A future-ready laboratory buildout to enhance quality assurance

When our client set out to build a new QA/QC laboratory, they had a clear vision, but the path to realizing it was not as straightforward. The space they had secured was, a rental building, which offered potential but came with limitations. Only 635 square meters could be renovated to accommodate the lab. The remaining 770 square meters had to remain untouched. 

Early conversations revealed the complexity of what was to come. The building was not originally designed to support a laboratory environment, and our client needed the space to meet both current operational demands and possible future requirements. That meant rethinking everything inside the footprint, from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing to fire protection, lighting and power distribution, without impacting the building’s exterior, aside from a few relocated entry and exit points. 

It quickly became clear that this was more than a design challenge. It was a matter of strategic decision-making: what to reuse, what to upgrade and how to integrate advanced lab functionality into an existing shell without disrupting the building’s wider footprint. With timelines and cost parameters already in place, our client needed a partner who could provide engineering expertise and help shape decisions that would carry long-term value. 

From the outset, collaboration was at the heart of this project. We started with a working session that exceeded the typical project launch. It was an opportunity to align expectations, clarify the vision and agree on how we would communicate throughout the process — a shared starting point that guided every step. 

GHD visited the site to ground all that early planning in reality. Walking the space helped us verify the existing conditions, flag any potential issues and spot opportunities to fine-tune the conceptual design. It also gave our technical specialists the context to move forward confidently. We compiled our findings into a concept basis of design summary, a document that set the stage for the next phase and invited client input before locking in direction. 

The design process itself moved through three key phases, each building on the last. For preliminary design, we explored different layout options, assessed utility requirements and considered how to position major equipment. This phase included everything from layout drawings and piping and instrumentation diagrams to cable routing plans, data sheets and an initial project estimate with a cost tolerance of plus or minus 30 percent. During permitting design and statutory applications, we pulled together technical documentation needed for statutory approvals and submitted application packages to the relevant authorities. In the final execution design phase, the lab took shape — on paper first. We produced detailed designs for the interior buildout, covering all key disciplines: structural, fire protection, mechanical systems (HVAC, plumbing) and electrical. 

Once complete, the full technical package became the foundation for contractor tendering. Throughout the process, our team stayed in close contact with our client’s facilities engineer and laboratory manager, making sure every design decision reflected the realities of their workflow and the future flexibility they needed.

The completed laboratory now stands as a seamless extension of our client’s operational ecosystem — a purpose-built environment that supports rigorous quality assurance and control processes without compromising flexibility or future growth. Every design decision, from the HVAC zoning to the power distribution layout, was made with day-to-day workflows in mind, allowing employees to conduct their work more efficiently and with greater confidence in the consistency of results. 

The facility was delivered on schedule, with construction support continuing beyond the original contract. That continued engagement reflects the trust built between our teams and the value placed on a responsive, collaborative approach. 

The new lab reinforces our client’s ability to maintain high product standards, something that directly affects the health, safety and satisfaction of consumers across North America. It is a reminder that even modest-scale infrastructure, when designed thoughtfully, can deliver lasting impact: empowering businesses, supporting communities and helping people enjoy something as simple and joyful as a quality piece of confectionary.