Life Sciences Facilities
Research & Development Laboratories
Research & Development Laboratories
Research & Development Laboratories
What makes Research & Development Laboratories
An R&D laboratory has to support work that has not been defined yet. It houses teams running exploratory or product-development research, so the building is specified for capacity and adaptability rather than a fixed workflow.
Design considerations for Research & Development Laboratory projects
Flexible bench and equipment zoning that can be re-set as research programmes change, with wet, dry and instrument areas kept distinct but adjacent; services capacity for fume extraction, laboratory gases, compressed air, vacuum, DI water, and power and data density well above current demand; floor loading, headroom and plant space to take equipment not yet bought; growth and reconfiguration planning as teams scale, including a defined expansion envelope; write-up and collaboration space separated from the working benches; and sample and consumable storage, including cold storage, sized for peak rather than average.
Regulatory context
Requirements are driven by the specific research being carried out rather than a single fixed standard, COSHH and relevant sector-specific licensing apply depending on the substances and organisms handled.
How Axentia delivers Research & Development Laboratory projects
R&D laboratories change while they are being built, because the research programme moves. That usually points to Construction Management: Axentia holds the trade packages directly, so benching, services and equipment zoning can be adjusted mid-build without an external contractor applying margin to every variation. If the base building already exists and the work is a contained fit-out under £500,000, Axentia can act as Principal Contractor itself, for a single contract and a price agreed up front.
Case Studies
Examples of Research & Development Laboratory projects we've delivered
Research & Development
Laboratories FAQs
What are the specific requirements of an R&D laboratory?
An R&D laboratory has to support work that has not been defined yet, so the requirements are about capacity and adaptability rather than a fixed layout:
- Flexible bench and equipment zoning that can be re-set as research programmes change, with wet, dry and instrument areas kept distinct but adjacent.
- Services capacity for fume extraction, laboratory gases, compressed air, vacuum, DI water, and power and data density well above current demand.
- Floor loading, headroom and plant space to take equipment you have not bought yet.
- Growth and reconfiguration planning as teams scale, including a defined expansion envelope.
- Write-up and collaboration space adjacent to the laboratory, separated from the working benches.
- Sample and consumable storage, including cold storage, sized for peak rather than average.
I am looking to build an R&D lab. What sort of delivery model is best for me?
R&D laboratories change while they are being built, because the research programme moves. That usually points to our Construction Management model: we hold the trade packages directly, so benching, services and equipment zoning can be adjusted mid-build without an external contractor applying margin to every variation. If the base building already exists and the work is a contained fit-out under £500,000, we can act as Principal Contractor ourselves, for a single contract and a price agreed up front.
Talk to us about your
R&D Laboratory project
Talk to our team about your facility, budget and timeline — we’ll recommend the right route to delivery.