Working with global sustainable design and engineering consultancy Ramboll, Wates has released a new white paper: Speed to Market: Life Sciences Buildings.

It is aimed at providing developers with the requirements and knowledge they need to design and construct life sciences buildings.

With the UK Government prioritising funding in the life sciences sector as part of its ambition to make the country a 'Science Superpower' by 2030, the market for specialist buildings is set to grow rapidly, making now the right time for development. However, the specific requirements for these specialist buildings can make the market challenging, particularly for newcomers.

Against this background, the first-of-its-kind whitepaper sets out the key principles and priorities for design and construction of life sciences buildings to help developers avoid potentially costly errors. These include:


• Key location characteristics and types of spaces

• How to ensure flexibility and help futureproof laboratories

• Standardisation of laboratory design brief and construction methods

• Regulation to be aware of

• Learnings to be taken from other sectors

The Speed to Market: Life Sciences Buildings whitepaper helps demystify the complexity of life sciences facilities and provides key guidance for developers – drawing on our collective and extensive experience in designing and constructing science buildings, such as the University of Oxford Life and Mind Building the Quadram Institute at Norwich Research Park, and the Basingstoke Pathology Laboratory to create a helpful blueprint for developers keen to enter the market.

Commenting on the launch of the whitepaper, co-author Jamie Young, Principal Design Manager at Wates, said: "As an organisation which has been involved in the life sciences sector for many years, we’re keen to share the knowledge we’ve gained working on landmark projects across the country, to help more developers come into the market. We understand that it can be very daunting for potential new players to get involved, given the huge investment which can be required.

"If the UK is to realise its ambition of becoming a science superpower, we need to be getting the most talented people developing the assets we’re going to need. The buildings we design now are going to be defining the future of science not just in the UK but across the world. We hope this whitepaper will go some way to bringing more talented, and creative people into our sector."