4.12 Ordering New Equipment
Whenever large pieces of equipment are planned to be purchased and installed in laboratories, especially equipment that is required to be hooked up to building utility services such as electric, water, or gas, laboratory personnel must first consult with Facilities Engineering, EHS, and the appropriate PDC shops to ensure the building has the necessary resources to support the new piece of equipment. Lab personnel should not assume they can purchase equipment first and then expect the building to be able to handle the service requirements later. By preplanning and communicating well in advance with appropriate campus groups (such as Facilities Engineering and EHS), any potential issues can be identified ahead of time, which in turn will help make the transition to getting new pieces of equipment up and running quickly after the purchase is made.
Additionally, as with installation of fume hoods, certain pieces of equipment require special installation due to their potential impact on the rest of the building ventilation system and utilities, and cannot be hooked up by laboratory personnel, building managers, or private contractors without first consulting with Facilities Engineering and EHS. Laboratory personnel are strongly encouraged to be proactive and to consult with the appropriate departments ahead of time, before purchasing new pieces of large equipment.
Laboratory personnel are strongly encouraged, as responsible campus members, to give consideration to purchasing “Energy Star” energy efficient pieces of equipment to help conserve natural resources and long-term operating costs. When discussing purchases of equipment with vendors and equipment manufacturers, ask about what “Energy Star” alternatives they carry. For more information, see Energy Conservation in Laboratories.
Before ordering new equipment, check the Cornell purchasing guidelines for preferred vendors and pricing.