Construction timeline
Progress on the lab construction
Construction of the National Biocontainment Laboratory in Wallaceville is becoming very visible with the recent establishment on site of a 28m tall crane.
The large crane will be used to lift construction materials in loads of up to 12 tonnes. Site excavation was completed over the 2015/16 Christmas break and all 4 anchor piles were in place soon after. Since February, contractors have been forming the reinforced concrete foundation pads and beams that will support this highly-specialised new building.
Seismic protection components – for example, base isolators – have been manufactured and delivered to site, ready for installation beginning in May – a significant milestone for the project.
When completed and operational (in the beginning of 2019) the new lab will meet international best practice for handling pathogens and will have some of the most sophisticated systems and safety features in the world.
Before we move in
We'll be running rigorous tests during and after construction of the National Biocontainment Laboratory, as part of commissioning the building. We've employed international experts to oversee this work and provide reports for certification. Commissioning is critical to ensure the building works as it should and that all systems work together properly.
We'll be testing extensively including:
- the lab's systems when they're operating normally
- simulated failures (for example, during a power failure)
- pressure tests of all laboratory rooms to find any leaks
- decontamination equipment to confirm it's working properly.
We'll do all of this before we move any organism into the lab.
Getting certification
After commissioning, the lab must be approved and certified as a high-containment facility before we can begin working in it. The whole laboratory and our operating procedures are subject to review by international experts. MPI will have to demonstrate that we can meet rigorous containment and safety standards before we can start using it.
Who to contact
If you have questions about the National Biocontainment Laboratory, email info@mpi.govt.nz.info@mpi.govt.nz .