Sector

Enhancing Vaccine Testing Capabilities: The Phoenix House Expansion Project for SGS

Merit is proud to have played a pivotal role as the Principal Contractor for the Phoenix House Expansion Project, designed to significantly enhance SGS’s capabilities in life sciences testing.

With an investment of £5m, this expansion project expanded the facility by 1,200m2, bringing the total laboratory space to 2,400m2, specifically tailored to cater to the operational demands of the pharmaceutical industry.

As the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, SGS required cutting-edge laboratories for the testing of cell banks, bulk harvest for vaccines and advanced therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and other recombinant proteins. Our in-house design team collaborated closely with SGS through comprehensive design reviews and workshops, ensuring that we fully understood their stringent requirements and regulatory standards.

A noteworthy aspect of the project involved the transformation of an existing gym into two cGMP and BSL-2 laboratories at SGS's Biosafety Centre of Excellence in Glasgow. This conversion was essential for facilitating critical vaccine testing, including for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, thereby contributing directly to public health initiatives.

In addition to this initial expansion, Merit has been awarded the design and construction of a new CL2 laboratory, featuring our innovative UltraPOD® design that remains independent from the existing structure at Phoenix House. This new facility further strengthens SGS's vaccine testing capabilities, enabling rapid advancements in life sciences research.

Client: SGS
Location: Glasgow
Sector: Life Sciences
Project: Phoenix House Expansion Project

Key Features

Turnkey design and build of new laboratories to suit operational environmental requirements.
Merit assigned to deliver the design phase with the construction package awarded following Merit’s design.
Planning, space management of the fit-out and full coordination of services and utilities enabled through the use of 3D models.
Laboratories designed to avoid any risk of external environmental contamination.
Physical separation of specific laboratories to minimise risk of cross contamination.

Key Outcomes

The new laboratory added 1200m² to the existing facility, effectively doubling the total space to 2400m².
Merit conducted multiple design reviews and workshops to understand and address SGS’s operational requirements thoroughly.
Ensured all laboratories met the necessary regulatory considerations for quality control testing.
Successfully transformed an existing gym into two GMP and BSL-2 laboratories, enhancing vaccine testing capabilities for Astra Zeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Awarded an additional contract for the design and build of a CL2 laboratory featuring Merit’s UltraPOD® laboratory building to further facilitate vaccine testing.