IAB Lab Ltd

Contract Value:- £2,609,300
Completed:- December 2015
Location:- Conwy, North Wales

• Complete turnkey Geosciences laboratory design and build
• Specialist Water Discharge Plant
• Full HVAC System
• Full M&E Services
• Special Gas Services
• Specialist Water Treatment Plant
• Water Wash Fume Cupboards & Extraction

Our client, a leading specialist in the Geoscience Market, provides comprehensive solutions to challenging Geophysical and Geological complexities encountered during the exploration and production of the earth’s natural resources. The business is a global leader in geosciences and are well known and respected throughout the world, as a result of their extensive experience in virtually every known and potential hydrocarbon province.

iab are pleased to present the successful completion of this £2.6 million design & build laboratory and warehouse project. The project, completed in iab’s 25th year of business, demonstrates that iab and its network of contractors have the ability to perform and deliver a complex design and build contract on budget and time.

From an initial client scope of works prepared by Capita Consultants, iab were employed to develop the project. The business designed and converted an existing office and large warehouse building into a fully functioning series of laboratories, plant rooms, offices and warehouse space. The existing building provided 1440m2 of office and storage. The conversion transformed the space into a facility with 2300m2 of floor space.

External works included new equipment zones, a plant gantry, HVAC plant and equipment, new utilities for power, gas and water supplies, additional drainage for the laboratories, three stage settlement tanks and a 24 hour standby generator.

The internal plant was housed in two dedicated plant rooms. These provided space for boosted mains and boosted tank cold water, boilers for both tank and mains water and TREND BMS controls. A separate plant room was provided and dedicated to the new mains incoming supply, generator cabling, automatic switch over panel and mains distribution board for the building.

The ground floor area was developed to provide a sizeable warehouse for samples, site equipment storage, engineer’s workshop and a dedicated bunded plant room for a specialist waste water treatment plant. The open warehouse areas was fitted out with static racking.

The first floor laboratories were constructed on a purpose built mezzanine floor which extended the length and full width of the existing warehouse. Partitions to these areas were constructed from the mezzanine deck up to the underside of the metal clad sloping roof to provide individually sealed laboratories. Each laboratory contained laboratory benching, fume cupboards, fume hoods (canopy and cone) fume extract systems, replacement air supplies, and close control recirculating air conditioning. Air conditioning provided from energy efficient VRF AC equipment. This floor also included the male and female changing rooms for laboratory staff, laundry area, cleaner’s store, emergency equipment store, acid and solvent store. To service the east elevation of the building access was provided to the external plant gantry, via a hoop ladder, which supports 13 individual fume extraction fans. The rear of the building also included a platform lift for passenger and samples and a dedicated internal fire escape.

To handle the hazardous processes associated with the preparation of geological samples, a large laboratory was formed as part of the overall scheme to provide space for cantilever perimeter and peninsular benching and eight 2000mm wide recirculating water wash fume cupboards. This part of the project together with another major processing area was designed to deliver an air supply system that provides temperature control and a large amount of replacement air. The Bivalent designed air handling plant is serviced from air source heat pumps and direct gas fired heating which enables the temperature to be closely controlled during summer and winter months. The direct gas fired heating system provides an additional heat source when the outside temperatures fall excessively during the winter months.

In addition to the main HVAC plant and Mechanical and Electrical Services a clean air Duplex compressor system was installed providing a run and standby facility. The compressor equipment is placed external to the building in a dedicated, ventilated, heated, weather and sound proofed enclosure. To service a high profile GC Laboratory, bottle gas services have been installed to supply Oxygen, Helium and Liquid CO2. Hydrogen and Nitrogen are generated from under bench Nitrogen and Hydrogen Generators.

Throughout the laboratories energy saving LED lighting has been installed to provide a cost effective installation and excellent level of lighting with built in self testing emergency lights.

The geosciences laboratory design and build contract was administered under a JCT, DB2011, Design and Build Contract. The contract administration and CDM management was carried out by Capita, Colwyn Bay.

• External Plant Gantry and Plant Base for HVAC Plant and Fume Extract Equipment
• New Utilities – Mains Gas Supply – Mains Water Supply – Mains Power Supply.
• External Underground Drainage and Interceptor Settlement Tank.
• 24 hour Automatic Standby Generator
• New External Windows.
• Internal Blockwork Walls.
• Mezzanine Floor, Staircase and Platform Lift.
• Warehouse Shelving.
• LPHW fan assisted heating system to Warehouse
• Domestic Mains Water System
• Domestic Mains Hot Water System
• Boosted Tank Cold Water. (Laboratories)
• Boosted Tank Hot Water. (Laboratories)
• Vulcathene Drainage & Sinks
• Duplex Run and Standby medical air external compressor and distribution pipework
• External compressor housing
• External Bottle Store, Run and Standby Gas Manifolds, Distribution Pipework for Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Helium and Liquid CO2.
• New Power Distribution within the Building
• LED Lighting, Emergency Lighting, CCTV Installation, Fire Alarm System, Electronic Door Access, Small Power Distribution, 3 Compartment Trunking.
• Data installation, containment, COMMS Cabinet
• HVAC Installation, Laboratory Pressure Profile, Variable Air Replacement, VRF Installation, Air Handling, Distribution Ductwork
• Trend BMS Controls
• Controls Cabling
• Power Distribution to plant and equipment
• Cantilevered Laboratory Benching, Mobile under bench cabinets
• Trespa Athlon Worktops
• Solid 20mm thick Polypropylene Worktops
• Bespoke Designed and Manufactured 316 Acid Stainless Steel Sample Wash Down Sink Modules
• 2000mm wide Recirculating Water Wash Fume Cupboards with Linked Extraction Systems.
• Standard 1200mm wide Fume Cupboards and Extraction Systems
• Bespoke Fume Hoods and Individual movable Alsident Hoods.
• Manual and Automatic Waste Tank Discharge Systems to Beckart Treatment Plant