2023 Public Health Laboratory Annual Report
Lab Construction Brings Immediate Benefits

A 2020 bonding project provided funds to repair and upgrade the building

In January 2014, a flood caused by building engineering failures caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage to the Agriculture and Health Laboratory building. The building had to shut down temporarily. Although its basic functions were restored quickly, plenty of problems remained that could only be resolved through a major bonding project. 

The Minnesota Legislature approved a bonding project in 2020 to complete a major overhaul of the building. The scope encompassed both overdue repairs and upgrades of aging systems that were reaching their life expectancy dates.

New Airflow System

An example of a much-needed renovation was found in the building’s airflow system. In every building, air is brought in from the outside, heated or cooled, and then distributed throughout the interior. For most buildings, around 70% of the air can be recirculated. 

In a public health laboratory that deals with hazardous materials, no air can be recirculated. Within lab space, technicians often must wear protective hoods, gloves, etc., to shield them from possible contamination. The air used in labs cannot be brought into nearby office space or remain for long in laboratories, because particles in the air present safety concerns for employees. Also, the particles could drift into samples, which would throw test results into doubt. 

Before the renovation, the laboratory building’s airflow system was inefficient and aging. Sometimes, lab activity had to stop temporarily because ventilation was not working properly, which wasted time and money. Temperatures within the building fluctuated dramatically, because the heating and cooling systems could not keep up with demand. Because of the renovated system, labs can now expect consistent airflow and conduct their important testing with a minimum of interruptions.

Other Important Renovations

The overhaul of the airflow system constitutes just one important initiative of the reconstruction. Another is installing more energy-efficient lighting. Some space designated for laboratories on the third floor had never been finished due to lack of funds; now, because of the bonding project, those laboratories will be fully functional. 

The Public Health Laboratory has gained increasing importance to the welfare of Minnesotans because of threats like COVID-19, antibiotic-resistant organisms, and PFAS, along with the first-in-the-nation addition of an infectious disease, cCMV, to a state newborn screening panel. The ongoing lab construction is a critical component in maintaining our state’s ability to contend with these issues and whatever unpredictable challenges lie ahead.

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