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Designing the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy
The Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy (MCEM) is one the 24 platforms within MTRP’s
portfolio and it is designed to provide high-tech instrumentation and expertise in scanning and
transmission electron microscopy.
MCEM features equipment that allows researchers to determine material composition,
structure and bonding at the atomic scale. There are four advanced transmission electron
microscopes (TEMs) that can analyse different materials. These microscopes comprise
capabilities for both routine applications and double-aberration corrected Titan FEGTEM.
Additionally, the Centre has three scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microscopes, and one
combined SEM and focused ion beam (FIB) system, which can image surface features to less
than 2 nanometres in size. Each SEM is fitted with equipment through which researchers can
study the chemical composition and crystal structure of materials.
John Bonaventura, Principal at Scarborough Architects, notes that his firm was first
approached by Monash University reflecting their extensive experience in designing complex
research facilities.
“We’ve been doing research laboratories for nearly 30 years. And as it turned out, when
Monash approached us about what was involved in this project, we’d just completed an
electron microscope facility for University of Melbourne at their Bio 21 Facility in Parkville,” he
explains.
The facility at University of Melbourne proved somewhat tricky for his team, given the design
requirements featured several clean rooms in which to fit the electron microscope. The clean
rooms – which need to be under positive-pressure – had to be converted into a PC2
environment, which is negative pressure.
Soon after Scarborough Architects had completed this facility, University of Melbourne asked
John and his team to look at a neural engineering facility that could house a helium ion electron
microscope. This project proved even more complex, because they had to ‘shoe-horn’ this
microscope into a tiny room alongside an associated equipment room.

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“The room bounded a laneway that had access to some apartments and a nearby car park, so
the associated vibration was disastrous for this type of microscope. But we had an acoustic
consultant, so between them and us, and some input from the mechanical engineers, we ended
up coming up with a solution that exceeded required microscope specifications,” John
observes.
Based on this particular experience, Monash sought the services of Scarborough Architects,
which submitted a design fee that was subsequently accepted.
“We were given a more detailed brief and met with the chief scientist who would eventually
run the facility. Monash then sought fees from selected experienced EM Facility services
consultants, eventually engaging AMEC, because of the specialised services requirements
behind the installation,” he adds.
Design & challenges
The design specifications were based on data provided by manufacturers ZEISS and Technome.
And while Monash had not yet issued a purchase contract, it was guaranteed that these
specifications would generally remain intact post-contract.
Each SEM and TEM microscope came with different spatial requirements. Scarborough
Architects had to space-plan for footprints for these microscopes and enable service access.
Height was a critical factor, not only once the microscopes were in-situ, but the initial
installation, too.
“The existing building ceiling heights and structural beams hadn’t been designed for labs of any
kind, particularly advanced research platforms. Converting what was traditionally an office
building to a high-tech lab space was a significant challenge,” John notes.
Heating ventilation and air-conditioning were particularly complex variables in the design,
because the microscopes required low-velocity air delivery – this rendered traditional air-
conditioning grills unsuitable.
“Some grills have fabric-covered supply air registers, through which air goes through a material
that ensures it’s delivered in very low velocities over the microscope and prevents drafts. But
we couldn’t use fabric, because part of the microscope requirements was a large air supply area
to provide the air required at the correct low velocity,” he says.

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As a result, the team designed a suspended ceiling with perforated panels, above which the air
was supplied through, and resolving the problem of having a large area of low-velocity air
filtering into these labs. It was also crucial for them to ensure there was negative pressure
within the labs from project inception.
Suspended ceiling with perforated panels, courtesy of John Bonaventura
Another challenge in the design related to required 300 (nom)-diameter ductwork outside of
the building. The team had to construct several service rises with material similar to that of the
building’s façade so it would not appear too obtrusive.
“We signed off all of these design components with the university planners, as well as the
original architects of the building, to make sure they were happy with our planned
modifications. They didn’t have too many objections to it,” John remarks.

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Part of the design also comprised a series of labs to support the microscopes, including a cold
room, an ultra-microtomy and cryo-ultra-microtomy lab, a resin-embedding lab, a cryo-
embedding lab, and a prep lab for the SEM microscopes.
The ultra-microtomy and cryo-ultra-microtomy labs had their own bench-mounted
microscopes, augmenting the electron microscopes; while the resin-embedding lab, cryo-
embedding lab and prep lab provided the equipment for researchers to prepare samples for the
electron microscopes.
“There was also a plant area,” John notes. “We had to shoe-horn in an area where we could
store all of the chillers, associated pumps and buffer tank that are required to get these
microscopes working. Noise could not filter into the electron microscope areas, they were
reasonably isolated vibration-wise. Required uninterrupted power supply (UPS) units and lab
gas bottles (CO2, Argon, N2 and Ethane) were accommodated outside the facility area nearby.”
The microscopes themselves needed to be installed with an uninterrupted power supply, and
the supply point could not be placed within approximately four metres from the microscopes.
With that in mind, the team had to find an access point outside the proposed facility to put
these UPSs, eventually coming upon some unused duct space opposite the facility.
In-situ electron microscopes & duct space power connection, courtesy of John Bonaventura
“The final thing we had to be very careful of was electro-magnetic interference – or EMI. All of
the fan coil units associated with the air-conditioning, and any wiring switchboards had to be
located outside the area of the microscopes so they wouldn't influence their day-to-day
operation. And that included any electro-magnetic interference coming from outside the
building envelope,” John says.

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While there were some high voltage cables to be situated in the nearby area, a third party
conducted readings to ensure that the ambient electromagnetic field wasn’t too significant.
These readings were once again carried out after all of the new equipment was installed – and
to the benefit of the project team, particularly AMEC, the results indicated an acceptable EMI
level.
Project engagement
Once the fee was approved by Monash, the university brought on several sub-consultants
including AMEC, with Scarborough Architects engaged as the principal consultant.
“It was our responsibility to coordinate all the sub-consultant input, including the mechanical,
electrical, hydraulics and fire components. The university also engaged a building surveyor and
a quantity surveyor. That basically formed the design team to document and coordinate the
construction during execution,” John recalls.
Scarborough Architects essentially acted as a reliable conduit for access to data between all
consultants, sub-consultants and the client. For example, if there were requirements for
drawings or details, these parties would approach John’s team for the appropriate information.
“We had numerous face-to-face meetings with the team and the client, which proved vital to
maintaining communication and engagement between all stakeholders – from the client to the
university project manager. We were able to go through all the challenges and potential
problems and queries; as opposed to an interchange of emails and drawings that were marked
up,” he adds.
Post project completion, there was not much architectural input required. While Monash does
sometimes conduct a post-occupancy assessment, there were not many significant issues with
the facility.
Ninety per cent of the minor teething problems were services-related, and the university went
directly to the services consultants.
“The most notable achievement with this project is that we managed to fit a facility into a space
where most people would have said it couldn’t be done. And we didn’t spend a lot of money to
try and mitigate EMI or vibration issues that were a result of the existing infrastructure,” John
says.

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Lab space, courtesy of John Bonaventura
The issues he refers to can easily emerge in such complex designs. For example, once the space
is set up and the microscopes are brought in for installation, the manufacturer could easily
indicate they can’t install the units because the ceiling height is 50MM short.
Or, once the microscopes are installed, the images produced aren’t as sharp as they could be,
because the mechanical systems are pushing too much air out; or there is significant ambient
vibration or EMI. But through consistent engagement between the design team, the client and
University Project Manager, such risks were prevented. MCEM is now considered a world-class
research facility for materials electron microscopy.