Background

Our team was engaged by EG Funds to deliver the design and construction of a PC2 laboratory within an existing, tenanted commercial building in Eveleigh, NSW.

EG Funds provided preliminary designs, and our Labline team took over the architectural and services design, completing it and carrying the project through into construction.

Located on the ground floor of a six-level building, with mechanical plant housed on the sixth floor, the laboratory presented complex services challenges from the outset. Delivering the project's scope required close collaboration between building services specialists across mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, fire, gas and security to ensure a PC2 compliant build.

Solution

Mechanical services integration was a key focus throughout the laboratory. To meet PC2 requirements, the facility needed dedicated air conditioning, delivered via 4-pipe Air Handling Units installed in a designated on-floor AHU plantroom. The extraction of air, fume cupboard exhaust and gas was one of the project's biggest challenges: with the laboratory on the ground floor, there were no mechanical risers available to extract gases through the multi-storey building. The landlord engaged an independent specialist to assess the existing façade risers, testing and sealing them to create an airtight barrier that prevented air leakage paths and maintained the required directional airflow. This allowed our team to work with the contractor to identify risers capable of accommodating the additional ductwork the laboratory required.

Gas services were also carefully considered. Gas was supplied from central cylinders housed in a dedicated store on the ground floor, positioned adjacent to the tenancy and piped directly into the lab spaces. The store held one duty and one standby cylinder each for carbon dioxide and nitrogen, with spatial allowance for a spare cylinder to support future capacity of either gas.

Safety requirements shaped the gas system design at every stage. Exhaust air from the store was ducted to the roof and discharged vertically, clear of the facility. Oxygen depletion monitoring was fitted in each lab room and within the store, with oxygen level read-outs at every entry point, backed by a ceiling-mounted red/green traffic light system that gave staff a clear visual and audible read on ventilation status before entering.

Benefit

The completed laboratory delivered a fully compliant PC2 facility within the constraints of an existing, multi-tenanted commercial building. A bespoke mechanical extraction solution overcame the absence of internal risers, and a purpose-built gas system now supports the facility's ongoing operations. Security was integrated throughout, with access tags and CCTV across every lab and all entry and exit points, giving the client full control over access to the space. Weekly PCG meetings kept EG Funds informed from design through to completion, with outcomes managed at every stage.

Delivered on time and within budget, the project gave EG Funds a fully operational PC2 facility ready to support the tenancy's needs.