As the world leader in the design and engineering of specialty laboratories, we have developed unsurpassed expertise in creating specialized and unique facilities required by government and academia for research, testing and evaluation for the most stringent requirements.

Over the last 30 years, our team has developed some of the world’s most complex research environments, many of which remain as benchmarks within their class. We have pioneered and integrated many advanced architectural and engineering concepts and technologies now in-place in facilities around the globe—the kind of sophisticated infrastructure that helps fuel scientific achievement.

The design of this facility has transformed how we work. It’s not just beautiful—it’s enabling faster, more collaborative, and more impactful science.

-Dr. Mike Gratz, Research Scientist, Sidney Centre for Plant Health

A typical laboratory can use as much as five times the energy and water per square foot as a typical office building. Because of the unique requirements for a laboratory space, and the heightened requirements of health and safety codes, traditional measures of sustainability may not be adequate to quantify the requirements of sustainability in the laboratory setting.

Our experience helps our clients maximize efficiency both in terms of energy usage and initial building cost. We push to make sure our projects acknowledge the energy usage required to meet knowledge goals, while seeking the best solution for energy consumption.

We have implemented strategies to effectively organize mechanical and electrical services, streamlining the distribution of lab services such as water, HVAC, and lab gases in a way that simplifies construction and reduces construction cost. We have worked to Canadian LEED standards, but have also implemented LABS21 standards, designed specifically to accommodate the energy requirements of the lab setting.

We understand that there is no single approach to laboratory design. Each of our clients has a unique set of scientific goals, and we help them articulate these aspirations in the development of a functional modern laboratory setting. We understand the difference between a teaching lab and a diagnostic space, a research laboratory space and a biocontainment facility, and have executed designs that make the most of each of these spaces.

Science is becoming increasingly collaborative and interdisciplinary. In recent years there has been a movement towards laboratory design that respects human usage patterns, and accommodates the need for flexibility within the laboratory environment. Flexible laboratory spaces can extend the life of a lab facility, allowing different programs and researchers to use the same spaces without extensive and expensive retrofits.

Shaping Scientific Spaces