The Austin Company have recently completed the detailed design for specialist laboratory space within a new, hub building and Innovation Centre that will provide a focal point for the University of Edinburgh’s Easter Bush campus.

The Austin Company have been involved from the beginning of the design of this project, undertaking briefing and concept design development prior to the detailed design element. We are continuing to support the project as it progresses through the construction phase providing technical and commissioning support.

The University of Exeter are currently undertaking a major expansion of their Medical School at their Streatham Campus in the centre of Exeter. Part of this expansion includes the development of a new specialist Research Centre building, which is expected to be completed c2016.

Prior to this new facility becoming operational, the University had identified an urgent need to provide additional temporary specialist research facilities to cover an immediate shortfall prior to the new building becoming available. This shortfall is partially to be covered by the refurbishment of part of their existing Hatherly Laboratory building.

Due to recent experience The Austin Company have had with similar highly complex and specialist refurbishment projects, together with the ability to offer a seamless “fast track” approach, the University appointed The Austin Company to undertake the architectural, structural and services design (concept, preliminary and detailed) and construction of this important project.

At commencement, The Austin Company worked very closely with the facility users as well as surveying the existing building. One of the key drivers at this stage was to understand fully all user requirements and ensure that they could be provided within the constraints of a 1940’s building whilst recognising the associated regulatory requirements.

The refurbishment works (c400m²) involved the remodelling of a suite of rooms, located over 3 floor levels, wtihin the existing Hatherly building. These included specialist bioscience laboratories, associated specialist support and storage facilities. The scope of the works included replacement of all HVAC and electrical systems serving the most critical of these new areas.

New air handling and cooling plant and distribution services including laboratory gases were successfully co-ordinated and installed into highly constrained spaces, replacing the old existing plant. These new systems provide the refurbished suites with ventilation rates, pressure regimes and environmental control appropriate for the standards of modern laboratories.

The existing power and lighting were also stripped out and replaced in line with end user discussions throughout the process. A new standby generator provides backup power to the laboratory systems for both the F&G facility and refurbished suites.

The constraints of the existing building meant that in order to accommodate the required accommodation and to achieve appropriate, economic, safe adjacencies and work flow patterns, the layouts of the spaces and in particular attention to ergonomic requirements, were subject to detailed and very close liaison with the University’s user and estates teams as well as specialist equipment manufacturers. This also included close liaison with associated regulatory bodies to ensure successful planning, finishing, servicing and maintenance of the new facilities and to ensure successful handover, validation, regulatory certification and compliance.

“Very good response received from Senior Management” – Phill Alker, Project Manager “Standard of workmanship was very good” – Deb Galley, Facilities Manager

The University of Exeter are currently undertaking a major expansion of their Medical School at their Streatham Campus in the centre of Exeter. Part of this expansion includes the development of  new specialist Research Centre building, which is expected to be completed c2016.

Prior to this new facility becoming operational, the University had identified an urgent need to provide additional temporary specialist research facilities to cover an immediate shortfall prior to  the new building becoming available. This shortfall was to be covered by:

• the refurbishment of part of the existing Hatherly Laboratory building
• provision of a new extension wing to the
  Hatherly building.

Due to recent experience The Austin Company have had with similar, highly complex specialist facilities, both refurbishment and new build, together with the ability to offer a seamless “fast track”  approach, the University appointed Austin to undertake the architectural, structural and services design (concept, preliminary and detailed) and construction of this highly important facilities.

The separation of the project into two distinct elements allowed the most critical facilities (within the Hatherly building) to be provided first to meet the most pressing need, whilst the extension  would follow soon after, and provide the needed near-term expansion. The programme for the two elements was designed to benefit from the overlapping of both the respective design and construction stages thereby providing the most expedient, efficient and economical response in satisfying the identified and urgent requirements.

The refurbishment works (c400m²) involved the remodelling of a suite of specialist bioscience laboratories and associated support and storage facilities over three floor levels within the existing Hatherly building. New HVAC and electrical systems serving the most critical of these new areas.

The new extension building (c330m²) was designed as a self-contained facility consisting of two levels, linked by an internal stair and lift. The new facility incorporates its own air handling ventilation, cooling and humidification systems for internal environment control. This also provides correct negative and positive pressure regimes for containment purposes and to prevent ingress of contaminants. The constant volume air ventilation and controls are additionally integrated to various specialist laboratory support systems.

New power, lighting and fire alarm systems  were interfaced to the existing estate infra-structure, including a new standby generator providing back-up power to critical systems in both the refurbished suites and the new extension wing. Additionally specialist lighting controls were installed to the new laboratory suites to end-user specifications.

Following commissioning The Austin Company oversaw a two week environmental validation period prior to hand over.

Throughout both projects, close liaison with the University’s user and estates teams, specialist equipment manufacturers and associated regulatory bodies, proved essential for successful planning, finishing, servicing and maintenance of the new facilities, thereby ensuring successful handover, validation, regulatory certification and compliance.

