Introduction
Broner Programming Laboratory (BPL) is a web-based interactive and collaborative tool designed to fully engage Users, Administrators and Designers in the process of programming Science & Technology Teaching and Research, as well as Healthcare Education projects.

Software
BPL brings together in a single application the ability to create a Space Program, individual space Room Data Sheets, as well as Equipment Schedules. Because all of the collected data resides within a single database, any updates are reflected instantly in all affected Project Reports.


Space Program Report
The Program Summary Report can be produced in several versions, allowing users to document up to three key iterations of the Space Program.
  • The first iteration reflects the Client's preliminary program provided to the Architect and Laboratory Planner. This is very often a rough-order-of-magnitude summary of the basic functional requirements, its use limited to establishing fundamental parameters and a preliminary budget for the project. If a preliminary program has not been prepared, or is too rudimentary to be useful, this iteration can be simply ignored and not produced at all.
  • The second iteration is designed to be a complete Program of Requirements (POR), prepared using BPL. Report produced at this stage typically groups the area requirements for programmed spaces into several nested categories determined by the context of the Project.
  • The third iteration - if requested - can track and document the accuracy with which the proposed design implements the POR. For obvious reasons, no actual design produces coherent and functional layouts with every space having an area exactly matching the Program. This iteration is thus intended to supply information useful for an analysis of the design's efficiency and its fidelity to the POR.
When two or more iterations of the Space Program Report are available, A custom Deviation Report can be produced. Its intent is to highlight the changes and or variances between any pair of iterations. In combination with an updated cost estimate, such a Report puts a powerful project budget and scope control tool in the hands of top project decision-makers.

Room Data Sheets
While the Program Summary Report is intended to be used as a key tool for determining and tracking compliance with target space requirements of a Project, Room Data Sheets focus on specific requirements of each individual space. The process of gathering and organizing this information is sometimes referred to as "Detailed Programming", and often does not begin until late in the Schematic Design or early in the Design Development phases of a project.
BPL Room Data Sheets have been designed to document thoroughly the architectural and engineering requirements of both laboratory, vivarium, and non-laboratory spaces. This "whole building" approach is especially useful for Science and Healthcare Teaching projects, which often contain an extensive variety of space types with diverse desriptions. BPL makes it easy to provide a complete set of detailed requirements for every space in a Project.

Collaboration Capabilities
The most beneficial feature of BPL is undoubtedly its implementation on the Internet. This feature enables all the stakeholders to have unparalleled 24/7/365 access to accumulated Project information and requirements. It allows all properly-authorized users to directly update the portion of data they are responsible for, without need to channel it through the Lab Planner or Architect. The Project Knowledge Base creation thereby becomes a shared responsibility. It is decentralized, yet constantly under the watchful eye of the lead planner and the administrator of the database.

Author
BPL has been conceived, designed and implemented by Walter Broner, RA, CSI, LEED AP.
Walter has been programming, designing and implementing technically-challenging teaching and research environments for over 25 years. His comprehensive approach is unlike that of other professionals in this field whose experience spans only a portion of the overall design-construct process. Because of his full-spectrum involvement in many such projects, Walter brings a more nuanced yet practical approach to the programming process. The primary benefit of this approach to the Client is that from the very beginning of the process all the information is evaluated, processed and presented in a manner that can be of maximum use during detailed design and construction phases of the Project. What this means to the Client is that from the outset program components point clearly toward constructable solutions.

Most importantly, the development of this tool, at any stage, has not been "outsourced". Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the application and its functionality as well as detailed content have been developed in parallel, guided by a single vision.