NZ Measurement Standards Laboratory
Project Overview
| Sector: | Health & Research |
| Location: | New Zealand – North Island |
| Year Completed: | 2020 |
Project Features
- New construction
- International standard laboratory (physics)
- Complex mechanical system design to minimise impact of environmental conditions and electrical interference
- Critical climate conditions with variations of no more than 0.1C
Project Details
Based at Callaghan Innovation in Gracefield, Lower Hutt, the Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand is a globally recognised physics laboratory and home to the MSL Electrical and Temperature Standards teams. Awarded the mechanical services contract for the advanced new construction by Hawkins Christchurch, Benmax successfully completed work on the project in 2020.
The laboratory design was incredibly technical to ensure the integrity of research experiments conducted at the facility would not be compromised. From building materials and equipment dependencies, through to air conditioning and heating requirements, every aspect of the build was scrutinised to meet the complex needs of the international standard facility where minute changes in environmental conditions or electrical interference can have significant impacts on experimental results.
The HVAC system operates under strict conditions and was built to maintain a temperature of 20.0C with variations of no more than 0.1C. The design of the ventilation system was also crucial to ensure any heat generating equipment does not impact adjacent equipment. Benmax enjoyed being part of the collaborative team brought together to deliver the incredibly complex mechanical systems for the project.