“Many thanks to the Austin Team involved with delivering the project successfully” – Phill Alker, Project Manager- Deb Galley, Facilities Manager

University of York’s Department of Chemistry is expanding it’s teaching and research capacity based on it’s excellent reputation, covering all aspects of chemistry, at this attractive University.

In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2008) York Chemistry was placed in the top echelon of all UK chemistry departments. It is ranked 4th in the Guardian 2011 league table & the Times Good University Guide 2011 and 5th in the Independent 2011 league table. The Department won the Athena Swan Gold award in 2007, and this was renewed in 2010. A number of chemistry staff have also been awarded international prizes.

Over the past five years there has been a 100% growth in the number of undergraduate applicants, significantly outperforming the national chemistry statistics.

These successes have led to major building developments and the construction of this significant new 2,685m² research building to accommodate about 100 researchers.

Plans are also being prepared for a new undergraduate teaching laboratory complex.

The proposed facility will be assessed under BREEAM Bespoke 2008 for laboratories and is on course to achieve a Very Good rating.

A total of 78 fume cupboards will be served by a central VAV supply and exhaust air system.

A collaborative procurement approach is delivering the project based on an incentivised target cost principle.

Against severe competition, Austin demonstrated quality, expertise, experience and value with an in-house multidisciplinary approach which gained the confidence of the University to award this prestigious project to The Austin Company.

Austin is working with The University of York to develop the user requirements for the expansion of the existing Chemistry facility. Preliminary Design commenced in January 2011. Detailed design is currently underway to develop a range of laboratory, write up and office facilities. The planning consent will result in an expansion to complement the existing building with matching external appearance. The Austin Method® enables a start on site to be made in April 2011 with hand over in mid February 2012.

A coordinated aesthetic solution is proposed for the central chemistry laboratories.

The development provides three floors of teaching and research laboratory facilities, laboratory support and office space with roof top plant room.

Energy saving considerations are at the forefront of the project. The design is being developed to comply with BREEAM and Building Regulations Part L2A 2010.

The target air tightness for L2 compliance is 4m³/m²/hr at 50Pa.

“The Austin Company secured this project as they have an in-house multidisciplinary Design and Construction team who could develop a finalised brief, concept study through to detail design and manage, procurement, cost & construction through to Hand-over”- Project Manager, The University of York.

Austin are proud to provide Architectural and Building service solutions for 2 projects for the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University.

In general the IBERS research establishment is aimed at improving agricultural productivity and food security, improving human health and providing environmental benefits.

IBERS is one of Europe’s largest centres for research and teaching in land and is set to become an International Centre to tackle three of the major issues facing world farming – food, energy and water security.

The Phenomics building, at the Gogerddan campus, consists of a 390m² climate controlled glasshouse with associated laboratories for conducting molecular biology research.  BREEAM ‘Excellent’ status will be achieved by various strategies including natural ventilation and a biomass boiler installation.  The University eventually plans to produce their own wood pellets to sustain their heating requirements.

Click here for a guided tour of this facility.

The flagship building on the Penglais site extends with various strategies including total natural ventilation of the building and a ground source heat pump installation.

At Austin we can achieve continuity in design with external BREEAM consultants by completing all building simulation modelling in house.  This allows us to provide the best solutions by means of iteration during design development.

Austin are currently mid way through the design process for this two projects at Aberystwyth University and the BREEAM targeted scores for both buildings is ‘Excellent’.

Austin had to provide their expertise on laboratory design on this project, as part of a research and teaching facility including sports, health and wellbeing, laboratory facilities to enable a new style of group teaching.

Also to accommodate the University’s brief to enable up to 260 students in a single space to be taught at the same time or enable a number of teaching groups to be accommodated at the same time.

Research and teaching facilities are located on two floors. The lower floor houses the research labs including Category II and III containment facilities.

The upper floor has the main 260 person teaching lab.

Fume cupboards and safety cabinets are located together on one side of the main space. Benching is supplied with various different gases, power and data and localized vacuum to allow flexible use.

The key teaching aid is an interactive display screen for each student.

Austin provided Architectural design input during the design phases up to Stage E and subsequent Architectural and Building Services design audit throughout the project to handover.

The new research building has been described as “Europe’s most advanced science teaching facility” and achieved BREEAM Rating of Very Good.

Austin was commissioned to provide Feasibility/Concept through to Preliminary design and subsequently the detail design of functional laboratory spaces Including all building elements, building and laboratory services including HVAC, pipework, electrical and public health requirements. Subsequently Austin provided the Role of Planning Supervisor, Technical Support during Construction and Contract Administration.

The Research Institute, sited on the banks of the River Tees, takes maximum advantage of this unique location to provide a high profile building and a modern environment for its occupants.
The 4,100 m² building complex houses laboratories, associated write-up areas, offices, and conference facilities with support spaces.