire assembly is mounted on four to six heavy duty casters so that the finished height is 36″, flush with perimeter countertops. When water or gas is needed for a demonstration, the unit can be wheeled to a perimeter sink or gas jet; otherwise it may be located anywhere within the lab/classroom. The 32″ dimension allows the unit to pass through a 36″ wide door into a prep room.
As electrical power is required for microscopes and other equipment, recessed floor boxes work well since they can be closed when not in use and the furniture arrangement can be very flexible. Although there are still some Biology lab/classrooms being constructed with a central gas system, use of gas is so minimal in most programs, that the expensive central system probably should be eliminated in favor of hot plates for most heating functions and small gas bottles for those limited usages where an open flame is required. Provide sufficient power for the number of hot plates to be used, probably at least two separate 20 amp circuits per lab/classroom.
Ventilation is also important in Biology. Some programs require at least one fume hood for demonstrations and group projects; if permanently located, this hood might have glass viewing panels on three sides and be located perpendicular to a wall. Portable fume hoods which recirculate air through a series of filters have also become more reliable in recent years and, although nearly as expensive as a fixed hood, can add flexibility to a layout. Providing a purge air system in the form of an exhaust fan which pulls air directly outdoors can help quickly clear the space of undesirable fumes. Do not rely on a fixed fume hood system for this purpose as they are generally not designed to draw that much air quickly.
Chemistry is the one area in which the move to a totally flexible lab space may be more difficult. The chemistry faculty should evaluate their need for fixed lab stations with respect to the use of corrosive materials that would require corrosion-resistant piping and an acid- dilution system and the need for a central gas system. Many chemistry programs are moving to a system in which the quantities of corrosive chemicals used by students are minimal and the student use of gas is also minimal. In these instances, a single, teacher demonstration station with an undercounter acid neutralization tank and gas jet could serve the needs of the entire class, thereby allowing perimeter sinks and movable tables for the student lab stations. Central acid neutralization systems with corrosion-resistant glass or polypropylene piping are expensive; any acid-dilution system requires periodic maintenance to replace the limestone chips within the dilution tank as they are consumed. Central gas systems are also expensive, requiring extensive piping and an emergency push-button shutoff system which interconnects with the electrical power system to immediately shut down the gas and power in a room. Using hot plates and/or butane cartridges for small burners eliminates this added expense and can increase safety within the chemistry lab/classroom.
Chemicals should NOT be stored within the lab/classroom, nor should they be stored within the prep room. A separate, lockable chemical storage room should be provided with its own ventilation system, providing approximately ten air changes per hour. Vents at the floor and at the ceiling should be included (see photo in “Safety” section) along with a “make-up air” system that brings in fresh air to replace the air that the exhaust system removes. Do not provide electrical outlets in the chemical storage room and have the switch for the room lighting mounted on the wall outside the room. If this room supplies chemicals for more than one lab/classroom, it should be centrally located and have a door to the corridor; this door should always be locked and accessible only by key.
Fume hoodsare often used by students in chemistry and should be made accessible to as many students as possible. A “demonstration fume hood” which has view windows on three sides can be mounted perpendicular to a wall (see photo on previous page), thereby allowing a group of students to gather around a hood; at least five feet should be provided between adjacent hoods and hoods should not be placed near a door or window that might disturb the flow of air within the hood. Some recently constructed, movable fume hoods have impressed science safety experts with their ability to serve the needs of a school science program by recirculating air through a series of filters designed for the specific use of the program. First cost of these hoods may be as expensive as a fixed hood; however the life-cycle costs may be lower as the fan use may be significantly less and the major maintenance cost is in the periodic replacement of the filters. Flexibility of the lab/ classroom can be greatly enhanced if a large area is not dedicated to fixed hoods.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to school laboratory planning, science furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo info@longoinc.com. To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Nat Longo (nlongo@longoinc.com). Nat Longo has been building school science labs and commercial laboratories for over 25 years. Project lists are available from Longo if you wish to see where we have worked in NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA & RI.
At Longo, we’ve been providing superior laboratory and educational solutions for 40 years. We design and build state-of-the-art teaching labs for any discipline, any educational level, virtually anywhere in the country.
We understand that the same lab equipment is not conductive to all teaching goals, so our knowledgeable specialists work closely with you to identify specific needs and recommend appropriate products and materials. We also offer turnkey services-from consultation and concept to construction and completion.
Whether you’re planning a new lab space or upgrading an existing one, use our experience to your advantage. Call us today for a free consultation (800-635-6646), or email info@longoinc.com. Because planning and building an educational laboratory is a complicated and costly undertaking – and we can help you get it right the first time.
