
Education
A modern laboratory renovation
ENMU Roosevelt Hall
Roosevelt Hall Science Center on Eastern New Mexico University’s (ENMU) main campus in Portales, NM is a center of physical sciences and biology research for ENMU. In this modern laboratory renovation, we modernized all lab spaces in an aging and challenging building.
From old dormitory to modern laboratory
Roosevelt Hall was built in the 1950s as a dormitory with minimal mechanical systems. The original layout included small rooms and a floor-to-floor height that averaged less than 10 feet.
In the 1980s, ENMU converted the building into laboratory space. The conversion added a corridor to the outside, to accommodate wider rooms. Since then, ENMU has built an impressive biorepository of specimens unique to the region, and their laboratory space is used to process samples that are shared nation-wide.
To meet current and future research needs, ENMU needed updated laboratory space to retain and attract research staff and add new capabilities to their research program.
ENMU received funding to either renovate or add to Roosevelt Hall. After cost estimation and in the context of rising construction costs during COVID, renovation quickly became the only viable option.
MEP challenges in modern laboratory renovations
Accommodating the complex and specialized Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) needs of a laboratory is especially challenging in a renovation. These challenges are compounded when the space was not purpose-built as laboratory space.
Laboratories require large fume hoods to exhaust dangerous fumes or vapors and create a safe environment. In addition, special attention must be paid to isolating the disposal of hazardous materials from other plumbing systems.
These complex systems require a generous floor-to-floor height to accommodate both heavy mechanical units and the ductwork that goes from those units to the lab spaces.
In Roosevelt Hall, the low floor-to-floor height and small sizes of the rooms made the accommodation of MEP systems required in modern laboratory spaces challenging.
The project scope and structural constraints further limited design possibilities, preventing the team from considering options that involved adding height to the building or reconfiguring the structure of the building.
Our design team was able to design a modern laboratory renovation within the constraints of the existing building layout, even adding space that allowed ENMU to expand the capabilities of their research programs.

Adding value, not square footage
Instead of large, expensive mechanical units that required long runs of ductwork, we designed a decentralized solution where each laboratory or small cluster of laboratories had a dedicated, smaller mechanical unit. With multiple small units, we could fit the units and shorter ductwork in the limited space that building provided. Using smaller units also helped keep the project on track, as the larger units were not readily available.
For cooling and heating the office spaces, we opted for a chilled beam system which uses 50% less fan energy, saving the university money on operations.
Modern laboratory design requires flexible solutions that adapt to changing university needs. We planned and located all immovable objects to the perimeter of each laboratory space, freeing up space in the middle of the room that can be adapted as research programs change.
As part of their laboratory modernization efforts, ENMU wanted to add new sample testing capabilities with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance equipment. This equipment must be built in its own room and cannot be located within 10-15 feet of certain metals, because the equipment itself is magnetic. We designed a space for the NMR equipment despite the building's layout challenges.

ENMU now has modern laboratory spaces that contribute to their impressive research capabilities. This new and comfortable space will help the university recruit and retain faculty and students and position them as a modern leader in research.
With lower student registration and tight budgets, more universities will be challenged to update their laboratory space without adding square footage to their campus. Laboratory renovations like Roosevelt Hall are not without their challenges but having the right team and out-of-the-box thinking can solve those challenges to provide maximum value for universities.
Client
Eastern New Mexico University
Location
Portales, New Mexico
Size
25,001-50,000 sf
Disciplines
Beyond the Building
- Extreme Makeover
- Modern Learning Environments
- Renovation
