Labor 2020 – Not a utopia but reality

(Photo credit: Lorenz Consult)

(Photo credit: Lorenz Consult)

(Photo credit: Lorenz Consult)

Christian Lorenz (Photo credit: Lorenz Consult, Jürgen Skarwan)

Georg Dallasera (Photo credit: Lorenz Consult, Jürgen Skarwan)

The international pharmaceutical manufacturer Fresenius Kabi Austria is expanding its laboratory facilities in Graz by 4,500 m². Building services planning and construction supervision are handled by the civil engineering firm Lorenz Consult.

It has been over ten years since Graz-based civil engineer Lorenz Consult also specialized in cleanroom planning for GMP pharma, food, and electronics. For Managing Director DI Christian Lorenz, it is evident that the demand for laboratories is continuously increasing. On one hand, because production itself is expanding, and on the other hand, because regulatory requirements are also rising – both in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

4,500 m² of new laboratory space

Comprehensive investments in new technologies are necessary at the international pharmaceutical manufacturer Fresenius Kabi Austria at the Graz site, which will be continuously expanded in the coming years. To continue offering great flexibility for special process requirements and customized solutions in the future, a 4,500 m² extension with laboratories (chromatography, analytics, and BSL-1) and associated technical areas is currently being implemented. "From the very beginning, intensive coordination with the laboratory users is required. Processes need to be clarified," explains Christian Lorenz. His civil engineering firm is responsible for building services planning and the associated specialized construction supervision for this project.

Fresenius Kabi produces sterile medicines in Graz, 80 percent of which are exported. The product portfolio includes intravenously administered drugs such as anesthetics, analgesics, anti-infectives, and antibiotics (excluding β-lactam). Additionally, large-volume products for parenteral nutrition and diagnostic products like X-ray contrast agents are manufactured.

High demands on building services

Laboratories place high demands on building services: early planning of facilities is necessary to be able to design technical pipelines and connections. "Experience shows that these often change repeatedly during the project. The building services must be adjusted accordingly," says Ing. Georg Dallasera, project manager at Lorenz Consult.

In the expansion of the Fresenius Kabi plant in Graz, building services are given even more attention, as one of the core components is heat recovery from the CIP wastewater of the production. "The heating coils of the ventilation systems and the building heating can operate using this low-temperature energy. This results in energy savings of around 800 kW of heating capacity in the final expansion," reports Harald Leitgeb, head of technology at Fresenius Kabi Austria.

Renovation during ongoing laboratory operations

A particular challenge is that the multi-million-euro renovation takes place during ongoing operations. An advantage is the BIM planning by Lorenz Consult. "Flexible project organization with attention to costs, schedules, and quality is required for laboratories. Clear delineation of the construction site from ongoing operations is necessary," explains Christian Lorenz. Harald Leitgeb agrees: "Construction measures in areas where laboratories are operational are carried out outside business hours or – if necessary – during complete shutdowns."