Longo – from elementary school through higher education, laboratories are our business!
Longo’s laboratory consultants worked to design lab spaces at both schools with the architecture firm. Both Dieruff High School and William Allen High School projects were public bid and the lab furniture packages were awarded to us by the general contractors of record.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to school laboratory planning, science furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo info@longoinc.com. To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Nat Longo (nlongo@longoinc.com). Nat Longo has been building school science labs and commercial laboratories for over 25 years. Project lists are available from Longo if you wish to see where we have worked in NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA & RI.
Longo is pleased to announce the availability of Sheldon Laboratory Systems on SW BOCES Contract. Sheldon’s complete line of science lab furniture is available to school districts participating in the cooperative. In addition, Longo provides FREE laboratory planning and design assistance to those school districts interested in purchasing on BOCES.
Contract Details:
Period: June 1, 2011 – May 31, 2012
Delivery Time Frame: 120 Days
Category B: Casework
Includes the following Sheldon Laboratory Products:
The following school districts below are available to purchase Sheldon laboratory furniture off of the Southern Westchester BOCES contract:
Abbott UFSD Haldane Pearl River
Ardsley Harrison Peekskill
Bedford Hastings Pelham
Blind Brook Haverstraw Pleasantville
Brewster Hawthorne Cedar Knolls PNW BOCES
Briarcliff Manor Hendrick Hudson Pocantico
Byram Hills Irvington Port Chester/Rye
Carmel Katonah Lewisboro Putnam Valley
Clarkstown Lakeland Ramapo Central
Chappaqua Longwood Rockland BOCES
Dobbs Ferry Mahopac Rye City
East Ramapo Mamaroneck Rye Neck
Eastchester Mt. Pleasant Cottage Scarsdale
Edgemont Mt. Vernon Somers
Elmsford Nanuet South Orangetown
Garrison New Rochelle Tarrytown
Greenburgh 11 North Rockland Tuckahoe
Greenburgh 7 North Salem White Plains
Greenburgh Graham Nyack Yorktown
Greenburgh N. Castle Ossining
Longo over the past 10 years has completed major science lab projects at Irvington High School, Tuckahoe High School, Harrison High School, Peekskill High School, Ardsley High School, and Hastings High School.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to school laboratory planning, science furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo info@longoinc.com. To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Nat Longo (nlongo@longoinc.com). Nat Longo has been building school science labs and commercial laboratories for over 25 years. Project lists are available from Longo if you wish to see where we have worked in NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA & RI.
Longo offers a comprehensive learning series for architects and interior designers interested in science facilities in education. Below is an except from the presentation.
Architects often call Longo after specifying Sheldon’s wood laboratory casework and ask for a detailed, point-by-point comparison between the cabinet they selected and those contractors wishing to substitute another cabinet. Sheldon is the only company in the industry that provides a full top and bottom frame on all their cabinets – base, tall and wall. From a quality standpoint (not to mention installation concerns) this almost certainly eliminates or reduce the chance of damage that might occur as the frame is strengthened significantly by the overall construction of the cabinet.
Unknown to many, cabinets are typically shipped long distances in trucks and then unloaded off the trucks to be brought into schools. Not to mention the fact that once the cabinets enter the school that they are not moved frequently once within the school. All this handling tends to have an adverse effect on cabinetry.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to specifying laboratory cabinetry, counter top selection, and fume hood design to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com). To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Nat Longo (nlongo@longoinc.com). Nat Longo has been building school science labs and commercial laboratories for over 25 years. Project lists are available from Longo if you wish to see where we have worked in NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA & RI.
Longo has been chosen to provide laboratory planning and furniture for the upcoming science lab renovations at Blue Hills Regional. The chemistry lab is to be renovated and converted into a modern science classroom featuring Sheldon’s Axis Infinity table. Below you find downloadable materials including floor plans, elevation drawings, and product engineering drawings.
Longo was brought in by the school administration to provide laboratory planning and construction services for a chemistry lab renovation. Scope of work for this turnkey construction project:
Design Scenario #2: Decide which safety features should be incorporated into your laboratory space considering the needs of your lab.
a. Determine the appropriate square footage and shape of your room, the number of laboratory stations needed and the desired organization. Select appropriate laboratory furniture. (Is the laboratory space a separate room? Is the laboratory space along the perimeter or circular? What is the ideal classroom size?)
b. Produce a scale floor drawing of your laboratory design along with a description of the safety features and references to applicable safety codes and regulations.
c. Test your design by producing an outline of a full-scale lab station to evaluate the actual use of space. Outline the lab station on the floor using masking tape or chalk.
