The Pirbright Institute is a centre of excellence that carries out research, diagnostics and surveillance on viruses carried by animals. For John Sisk & Son, the project scope involved the design and build of a 3,700m2 Containment Level 2 (CL2) facility on the grounds of the Institute’s existing scientific campus. The project works also included the supply, installation, test and commissioning of two autoclaves, 53 Microbiological Safety Cabinets and six Fume Cupboards. The project further required the biological validation of both autoclaves and five of the 53 Microbiological Safety Cabinets installed.
The building has achieved BREEAM Excellent rating, with air-tightness levels of 2.5m3/hour/m2 at 50 Pascals. This is the only building in the campus redevelopment programme that will achieve BREEAM Excellent, and it is possible because of the lower containment levels. Other BREEAM features include 125 photovoltaic panels and an air source heat pump. The concrete has used GGBS (ground granulated blast-furnace slag) as cement replacement to boost credits.
