Industry 07
Life sciences
Lab, R&D and production space with the air handling, power and structure research requires.
- Best fit
- Flex & R&D
- Also fits
- Build-to-suit & land
- Also fits
- Office
- Also fits
- Industrial & logistics
Life-science space is defined by what happens in the lab. Air handling, power, plumbing, floor vibration and hazardous materials rules decide whether a building can support the research, and conversions from office or flex space have to be planned carefully. We take requirements for laboratories, R&D, clinical manufacturing and related office space.
What the space has to do
- Air handling
- Ventilation for fume hoods and labs, often with once-through outside air, and the shaft and roof space for exhaust.
- Power and backup
- Electrical capacity for lab equipment and freezers, with emergency power for samples and critical systems.
- Structure and vibration
- Floor loading and vibration performance suited to sensitive instruments, and floor-to-floor heights that leave room for services.
- Lab plumbing and services
- Lab water, waste and neutralization, process gases, and the space to route them to benches.
- Hazardous materials
- Building code limits on chemicals and biological materials by floor and control area, and storage that meets them.
In the lease
- Lab build-outs are expensive, so terms are often longer and the tenant improvement allowance is a central part of the negotiation.
- Agree which lab improvements stay with the building and which the tenant removes, including decommissioning at the end of the term.
- Hazardous materials, biosafety levels and animal research, where relevant, should be named in the permitted use clause.
- Companies funded in stages may want shorter initial terms with expansion rights, and should expect security tied to their funding.
Questions we hear
Can office or flex space be converted to lab?
Sometimes. It depends on floor-to-floor height, structure, shaft space and the building's ability to add air handling and power. We assess the building against your requirement before discussing terms.
We are an early-stage company. Can we lease lab space?
Yes. Newer companies may be asked for additional security, such as a letter of credit, and smaller move-in-ready suites can shorten the time to the bench.
Start a requirement
Tell us what the business needs.
Share the size, location and timing. Our leasing team will come back with spaces that fit, and the terms side by side.