Four-storey development will have a built-in capacity to cope with any future large-scale serological testing requirements for livestock disease outbreaks
SES has recently completed a live mock-up laboratory for the scientific users to assess the concept of at its £10m mechanical and electrical building services contract.
The lab was specifically built under the request of Defra and the Veterinary Laboratories Association (VLA) as part of the £31.7m VLA laboratories project at its Weybridge site in Surrey.
This comprises the construction of a new 10,000m2 combined laboratory and office building with a separate 1200m2 energy centre. Identified at an early stage in the development, the users recognised the need for a mock-up of their laboratory, many of which are containment areas, to also benchmark the operation and quality of the new build.
In conjunction, this also allowed SES to test the service containment seal principles that were to be adopted in the final installation.
These had been designed by the company to prevent the migration of fumigant and pathogens from lab to lab.
Pressure tested to a +100pa and -100pa the seals passed both tests and just as importantly for the company, their build ability and installation methods.
These methods are now to be applied in the building.
When complete, the new four-storey development will have a built-in capacity to cope with any future large-scale serological testing requirements for livestock disease outbreaks such as foot and mouth.
It will also be used for research and diagnosis into bacterial diseases of farm livestock, especially tuberculosis in cattle.
Steve Edwards, VLA's chief executive, commented: "This new facility will enable VLA to increase its capacity to carry out veterinary research and offer more opportunities to improve disease diagnosis and to develop possible vaccines against farm animal diseases".
SES central regional director David Mason said: "Making it possible for the client and user groups to feel and touch their new environment meant they were more involved in the project from the outset.
"Through this processes it has helped us further understand their needs and wants and deliver an enhanced quality installation".
The principal contractor for the development is Shepherd Construction and the building is due to officially open in spring 2005.
