VIB (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie) and UGent are rushing to move into the new A3/BSL3 lab at their new research center in Ghent. They want to continue research there in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.
Ingenium was in charge of the design of the high-end laboratories in the new VIB-UGent research center on Campus Ardoyen (Zwijnaarde) and provides maximum support to the other building partners (VIB, UGent and THV Denys/Ipes) who are putting the finishing touches on the building in a hurry.
An A3/BSL3 lab is a high-security lab zone where there are very strict requirements in terms of ventilation, hygiene, access control, pressure monitoring, filtration ... which allows such labs to work with hazardous organisms such as the current COVID-19 virus.
Like an iceberg, only a small part of the lab is visible. As seen in the images, much of the technology is tucked away in a technical room above the lab. In current research on the COVID-19 virus, for example, it is obviously very important to keep the virus within this room. For this purpose, special air shafts, (safely replaceable) air filters and ventilation are provided. These keep all pathogens out of the environment on the one hand and protect the researchers on the other.
Ingenium was responsible for the design of the technical installations and is now also further monitoring the works. Besides the classical techniques HVAC, plumbing, electricity and special gases, the equipment also includes specific installations related to HEPA filtration in the laboratories, pressure monitoring to keep the rooms in negative pressure with respect to the environment, treatment of the lab waste water, ultrapure water treatment plant and a steam production for distribution to autoclaves and air groups.
Both design and execution fully draw the map of BIM methodology, with all parties working three-dimensionally in a single model.
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