Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Some diseases currently being researched include Cardiovascular Disease, Hepatitis B, and ALS. Their work will impact millions of lives, which is why GMC Cx is grateful to play a role in providing safe and efficient buildings to conduct such research.
The Arrowhead project is a whole building tenant improvement inside a cold shell. Spaces included are a vivarium, biology, chemistry, and histology labs, and office space. Commissioning was provided with a hands-on approach that begins with multiple design reviews and ends in construction with hands on installation and verifying operation with trend and performance metrics. Terminal unit testing was also tested at a 100% sample rate utilizing GMC Cx SkySpark and data analytics software to achieve maximum value and efficiency. This approach ensures that the commissioning authority is the final expert that performs or observes proper testing on all building systems.
This project had to overcome numerous technical obstacles including fine tuning the buildings standby power sequence of operations to satisfy safety conditions in both a BSL3 suite and a large vivarium. Several iterations of hardware and software tweaks were needed in coordination with the design and construction team to find a seamless, lasting solution to ensure Arrowhead’s reliability during an unexpected power emergency.
In conclusion, GMCCx provided full commissioning of the major systems within this project including, but not limited to:
- ~45 Laboratory Fume Hoods
- Cold Rooms
- Domestic & Industrial Hot-Water Systems
- Laboratory gas systems including nitrogen, oxygen, and CO2
- Compressed air system
- laboratory vacuum system
- HVAC & Controls including a full water-cooled chiller plant with custom air handling equipment and laboratory tracking pair air valves
- BSL-3 suite controls and safeties
- Electrical Distribution