The research facility incorporates a strict regime of 'clean' and 'dirty' research spaces in accordance with the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) physical containment class 2 guidelines.
The challenge was to fit modern teaching and research laboratories into a dated and restrictive building.
Given the sensitive nature of the laboratory 'occupants', the building services installations were subject to a high degree of acoustic assessment to ensure that these systems did not impact in anyway on the research within the spaces.
Air conditioning within the facility was critical since the facility includes spaces ranging from 14 degrees Celsius up to 35 degrees Celsius with active humidity control. The pressure regime of the various 'clean' and 'dirty' areas is actively controlled via a complex BMS system which monitors everything from high efficiency filter pressure loss, to magnetic bearing-less chiller set.
A large number of gases are used within the facility and LCE designed and procured an on-site nitrogen gas generation system to reduce the on-going labour and operating cost associated with gas cylinders.
A new emergency back-up generator was designed and commissioned by LCE to serve the new research facility. A complex shutdown and generator changeover process was seamlessly managed by LCE in order to minimise disruption to existing building users and the University as a whole. |
