CU chemistry labs get state-of-the-art upgrade
The long-awaited chemistry lab renovations to Ekeley Science Middle Wing at the University of Colorado Boulder were completed in August, and classes are taking advantage of these new state-of-the-art teaching facilities for the first time during the fall 2014 semester.
A new high-efficiency, variable-flow hood accommodates two students. The variable-flow hoods save energy, in part because they shut down at night when not in use. In the back of the hood are chemicals the students need to use, so they need never take chemicals out of the hood.
Ekeley chemistry ventilation snorkels, which are used for general chemistry. The snorkels can be folded up toward the ceiling when not in use.
In the two general chemistry classrooms, space-efficient snorkel ventilation systems were implemented, allowing students to use more directed ventilation on smaller experiments.
All in all, the number of fume hoods was raised from just six to 43, meaning far less sharing of equipment and a far more efficient use of laboratory time.
Accessibility was also another emphasis in the construction project. Having last been refurbished in the early 1970s, the labs did not meet requirements set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The temporary solution had been to improvise, which sometimes meant moving disabled students to separate rooms. Now, classes can remain fully integrated thanks to ADA compliant hoods, desks and equipment.
While safety concerns and a lack of handicapped-accessible lab space were the driving factors behind the final funding of the improvements , the changes have also opened up a huge number of possibilities in terms of experiments that can now be carried out.
Tad Koch, former chair and interim chemistry chair, says that prior to the upgrades, the experiments were actually “downgraded” in order to meet safety regulations. “Now we’re back to state-of-the-art teaching labs. We’re even possibly above, I think, state of the art,” says Koch.
The outside of Ekeley shows two new ventilation shafts for the labs.
With teaching labs now on par or better than most others in the state, administrators hope the new labs will also help recruit new students. Prior to their renovation, the facilities were generally avoided by campus walking tours due to their outdated and unsafe appearance.
“There’s a competitive edge there,” says Building Manager Denise Thomas, referring to the need to stay ahead of other universities for recruiting purposes. “If you look around the state, every state institution is going through the process of upgrading their science labs.”
The downstairs rooms, which were formerly allocated for graduate and research space, were converted into undergraduate recitation and help rooms as part of the first phase of construction that was completed last December.
The addition of the basement classrooms allows for a greater number of chemistry classes to be taught each semester, since the labs themselves no longer have to serve as space for both laboratory and recitation.
Colorful images of molecules help brighten up the new labs. This one, on the floor of the instrument room, is folic acid.
Other improvements to the wing include replacing the concrete floors with Nora rubber flooring, a surface that is both safe and easy to maintain. Unisex bathrooms were also added to accommodate ADA requirements.
“At the time Middle Ekeley was constructed, it was quite good, but in 40 years, in science like organic chemistry, it can become obsolete relatively rapidly,” says Koch. “I think this was long overdue, and we’re delighted with the outcome.”
Rotary evaporators are used for evaporating solvents and then capturing the condensed solvents for recycling or disposal.
This acetone recycler is used to reduce the amount of acetone the organic labs have to purchase for rinsing glassware. The organic labs have saved $3,000 over the past year by using it, and many research groups in the department also benefit from its use.
In the foreground is a center table. This is a work station where students work on their lab notebooks and/or computers or listen to teaching assistants.
New balances for weighing out chemicals for experiments.
For more information about CU’s Department of Chemistry, see:
http://chem.colorado.edu/
Robert Stein is a CU-Boulder senior majoring in English serving as an intern for Colorado Arts & Sciences Magazine.