Evaluate your design using the following questions as a guide:
1) Is there enough space between lab groups?
2) Is the safety equipment located in an area that is easily accessible from all areas of the room?
3) Is there flexibility in the lab design to provide for class size increases?
4) Does the design provide flexibility for increased technology (locations away from sinks, ample outlets and computer drops)?
Nat Longo comments on an upcoming science lab renovation that is to be started where he happens to find asbestos wrapping of plumbing pipes after checking underneath the flooring…very common in labs built in the 1950s through the 1960s. So, while on this project the crawlspace provides Nat with an opportunity to avoid having to saw-cut through concrete, he will have to be dealing with the abatement of asbestos.
Have a science lab renovation upcoming? Looking for laboratory planning assistance? Need new science lab furniture? Longo can help!
Please direct all inquiries with regards to laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com). To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Anthony Stellatos (anthonys@longoinc.com).
Longo offers laboratory planning, budget and full turnkey services to industrial/commercial clients and private schools in New Jersey (Bergen-Passaic-Essex-Hudson-Morris Counties), New York (Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange Counties) and Connecticut (Fairfield County). Please contact us for your laboratory design and furniture requirements (info@longoinc.com).
Headmasters and Presidents of private schools looking to build new science lab facilities (or renovate current lab space) during the summer of 2011 should be aware that the upfront work is required to be done NOW – why is that? There should be plenty of time as school ends in 2010 to get our project off the ground and running. Please see below what must be taken into account when considering laboratory renovations.
The age of the school building
The scope of the work to be performed
Time allowed to gather appropriate work permits
Town/State regulations
Ability to line up quality contractors
Lab furniture manufacturing time frames
After reviewing just a few of the factors above, you start to see a picture regarding all that must taken into account to get a laboratory construction project moving in the right direction. So do you really want to leave the lab planning and construction up to just any firm? Make the intelligent choice! At Longo, our consultants work direct with private school administrators and building committees to create construction schedules that are accurate and necessary to complete the job on-time and within budget.
Architects, interior designers, and school officials looking for assistance designing their laboratory spaces, and then purchasing the lab furniture specified for their projects should email (info@longoinc.com) for a free consultation.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com). To request a consultant & laboratory space evaluation, email Anthony Stellatos (anthonys@longoinc.com).
Longo offers laboratory planning, budget and full turnkey services to industrial/commercial clients and private schools in New Jersey (Bergen-Passaic-Essex-Hudson-Morris Counties), New York (Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange Counties) and Connecticut (Fairfield County). Please contact us for your laboratory design and furniture requirements (info@longoinc.com).
Bill Butler of Longo assisted FKA’s design team with the school science lab design of this project – the firm utilized two different layouts based on the square foot area available for construction space. One layout was based on a pier table design concept to have separate lab experiment and student instruction spaces. The other design concept utilized Sheldon’s Axis lab tables was able to combine the laboratory/lecture area in one space…
Architects, interior designers, and school officials looking for assistance designing their laboratory spaces, and then purchasing the lab furniture specified for their projects should email (info@longoinc.com) for a free consultation.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com).
Longo offers laboratory planning, budget and full turnkey services to industrial/commercial clients and private schools in New Jersey (Bergen-Passaic-Essex-Hudson-Morris Counties), New York (Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange Counties) and Connecticut (Fairfield County). Please contact us for your laboratory design and furniture requirements (info@longoinc.com).
Eddie’s article here is a great find for those educational institutions actively considering laboratory construction projects, or those that have unexpectedly had one thrust upon them…The hard truth is that science lab planning expertise should be sought out by school officials. Building a science lab is not like a general classroom. There is a level of coordination and planning required that far exceeds any other “classroom” in a typical K-12 private school building. Plumbing…Mechanical…Electrical…all of these trades come into play in your lab classroom. And all must flow together correctly in order to create a safe and educationally sound learning space!
Laboratory construction should not be viewed as just another classroom – the cost and safety factors dictate a greater attention to detail than a novice can imagine. I would be highly suspicious of a dimissive attitude by an architect I was contracting with for design services, or the general contractor I was soliciting for construction services…
Architects, interior designers, and school officials looking for assistance designing their laboratory spaces, and then purchasing the lab furniture specified for their projects should email (info@longoinc.com) for a free consultation.
Please direct all inquiries with regards to laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com).
