Biology & Chemistry Lab Design: How Bruntwood SciTech Can Help Customise Your Lab Space

Many businesses are opting for bespoke lab design over ready-to-occupy labs due to the individual nature of their research and operations. But what exactly are the key benefits of customised lab spaces and how does Bruntwood SciTech approach it?

What are the Key Benefits of Bespoke Lab Design?

Bespoke lab design can provide businesses with a huge number of unique benefits.

Standard labs (up to Cat 1), often include lab benching, space for fridges and other basic equipment. Bespoke labs can also offer additional facilities, such as:

• Special access, such as pass-through hatches

• Additional power and cooling capabilities

• Waste separation

• HVAC design of cascading air pressures

In addition to these extra features, some of the key benefits of a completely tailored laboratory include:

• A space built around the businesses User Requirement Specification (URS)

• HVAC requirements are taken into consideration

• Waste flows and protection requirements are incorporated

• Servicing areas to support laboratory functions can be incorporated

For businesses that have extremely specific laboratory requirements, a bespoke lab design will be essential for the smooth-running of their operations.

What Kind of Businesses Usually Require Bespoke Labs?

There are a number of different businesses that can benefit from bespoke lab design, from small start-ups to much larger companies. It’s all dependent on what the business is researching or developing, whether they’ll be working with sensitive materials and the technical specifications they require. These are common considerations for biology, chemistry and analysis labs, to name a few.

When it comes to planning the laboratory, an experienced member of the team from Bruntwood SciTech will work closely with the customer. This person will work with the team designing the space, talking them through their technical requirements, signing off the URS and will be on hand to answer any technical questions about their processes and operations.

What are the Key Considerations for Bespoke Labs?

If you’re thinking about commissioning a bespoke lab for your business, you may be wondering what the key considerations are when making your decision.

Naturally, costs will be the biggest hurdle to overcome for any business, so you may have to evaluate whether the cost of a bespoke lab can be mitigated by the long-term benefits.
It can be beneficial to look at the long-term use of your laboratory, and how best you can future-proof it to avoid additional costs going forward. Is it likely that your business will have different usability requirements as you grow? If you have a good understanding of what any potential changes down the line might be, it can help to ensure your laboratory design will last.

Additionally, the location of the lab is an important consideration, as the building will need to be suitable for the design proposal in terms of size, access requirements and ventilation.

Bruntwood SciTech’s Approach to Lab Design

Here at Bruntwood SciTech, we work very closely with businesses to ensure our bespoke lab spaces meet their individual requirements.

The Lab Design Process

Our first step when working with a new business is to establish the URS. Often, businesses require our assistance with this, so we work with them to develop the brief.

Next, we will enlist the help of a specialist architect to map out the area requirements, so we can advise on what will be possible with the space available.

Throughout the process, our in-house teams will work hand-in-hand with a supply chain of established laboratory experts, from pharmaceutical architects to fire engineers, as well as specialist laboratory contractors, who work with the finest tools and materials, to ensure the design meets the brief exactly.

Why Bruntwood SciTech?

When it comes to choosing experts to build your bespoke labs, you’ll be in safe hands with Bruntwood SciTech. 

We have specialist lab project managers on hand to help you through the entire process, all of whom have extensive experience both designing and building laboratories. In addition to this, our internal scientific risk managers can help to support your review of risks associated with your sector.

And, with world-class lab and office space available across the UK in Birmingham, Cheshire, Manchester and Cambridgeshire, there will be possibilities for your business to tap into a number of leading talent pools across the UK.

Post-Build Support

Once your space has been built, we will still be available to support with laboratory services, including:

• Cleaning of equipment

• Waste management

• Risk management

• Lab maintenance

We can also offer business support through our Innovation Services team, who can help you to grow and scale, by assisting with networking opportunities, sourcing new talent, funding opportunities and building connections within your industry.

Access to Amenities

Each of our sites boast a huge range of amenities, such as on-site cafes, fitness classes, health, social and wellbeing events, car parking and bike storage, and a number of meeting and event spaces. 

Our Alderley Park site is home to the UK’s largest single site life sciences campus, Mereside. Here, businesses can benefit from access to one of the widest range of scientific services of any science park in the UK, including: Thermo Fisher supply centre, waste disposal, cryogens, cold storage, scientific logistics and sample shipping, sterilisation, glassware washing, equipment maintenance and more. And, with a growing life science community of over 250 businesses on site with expertise in drug discovery, oncology and infectious diseases, such as Medicines Discovery Catapult, SAI Life Sciences and Infex Therapeutics, there’s a ready-made ecosystem providing ample opportunity to network and collaborate. 

As a valued member of one of our Bruntwood SciTech sites, you and your employees will have access to all of the on-site amenities, which may help to support wellbeing within your teams. 

Bruntwood SciTech can help your business to thrive with our bespoke lab spaces. Explore our sites today to find the ideal location for you.