If your major is in the sciences, you have probably taken a course or two in Life Science II. This building houses much of SIU's scientific research and study, where both students and faculty have access to a wide range of resources to further their academic careers. What you may not know is that there are also a ton of problems, from broken pipes to collapsed ceilings, that could very well pose a serious problem for the building, years of research, and the people living in it.
As you walk through the halls of LSII, you may notice something is wrong, but can't quite put your finger on what. The air feels hotter than it should be, or the building seems to be making a little too much noise. The truth is that the problem is everywhere in the building: the pipes.
Those running under LSII are old and, despite the need for change, have not been fully replaced for years as the summer heat slowly but surely expanded the metal, causing all sorts of problems for the building.
The most common problem when expanding pipes is leaks. The most vulnerable area is the basement, which contains many machines that require a constant supply of water. In the last three months alone there has been a persistent leak in the basement, which was only recently properly repaired. The leak was so bad that it completely filled a large trash can within 12 hours and had to be emptied twice a day to prevent overflow.
“FEM [Facilities and Energy Management] said they can't bear to fix LSII because there are so many problems that they view the building as SIU's problem child,” said a faculty member at the building (who asked not to be named).
Recently, part of the pipes in the LSII hallway burst and caused significant damage, flooding half of the hallway as two ceiling tiles collapsed and an indoor waterfall became the building's new attraction.
Without the warning of the maintenance people who were working to repair what they could, I would still be sneezing on the ceiling tile debris while a third ceiling tile fell almost directly on my head as I observed the leak.
Not only do these leaks cause ceilings to eventually collapse, but the buildup of water can also cause mold to form in the damp environment. A few small spots of it have crept into the corners of the hall on the ceiling near the garbage cans.
“I always walk down the hallway between LSII and LSIII and see these dark, speckled spots on the ceiling. “Looks just like the mold I saw in the dorm,” said a student lab worker.
Other smaller leaks were also observed throughout the building, but most of the damage was in the basement.
Another problem in the basement is rising floor temperatures due to old pipes malfunctioning. There are parts of the ground that reach a temperature of 125°F in the winter. This portion sits alongside important research data, the loss of which would be detrimental to several SIU science departments.
“If you touch the ground you will burn yourself. There’s no way it’s safe,” the LSII faculty member said.
The hot floor problem has been going on for about two months and no action has been taken to correct the problem. When asked to make repairs, FEM said the pipes were lined with asbestos, making it difficult for workers to break through the ground. However, this will get exponentially worse if the heat continues to be this high.
Instead of managing asbestos exposure in a controlled environment with appropriate equipment, repair crews could be faced with another burst pipe that would release asbestos without warning and endanger building occupants.
Another scenario SIU could face is the possibility of a fire breaking out due to the heat. Although unlikely, asbestos can burn under the right conditions and the temperature of the pipes is much hotter than that of the ground, much higher than previously measured temperatures.
LSII has numerous laboratories throughout the building that contain excess quantities of chemicals, many of which are flammable. Combined with a fire caused by asbestos, the building would burst into flames within seconds. A chemical fire of this magnitude would be a devastating loss to SIU.
The best course of action for SIU is to replace the pipes from the ground up, saving not only the building but also the years of research and money that have gone into LSII's history. Decline in LSII can be prevented, and taking action before the condition worsens is key to keeping an irreplaceable part of SIU intact.
staff Reporter and photographer Mo Collar is a lab associate at LSII and can be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @m0.alexander.
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