The step change achievable with P-DfMA is in bringing the benefits of standardisation across all services and to the entire building – and adding value at every stage.

Further complications may also arise where labs divide up previously open plan offices with new partitions, corridors, airlocks, pods, or inner rooms – further complicating egress routes.. For office to lab conversions, fire and egress strategies must be reviewed holistically with the whole building in mind.For example, neighbouring tenancies may currently rely on staff crossing through the new lab to reach a second means of escape, which might no longer be possible.

Similarly, labs in office buildings can result in additional occupancy types (‘purpose groups’ in the UK) and will therefore drive the need for additional fire compartments.. Possible solutions could include storing materials or siting labs on ground or lower floors, local gas generation (to reduce peak volumes), detection, shut-off and alarm systems, local extract or natural ventilation, and it may be necessary to divide labs up into smaller compartments to keep hazardous material quantities below acceptable limits.In the UK it can also be useful to appoint a specialist Approved Inspector rather than go through the Local Authority Building Control.This will often accelerate the project, which is particularly important in the life science industry, and they will be more familiar with labs and specialist standards that can be more forgiving (e.g.

Of course, there are a wide range of other health, safety, and environmental regulations to incorporate, as well as the possibility of insurance or employer standards and recommendations that can, for example, dictate sprinklers even when this isn’t a legal necessity.. 9.Façades & finishes..

Existing office façades and finishes may be unsuitable for more stringent lab conditions.. For most office to lab conversions façades will simply require locking of openable windows and general making good.

However, for Containment Level 3 (or BSL3) labs and above, cleanrooms, environments requiring exceptionally tight tolerances, and other more onerous requirements, façades can be quite problematic.Fostering innovative thinking among SME fabricators and smaller suppliers is a key driver for change in construction more broadly.. 3.

Australia needs a shift in mindset..Right now, the supply chain in Australia is relatively immature.

To move towards a component-based model, we must look at procurement and a holistic change in how we deliver construction projects.How we can use multiple, smaller suppliers; procurement; different contracting methodologies, all need to be explored.. 4.