A shift in designing cage-washing operations

Abstract

Support systems for animal research facilities are often complex and resource-intensive operations whose successful design and implementation require substantial experience. The cage-washing center is at the heart of these support spaces and is not only one of the largest spaces found in an animal facility but also one of the greatest consumers of resources, in terms of both utilities and human labor. Certain methodologies and systems for cage-wash operations have become 'go-to' solutions, but alternative approaches have the potential to reduce utility consumption and human labor. The author's firm analyzed cage-washing operations at an academic institution with the goal of reducing consumption of resources, both human labor and utilities such as water, steam and electricity. Here he describes the analysis and design process as a case study and shows that substantial savings can be achieved by using alternative systems in cage-washing systems. He recommends that cage-washing operations can be optimized by thoroughly investigating the anticipated cage-washing throughput and then thoughtfully selecting the most efficient means to handle that workload.