The life sciences industry has seen significant growth in recent years. A combination of scientific advancements, demographic shifts, market demands, and supportive regulatory frameworks has fueled the growth of the life sciences industry. According to Grand View Research, from 2019 to 2021 the market grew 16% and is estimated to see year-on-year growth of approximately 7.5%-8.4% in the next five years. Due to this growth, the employment rate in the biotechnology and laboratory industry has increased. As the industry shows no sign of slowing down, the demand has increased for life sciences buildings. Ensuring life sciences facilities are functional for occupants and built for overall success, there are many things to consider first.
Vibration Criteria
Life sciences facilities, and particularly those facilities with wet labs, must sustain a certain level of stability. Any vibrations that may occur in the building’s surrounding environment have the potential to work against lab results; thus, a stable facility with minimal vibrations is imperative. Vibrations can come from movement or activity from surrounding elements, such as railways, busy highways, or even mechanical systems within the facility that can cause friction and create undesirable vibration levels.
Without controlled vibration levels, an experiment’s results may be compromised or even unusable. To prevent this from happening, the construction manager can offer a few strategies to minimize vibrations. One way to establish this is starting with a ground–floor slab of concrete. This will vibrate less than any other floor in the facility. Another way to reduce vibrations is constructing deeper structural beams to reduce flexing which will lower vibration energy.
Mechanical Separation
Each laboratory has its own mechanical system that is separate from the main building. Typically, these ventilation systems are placed on the roof or the top floor of the building. A construction manager (CM) will consider the extra space that is needed to house these units and decide the best location for them before the start of construction.
The CM is a huge resource in developing a cost-effective approach to mechanical separation. Life sciences facilities not only have laboratories but also include other programs such as classrooms, offices, and meeting spaces. To accommodate all needs, the building will likely have several floors. One cost-saving effort is placing all lab rooms on higher levels of the building, closer to the ventilation systems. This space planning strategy reduces costs by having less ductwork traveling through the building to get rid of chemicals and other hazardous particles in the air. Lower levels in multi-floor buildings increase the cost of running ductwork throughout more of the building than necessary. It is also not necessary to have potentially hazardous air traveling through more floors than it needs to.
Flexible Workflow
Focusing on functionality is key. The workflow of a life sciences building should be integrated into the beginning of construction before shovels hit the dirt. There is a lot of special equipment that is required in most labs. Coordinating delivery and execution of fume hoods, exhaust systems, and pressure systems, all fall under the purview of the CM. Determining how much the equipment weighs, its dimensions, and the most efficient way of getting it into the facility will be discussed in meetings before the project’s start date.
Preparing for Success
We can anticipate the life sciences industry to grow as they continue to provide life-changing discoveries. As the demand for them increases, CM’s can prioritize some of these considerations to prepare for their next opportunity. Knowing the importance of vibrations and stability in the structure, the scope needed when including multiple mechanical systems for each lab, and the strategy used for placement of necessary equipment will only benefit the project and guide the team to a successful build.
