Portable and Modular Stand-Alone Bio-Containment Laboratories

Keith Landy, Germfree Laboratories, Inc.

Modular bio-containment laboratories are often the only way to provide a CDC-NIH BMBL compliant laboratory to developing countries and/or global locations where experienced contractors are not available. Additionally developing countries often lack stable electrical power so engineering the laboratory for efficiency is critical.

While modular containment labs can provide building solutions in themselves, the engineering and construction process has unexpectedly lent itself to developing and testing novel methods for reducing energy as a modular lab is a complete facility with adjoining laboratory and the mechanical space. Modular containment labs serve as test-beds for energy savings as various engineering strategies can be tested and monitored under normal and stressed conditions in a controlled environment. Innovative solutions for reducing energy use are changing the value proposition of modular bio-containment labs for example: modular labs allow for moving heat generating components outside of the laboratory work area. Additionally modular labs offer an excellent platform to develop naturally ventilated laboratory facilities and further discussions need to take place in order to determine how primary containment equipment is selected and integrated.

Learning Objectives

• Learn the state-of-the-art in portable high containment lab design.
• Learn what improvements and modifications might be made to address remote citing.
• Learn to outfit the lab with equipment that is balanced with the natural resources available.
• Learn how design can off-set O&M in the modular lab environment.

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