Building Without Disruption: Best Practices for Construction in Occupied Biotech Facilities

Delivering infrastructure upgrades, laboratory fit out, or system tie-ins in an occupied biotech facility comes with unique challenges. Unlike traditional construction, where downtime can be scheduled with relative ease, a single unplanned shutdown in biotech operations can cause devastating financial and sequentially schedule impacts to ongoing base building operation. This is why careful planning, proactive communication, and proven procedures are essential to keeping base building operations running seamlessly.

Know the Systems Before You Touch Them

Every successful upgrade starts with a deep understanding of the building systems being impacted, whether it is electrical, mechanical, fire protection, or process utilities. Our teams conduct detailed walk-downs with P&ID drawings in hand, ensuring we identify tie-in points and potential risks well before work begins. This proactive approach allows us to plan around the real-world functionality of each system, avoiding surprises during execution.

Communication Is Everything

When work takes place in a live facility, communication is just as critical as construction expertise. Clear signage, advanced notices, and building-wide email alerts help ensure staff are informed of any upcoming shutdowns. We also build schedule buffers into our timelines to account for worst-case scenarios which minimize the chance of cascading delays.

Preparing for Success

Efficiency during shutdowns starts long before the shutdown itself. By completing preparatory tasks in advance, we shorten the duration of critical downtime. Work that might otherwise take a full day can often be reduced significantly if supporting tasks are handled ahead of time.

In occupied facilities, where power loss or heating and cooling interruptions can heavily impact operations, this proactive approach is essential. Common examples of advance work include:

• Installing or pulling wiring between electrical panels, fire alarms, EMS, or BMS systems
• Installing piping for condensate, gases, chilled water, or hot water systems
• Providing temporary power to equipment to maintain building operations

This planning is especially important in biotech environments, where even a brief loss of power, heating, or cooling can disrupt research and production.

Execute with Precision

Before any shutdown, our teams hold a pre-job briefing and review a detailed Method of Procedure (MOP). The MOP is drafted ahead of the start of the work includes impairment matrix, defined roles, high hazard work and a step-by-step timeline approved by the client. This structured approach ensures that everyone, from subcontractors to facility managers, knows their responsibilities. Once the work is complete, we conduct a post-job review to capture lessons learned, strengthening our processes for future projects.

Why It Matters

For the biotech industry, business continuity is non-negotiable. By combining system knowledge, clear communication, and disciplined preparation, we can deliver upgrades in live facilities without compromising ongoing operations. At DC Beane & Associates, we view every project as an opportunity to refine these practices, ensuring that science can keep moving forward without interruption.