Definition of High-Tech Facility
The Organization for Economic Co-operation Development (OPED) defines the industries in aerospace, pharmaceuticals, computers and office machinery, communication equipment and scientific instruments as high-tech industries. The Council for Economic Planning & Developing (CEPD) of Taiwan Executive Yuan classifies the high-tech industries into 6 categories. The 6 categories consist of integrated circuits, optoelectronics, biotechnology, telecommunications, precision machinery, and computer & peripherals. There are various definitions for high-tech. High-Tech defined in this paper includes, but not limited to, the advanced science technologies applied in the fields of microelectronics, optoelectronics, precision equipment, telecommunication, nanotech, pharmaceutics, biotech, medical devices, animal experiment, aviation and aerospace.
Needs of Stringent Controls
The NT processes undertaken in high-tech manufacturing plants and R&D labs require facilities with extremely stringent environmental control. For instance, a single nanoparticle can cause some devices to fail, the cleanliness of air/water is crucial to the success of Nano-R&D&M. In order to focus, capture and manipulate atoms at near absolute 0 degree, the temperature and humidity must be maintained near absolute 0 degree constantly. High performance electron microscope is commonly used in Nano-R&D&M, it is not uncommon that electromagnet induces magnetic field and cause the electro microscope fail. The light in less-than-millions-of-a-meter per femtosecond must be captured; a stable working platform with controlled vibration is needed. An electric static not only attracts contaminants but it may ignite flammable materials nearby or in process. Moreover, in nano-R&D&M processes, a lot of chemicals in the forms of solid, liquid, or air is used. If their wastes are not properly treated before releasing out of plants or laboratories, its hazardous residues and exhausts may cause harms to human, damages to environment, and disaster to ecological systems.
In the old days, environmental control was mainly dealing with the cleanliness of the air. However, in the NT era, the environmental control has broader meaning. The environmental controls include temperature and humidity level, air/water quality, purity of chemicals and gases, noise and vibration degree, electromagnetic and radio frequency interference, electrostatic discharge, materials out-gassing, safe grounding, assurance of personnel health, safety and security and prevention of bioharzard.
In the old days, environmental control was mainly dealing with the cleanliness of the air. However, in the NT era, the environmental control has broader meaning. The environmental controls include temperature and humidity level, air/water quality, purity of chemicals and gases, noise and vibration degree, electromagnetic and radio frequency interference, electrostatic discharge, materials out-gassing, safe grounding, assurance of personnel health, safety and security and prevention of bioharzard.
關於「高科技」國內外有很多單位賦予不同的定義，依據聯合國國際經濟合作發展組織(OPED)將航太科技、藥品配製、電腦資訊機械、通訊器材和科學儀器等定義為高技術產業。又依據行政院經濟規劃委員會(CEPD)分類高科技產業為六個類別包括：積體電路、光電儀器、生物醫學、遠距通訊、精密機械和電腦週邊設備。而我個人是認為高科技廠房包括微電子、光電、精密儀器、電信、奈米科技(100奈米以下)、藥品配製、微生物研究(如疫苗) 、醫療設備(如人造心臟心導管) 、動物實驗、航太等科技製造所需之廠房設施及研發實驗室。
高科技廠房設施就是指高科技產業研發製造中所需的工廠實驗室，譬如建築、水電空調、儀表控制、管線設備、廢水廢氣處理、環境生態保護等等設施。高科技廠房設施工程係指規劃、設計、採購、施工、試車、移交、維護及經營管理高科技廠房設施之相關工程。
至於高科技廠房與傳統工業廠房，其最大的差別就是在製程中所要求的精密度，以及製程中間對於製程環境所講求之潔淨的程度。高科技廠房重點的核心，就是在潔淨室(cleanroom)或稱無塵室裡面，因為高科技之研發製造是在這裡面進行的。試想要在1吋見方的晶片上，做微影(Photolithograply)、蝕刻（Etching）、離子植入（Ion-Implantation）、氣相沉積（Vapor Deposition）而製造出幾十億奈米級可以傳輸電子的通道元件，這裡面電子通道是多麼的盤根錯結、錯綜複雜。劃製中，一個小小微振動可能弄得微影混淆模糊，在元件內外一點點細微的異類雜質污染；都可能造成電子通道之品質不良。若空氣中有尿酸味，就可能導致多分子晶片裏面的線路不通暢或不通，那麼晶片就可能會短路、失敗了，這個是學土木的人所難以想像的。
再以目前台積電即將量產的3奈米(Nano)線寬為例，假若中間有1.5奈米的微細雜質或空氣中若有不純的物質或微振動，就會使電流傳的慢，影響傳輸速度，影響電壓而有雜訊或甚至斷訊。電晶體晶片是用化學物質做的，如矽、磷、硼等物質，其純度要求非常的高，以一般公共工程若容許誤差為5mm來看，5mm的顆粒雜質在奈米科技尺度下就相當於500萬個奈米。3奈米的電子通道上有500萬奈米大的"巨石"堆壓，電流根本無法通過，對奈米的晶片而言，就可比喻為一個很嚴重的走「山」了。
因此，污染控制對高科技廠房是非常重要，從規劃設計起就要慎重考量。高科技廠房的選址，無塵室裡光罩微影瞬間所能夠承受之振動，絕對不是只有傳統土木力學裡面所遭遇的地震，機械結構之振動，更需要考慮到如聲波、電磁波產生的微振動、空氣品質等等。高科技廠房甚至不能位在化工廠排氣的下游等等。