Cutting edge construction for a leading laboratory

• Created 16,000 m sq of flexible laboratory space, designed to foster an environment where innovation, discoveries, and scientists can thrive. 
• Sustainability embedded throughout, including the use of combined heat and power unit (CHP) reducing energy consumption and ultimately leading to BREEAM Excellent rating.  
• Through a revised strategy plan for underpinning and value engineering, the project programme time was able to be reduced from 15 to just 3 weeks.

The Oxford Molecular Pathology Institute (OMPI) project was a remarkable transformation of a challenging site on a live university campus in central Oxford. The initial phase involved relocating a high-voltage sub-station and diverting a district heating main. The existing 1960s research building required decontamination and asbestos removal before demolition. 

Given the old building's connection to a new adjacent structure, the demolition included a complex separation process and underpinning of the party wall. Client engagement was crucial for this specialised build. By constructing a full-scale mock-up of a typical laboratory, Oxford's researchers could ensure the design met the specific needs for world-class medical research. 

Value engineering was a key focus, leading to significant time and cost savings. Through meticulous pre-planning, complex service diversions were completed before construction began. A revised strategy eliminated the need for underpinning, reducing the duration from 15 weeks to just three. 

The use of fully welded interlocking steel sheet-piled walls for the basement, driven silently into the ground, avoided vibration disturbances to neighbouring facilities. The introduction of a combined heat and power (CHP) unit reduced energy usage, contributing to a BREEAM Excellent rating.