Departmental Space Inventory Survey
Room Type Codes & Definitions

Postsecondary Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual Modified for University of Michigan Use

Table of Contents - 200 Laboratory Facilities:

	210 Class Laboratory
	215 Class Laboratory Service
	220 Open Laboratory
	225 Open Laboratory Service
	250 Research/Nonclass Lab
	255 Research/Nonclass Lab Service

ASSIGNABLE AREA

200 - Laboratory Facilities

210 Class Laboratory

Definition: A room used primarily for formally or regularly scheduled classes that require special purpose equipment or a specific room configuration for student participation, experimentation, observation, or practice in an academic discipline.

Description: A class laboratory is designed for or furnished with equipment to serve the needs of a particular discipline for group instruction in formally or regularly scheduled classes. This special equipment normally limits or precludes the room's use by other disciplines. Included in this category are rooms generally called teaching laboratories, instructional shops, typing or computer laboratories, drafting rooms, band rooms, choral rooms, (group) music practice rooms, language laboratories, (group) studios, theater stage areas used primarily for instruction, instructional health laboratories, and similar specially designed or equipped rooms, if they are used primarily for group instruction in formally or regularly scheduled classes. Computer rooms used primarily to instruct students in the use of computers are classified as class laboratories if that instruction is conducted primarily in formally or regularly scheduled classes.

Limitations: Does not include Classrooms (110). Does not include informally scheduled or unscheduled laboratories (see 220). This category does not include rooms generally defined as Research/Nonclass Laboratories (250). It does not include gymnasia, pools, drill halls, laboratory schools, demonstration houses, and similar facilities that are included under Special Use Facilities (500 series). Computer rooms in libraries or used primarily for study should be classified as Study Rooms (410).

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215 Class Laboratory Service

Definition: A room that directly serves one or more class laboratories as an extension of the activities in those rooms.

Description: Includes any room that directly serves a class laboratory. Included are projection rooms, telecommunications control booths, coat rooms, preparation rooms, closets, material storage (including temporary hazardous materials storage), balance rooms, cold rooms, stock rooms, dark rooms, equipment issue rooms, etc., if they serve class laboratories.

Limitations: Does not include service rooms that support classrooms (see 115), Open Laboratories (225), or Research/Nonclass Laboratories (255). Animal Quarters (570) and Greenhouses (580) are categorized separately.

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220 Open Laboratory

Definition: A laboratory used primarily for individual or group instruction that is informally scheduled, unscheduled, or open.

Description: An open laboratory is designed for or furnished with equipment that serves the needs of a particular discipline or discipline group for individual or group instruction where 1) use of the room is not formally or regularly scheduled, or 2) access is limited to specific groups of students. Included in this category are rooms generally called music practice rooms, language laboratories used for individualized instruction, studios for individualized instruction, special laboratories or learning laboratories if discipline restricted, individual laboratories, and computer laboratories involving specialized restrictive software or where access is limited to specific categories of students. For example, a computer laboratory with only engineering or CAD software or a computer-based writing laboratory available only to English Composition students would be classified as an open laboratory because of the restricted usage of the room for a particular discipline or discipline group. Rooms containing computer equipment that is not restricted to a specific discipline or discipline group are classified as Study Rooms (see 410).

Limitations: Laboratories with formally or regularly scheduled classes are Class Laboratories (210). This category also does not include rooms defined as Research/Nonclass Laboratories (250). A room that contains equipment (e.g., typewriters, microcomputers) which does not restrict use to a specific discipline or discipline group, and which is typically used at a student's convenience, should be classified as a Study Room (410).

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225 Open Laboratory Service

Definition: A room that directly serves one or more open laboratories as an extension of the activities in those rooms.

Description: Includes only those rooms that directly serve an open laboratory. Included are projection rooms, telecommunications control booths, coat rooms, preparation rooms, closets, material storage (including temporary hazardous materials storage), balance rooms, cold rooms, stock rooms, dark rooms, equipment issue rooms, and similar facilities, if they serve open laboratories.

Limitations: Does not include service rooms that support classrooms (see 115), Class Laboratories (215), or Research/Nonclass Laboratories (255). Animal Quarters (570), Greenhouses (580), and Central Service (750) facilities are categorized separately.

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250 Research/Nonclass Laboratory

Definition: A room used primarily for laboratory experimentation, research or training in research methods; or professional research and observation; or structured creative activity within a specific program.

Description: A research/nonclass laboratory is designed or equipped for faculty, staff, and students for the conduct of research and controlled or structured creative activities. These activities are generally confined to faculty, staff and assigned graduate students and are applicable to any academic discipline. Activities may include experimentation, application, observation, composition, or research training in a structured environment directed by one or more faculty or principal investigator(s). These activities do not include practice or independent study projects and activities which, although delivering "new knowledge" to a student, are not intended for a broader academic (or sponsoring) community (e.g., a presentation or publication). This category includes labs that are used for experiments, testing or "dry runs" in support of instructional, research or public service activities. Nonclass public service laboratories which promote new knowledge in academic fields (e.g., animal diagnostic laboratories, cooperative extension laboratories) are included in this category.

Limitations: Student practice activity rooms should be classified under Open Laboratory (220). A combination office/music or art studio or combination office/research laboratory should be coded according to its primary use if only a single room use code can be applied. Determination also should be made whether the "studio" or "research lab" component involves developing new knowledge (or extending the application or distribution of existing knowledge) for a broader academic or sponsoring community (and not merely for the practitioner), or the activity is merely practice or learning within the applied instructional process. Primary use should be the determining criterion in either case. Does not include testing or monitoring facilities (e.g., seed sampling, water or environmental testing rooms) that are part of an institution's Central Service (750) system. Also does not include the often unstructured, spontaneous or improvisational creative activities of learning and practice within the performing arts, which take place in (scheduled) Class Laboratories (210) or, if not specifically scheduled, (practice) Open Laboratories (220). Such performing arts (and other science and nonscience) activities, which are controlled or structured to the extent that they are intended to produce a specific research or experimental outcome (e.g., a new or advanced technique), are included in the Research/Nonclass Laboratory (250) category.

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255 Research/Nonclass Laboratory Service

Definition: A room that directly serves one or more research/nonclass laboratories as an extension of the activities in those rooms.

Description: Includes only those rooms that directly serve a research/nonclass laboratory. Included are projection rooms, telecommunications control booths, coat rooms, preparation rooms, closets, material storage, balance rooms, cold rooms, stock rooms, dark rooms, equipment issue rooms, temporary hazardous materials storage areas, and similar facilities, if they serve research/nonclass laboratories.

Limitations: Does not include service rooms that support classrooms (see 115), Class Laboratories (215), or Open Laboratories (225). Animal Quarters (570), Greenhouses (580), and Central Service (750) facilities are categorized separately.

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