Focus fully on your core business – research

Your laboratories have to be state-of-the-art if you want to survive and thrive in the marketplace. They have to meet all regulatory requirements, too.

A cutting-edge laboratory can advance your entire organization’s mission in various ways – for example, by enabling highly efficient operations in all the functional departments of your organization.

Whether you are modernizing an outdated laboratory, designing and building a new one, or making your laboratory building operations leaner, meaner and more cost-effective, you will always face the following challenges and questions:

Laboratory construction, laboratory design and laboratory building operations – rise to new heights without tying up valuable resources

It takes a wealth of experience to understand all the challenges involved in designing, building and operating a laboratory. That is why many organizations prefer to rely on the expertise of an outside partner. Those that handle their own design and operations need to be exceedingly well-informed – especially on critical processes such as hazard assessment, occupational safety and health, or preparing for audits for required certifications.

Typical barriers to efficient laboratory building operations

• Tying up of key resources: Highly skilled employees are tied up in planning, organizing and managing a jumble of external service providers.
• Inefficient workflows in laboratory processes, logistics, procurement, maintenance, etc.
• Change management, such as when several departments are housed in a new building.
• Insufficient expertise: The organization lacks the expertise and personnel to design and organize the laboratory itself.
• Inadequate regulatory knowledge: Design, construction and operations have to conform to all applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Laboratories always demand custom strategies

Laboratory activities vary from one organization to the next. They dictate the size of the laboratory building and the number of people researching and working in it.

However, the laboratory design process also depends on operational circumstances, legal requirements, the organization’s policy preferences and, of course, the available budget.

In other words, the best solutions for laboratory design, laboratory construction and laboratory building operations find a way to reconcile a wide variety of factors – a challenge that only experienced experts can truly come to grips with.

Plus, laboratory use and equipment are evolving at a blistering pace. New usage models are emerging constantly and can quickly become a confusing thicket of acronyms to everyone except professionals who live and breathe this material.

Using laboratories catalyzes innovation: staying nimble despite strict rules

Gone are the days when modern-day laboratories were hermetically segregated spaces. Now, they occupy a growing role as sites for interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration. New approaches to operating laboratories have uncovered a host of different ways to work highly efficiently while still innovating vigorously:

• Multi-user laboratories
• Open-plan laboratories that encourage informal collaboration and communication between teams
• Laboratory sharing with third parties

Laws governing laboratory operations

Laboratory design, laboratory construction and laboratory building operation are governed by laws such as:

• Local building codes
• Occupational Safety and Health Act (ArbSchG)
• Energy Conservation Regulation (EnEV)
• Hazardous Substances and Biological Agents Regulation (TRGS 526, etc.)
• Laboratory guidelines issued by the Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention for the Raw Materials and Chemical Industry

Other aspects to consider include:

• Operational safety for people, products and the environment
• Environmental protection
• Fire protection
• Suitable heating and cooling systems
• Ventilation and special exhaust systems

Ideal route to a future-proof laboratory

Expertise and a systematic approach are key to success in designing, building and operating laboratories. Also, all laboratory users should be brought on board from day one: Their input is invaluable in optimizing real-life laboratory processes.

Key success factors: transparency and customer intimacy

Drawing on our extensive experience in laboratory design, construction and operations, we have developed a standard process that covers every single step from conceptual design to facility operations – one that is transparent, user-centric and measurable for customers.

Infraserv’s services at a glance

How Infraserv’s knowledge benefits you:

• One-stop shop: Efficient, needs-driven, fully scalable laboratory solutions for all requirements.
• Customer intimacy: We view the work we do for customers as an interactive, transparent process that involves all stakeholders.
• Understanding of your role(s): We own, design, build, lease and operate laboratory buildings all across Germany.
• Extensive, longstanding experience designing, building and operating all kinds of laboratories.
• In-house team of seasoned architects, engineers and occupational safety and health specialists.
• Holistic, sustainable plan for workflows, logistics, laboratory equipment and facility management.
• Rock-solid reliability on budgets, schedules and specifications.
• Dedicated permitting department ensures compliance with all laws and regulations.
• Vendor-agnostic: We design and build laboratories using our customers’ preferred partners. We are not captive to any specific product or laboratory equipment manufacturers.

Infraserv: the go-to partner for all your laboratory solutions

We build or convert between 3,000 and 5,000 square meters of laboratory space every year – from standard chemical and analysis laboratories to physical laboratories to biomaterial laboratories in biosafety levels 1 to 3. At Industriepark Höchst and in various regions of Germany.

Talk to us about your unique challenges. The first consultation involves no obligation for you. Our experts look forward to supporting you and your mission!