Conducting a field survey at the proposed site to record ambient electromagnetic fields is essential in understanding the initial site conditions. Meeting with users and surveying their existing laboratories provide significant feedback into the establishment of design criteria for the new laboratory spaces.

With good preplanning, many of the common EMI sources found in a laboratory building can be located away form the laboratory spaces. Where EMI sources are required in or near the lab as part of its basic operation, a mixture of shielding techniques using various construction materials and methods along with actual shielding materials can be provided to maintain the necessary environment. Computer simulations can be preformed to verify proposed laboratory and building configurations.