B1 Biomedical Engineering Laboratory
Southampton, UK
project overview
Strengthening engineering facilities at the University of Southampton
To support the University of Southampton’s growing student intake and enhance its facilities for future generations, we led a project to provide a new laboratory within Building 1 which forms part of the main university campus in Highfield. The institution currently welcomes over 14,000 undergraduate and almost 8,000 postgraduate students, making it the largest university in the South East by student numbers.
Created as a ‘destination’ venue to attract future students and support the new Biomedical Degree Programme which has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, the new 80-person laboratory provides additional space for students and researchers to carry out their studies. We provided a range of roles on the scheme, including project manager, building surveying, contract administrator and CDM principal designer.
SPECIALIST FACILITIES
Supporting advanced biomedical research and study
The innovative new degree programme is divided into four distinct pathways: AI, Digital Health, Electronics and Mechatronics.
Each has a core set of laboratories, which include a mixture of ‘dry’ lab exercises with standard ELEC equipment, alongside chemistry and biology tasks which are carried out in ‘wet’ facilities.
Enhancing the students’ experience, as well as the laboratory space, the new facility also includes significant resource for individual and group projects, providing possibilities for more appropriate content than previously.
Dedicated technician preparation areas provide plenty of space for students to carry out their studies, with stools and benches offering flexible workspaces.
Helping to keep the laboratory safe and tidy, storage facilities provide space for lab coats and protective clothing and equipment, while lockers safely stow away bags to avoid contamination.
To protect the wellbeing of the students using the facilities, emergency eye wash hoses are provided, while automatic ceiling lights and recycling bins support enhanced sustainability.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Ensuring safety through carefully managed construction works
All works were carried out while the campus remained in full operational use, so ensuring the safety of all those on site was paramount.
Safeguarding site users, such as students, researchers, lecturers and university staff, under our role as principal designer, we undertook regular site visits, monitoring the health and safety of the construction site by considering risks and ensuring mitigation measures were implemented.
To protect the wellbeing of those using the laboratory as well as the environment, the labs are fitted with fume air extract fans and fume cupboards. These ventilation systems use a fan to pull hazardous fumes, dust and particles out of the air and are essential for chemical environments in helping to ensure that the labs comply with health and safety regulations such as COSHH.
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