Longo offers laboratory planning, budget and full turnkey services to industrial/commercial clients and private schools in New Jersey (Bergen-Passaic-Essex-Hudson-Morris Counties), New York (Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange Counties) and Connecticut (Fairfield County). Please contact us for your laboratory design and furniture requirements (info@longoinc.com).
26000 SHELDON AXIS Infinity TABLE with Motorized Height Adjustment
GENERAL:
Student laboratory table shall be multi-purpose and must accommodate computer technology, ADA accessibility and combination lab/lecture functions. In order to provide these functions, the work surface is adjustable from 30″ to 36″ quickly converting from lecture height to lab height. This must be accomplished without altering sink height or mechanical/electrical connections.
Epoxy resin work surface is curvilinear shaped and measures 96” x 50”. The unique shape of the counter top is provided to eliminate corners from projecting into the aisles. The sink section is cantilevered from main steel understructure and supported by heavy-duty steel assembly. The sink top is used for mounting the sink, water, gas, air or vacuum fixtures. Sink is permanently mounted at 34″ height to comply with ADA Guidelines for Wheelchair Accessibility. All piping is enclosed with contoured metal or wood panels. Counter top to be 1” molded epoxy resin with integral raised marine edge.
Supporting structure is constructed of heavy gauge steel and must provide support to prevent counter top from deflecting. A welded tubular steel U shaped frame attached to the top to provide uniform support of the top surface. Three mechanical lifting legs are attached to a welded steel frame leg structure to provide rigid stability for the legs lifting the top surface.
Under the top surface is mounted a convenient lockable rod storage compartment. All metal parts are finished with powder coat epoxy for maximum chemical resistance.
Incorporated into the steel supporting understructure is a 110 VAC computer controlled synchronized power assist mechanism, which lifts the student work surface quietly and quickly. The student work surface is infinitely adjustable between 30” and 36” by remote control.
The sink support and shroud are also steel construction and powder coated in one of 6 contemporary colors. The sink support provides housing for all the mechanical rough in connections and contains a removable front panel to provide access. The molded epoxy resin sink incorporates a two tiered design to allow ADA accessibility and a deep section to allow for larger lab items access and cleaning. The sink is a two tiered trapezoidal shape where the base of the trapezoid is curved to match the curve of the counter top. The width of the rear is 22.5” wide and the width of the front is 28 .375”. The ADA section of the sink is 4.75” deep and has integrated drain grooves. The rear section is 11.5” deep and the overall length front to back dimension is 22”.
Rear metal panels are included with this unit and enclose the rear leg supports. These panels can also be powder coated to coordinate with the sink and sink shroud.
Standard services and accessories to be included for each table:
(C) #85101 GFI duplex electrical fixtures (one mounted on each side of sink).
(D) Clamp on upright rods, (2) cross arms and (4) connectors
Please direct all inquiries with regards to laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com).
Longo offers laboratory planning, budget and full turnkey services to industrial/commercial clients and private schools in New Jersey (Bergen-Passaic-Essex-Hudson-Morris Counties), New York (Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange Counties) and Connecticut (Fairfield County). Please contact us for your laboratory design and furniture requirements (info@longoinc.com).
Iona Prep selected Longo because of our committment to delivering a high quality laboratory environment on-time and within budget. Longo had previously completed the biology & chemistry labs at the school in 2007.
To learn more about the programs offered at Iona Preparatory School, please visit http://www.ionaprep.org/
Please direct all inquiries with regards to the Iona Prep School construction project to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com). Longo offers full turnkey services to all private schools in the Westchester-Rockland-Dutchess-Putnam-Orange area, along with Fairfield County in Connecticut.
Purchasing By General Contractor – public/competitively bid project.
School district had asked Longo to assist in the design of high school science labs in early 2007 for that summer delivery – and WE DELIVERED!
Longo’s laboratory consulting team works with school district officials, architects and construction managers to professionally design lab space for optimum saftey and functionality. Please direct all inquiries with regards to the laboratory planning, furniture and construction projects to the marketing department at Longo (info@longoinc.com)
At Longo, Inc. we know that laboratories for science education are very unique facilities.
Laboratories are extremely complex. Every aspect of design, operation and maintenance is highly critical with little tolerance for variation. This precise laboratory environment is critical to achieving accurate results. At Longo, Inc. we know the importance of accurate results… and we deliver.
Whether you require a new laboratory or renovation of an existing facility we offer a unique range of services to assist including…
Turkey Contracting Services – including general contacting, plumbing, and electrical trades.
Installation Services
General Construction
Design & Drawings
Project Management
Whatever the laboratory type or function we can assist.
