Using a lab as an office is not ideal, and using an office as a lab can even be dangerous. Nevertheless, some spaces in Helix have been repurposed in ways that are incompatible with their original function. This has arisen because there has been a shortage of space in the building for years, which is used not only by Chemical Engineering & Chemistry (CE&C), but also by their fellow department, Biomedical Engineering.

Inventory

During the most recent CE&C department council meeting, someone from Campus & Facilities presented an inventory of the over-occupancy and the spaces being used incorrectly. They also examined which external parties, such as startups, are using the building.

This inventory was not yet fully complete. In the coming period, employees will have the opportunity to add post-its to the overview, which will be placed in the hallway. The updated document will then serve as a baseline for discussions with both Campus & Facilities and all building users.

CE&C Dean Mark Boneschanscher will, in any case, quickly reverse the misuse of spaces. "Lab spaces have infrastructure that makes them expensive, so you don't want to use them as offices or lecture halls. And using offices as labs creates risks due to the nature of lab work. Fortunately, there have been no situations where safety was at stake," Boneschanscher assures.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor