6 key contributors
Before you start a large lab design & construction project, it is crucial to consider several key factors that might affect the project schedule, cost & quality. We have identified six stakeholders who are very important for successful turnkey laboratory construction. You miss even one of them, and you have a risk of mid-way lab design change, project delay, cost overruns, and poor quality.
There are the six most important people for a lab project:
1. Identify that one Project Manager
He is the most vital ingredient for a lab project success. He will make it or break it. A good PM takes the lead and ensures that all bottlenecks are removed. He should be the “champion” who has an excellent knowledge of engineering and research processes both. Of course, a company veteran will only do this job for you. If you import a project manager form other companies, you will find it tough to get going. Also, excellent communication and conflict resolution skills are a must!
2. Select an experienced lab architect
There are very few architects in India who understand the complexity of the lab design. Labs are like mini-factories, demand precision, and we want it to look like a beautiful office. It would be best if you had a very experienced lab architect who understands laboratory planning and engineering exceptionally well. So, she knows the laboratory terminology, instruments, utility requirements, and EHS requirements. Ideally, she should have handled your kind of labs and scale.
3. Involve engineering &maintenance teams
Existing R&D center engineering & maintenance teams are well aware of the typical pain points, and hence they are great assets. They can help identify the design flaws and can advise on don’ts; rather than do’s. Involving them at an early stage will ensure that post-construction maintenance & substantial running cost issues are controlled.
4. Where is the scientist?
You are building this lab for scientists, and it is imperative to make them part of this decision-making process. Ideally, heads of various user departments will help with the right inputs for the best functionality. Users do tend to make design changes even after the design phase is over & drawings are signed off. Hence, there has to be one senior scientist who will convince other fellow scientists and take a final call on URS and lab design. Without correct user inputs & control, this project faces a risk of under or over-designing.
5. EHS from day-one
Getting an Environment Health And Safety manager on aboard is the key to avoid last moment design changes. An EHS professional will chalk out the organizational and regulatory health, environment & safety requirements from day one. He will also highlight local statutory requirements, which need to be handled with care.
6. Get a good lab turnkey company
Labs are complex, and lab construction is a critical task. It demands high-quality MEP work with deep technical understanding. A specialized lab contractor has experience in building such labs. He can work closely with you to resolve bottlenecks and, finally, work in the interest of the project. In our experience, turnkey execution will cut down your 30% project duration and at least 5% of your costs. Further, you can then focus on doing your core job rather than managing ten different vendors. That’s a bonus!
I hope this article will help you build an excellent lab project team. If you need a specialized turnkey contracting company for your lab construction, do connect on sps@sbydlab.com, and we will be happy to discuss the possibilities.