Biological Sciences Building

Z Wing L4/L5/L10/L11 Wet Laboratory Renovation

The Biological Sciences Building has been an anchor on North Campus and the home to teaching and research for the Faculty of Science since 1969. A recent facility master plan exercise revealed that thoughtful building renewal will enable the entire complex to remain an essential component in the U of A fabric. Renewal must be delivered systematically and progressively in phases to ensure that teaching and research objectives can remain vibrant and effective for the next 50 years.

As a result, the University now plans to renovate aged space on Level 4, Level 5, Level 10 (including mezzanine) and Level 11 (including mezzanine) within Zoology (Z) Wing as modular "high service" wet laboratory space. The design process will establish spatial occupancy priorities to be assigned by College and Faculty representation and acknowledged by University Services, Operations and Finance.

The Z Wing space and other parts of the Biological Sciences Building will remain occupied and operational during the project. The project team will continue to reach out to adjacent building occupants to mitigate any disruptions, as they have done throughout 2023.

The project will deliver the design consulting and construction services in phases to manage overall requirements, scope, schedule and budget.

Project phases

• Phase 1 – Complete pre-design, schematic design, and design development services for the entire Z Wing Renovation project (September 2023 through March 2024; COMPLETE)
• Phase 2 - Complete the remaining design consulting and construction services that are required to decant, renovate and fit up Level 10 and Level 11 (November 2023 thru May 2025; REMAINS IN PROGRESS)
• Phase 3 - Complete the remaining design consulting and construction services that are required to decant, renovate and fit-up all or a portion of Level 4 and Level 5 pending funding (March 2024 thru August 2025; REMAINS IN PROGRESS)

The project was complicated by unique, ineffective and non-code compliant mezzanine spaces located on level 10M and level 11M, which occupied specialty artifacts for Zoology Collections. The university agreed to:

1. Decant the entire space (COMPLETED: December 2023)
2. Demolish the mezzanines in their entirety (COMPLETED: August 2024)
3. Erect steel and pour concrete for a new Z11 infill floor slab (COMPLETED: September 2024)
4. Infill and finish the adjacent west exterior wall to suit (TARGET finish: December 2024)

This work will be completed throughout the 2024 calendar year. When complete, Level 10 and Level 11 will be ready to serve as standard high service space, replicating other floors in Z Wing.

The surrounding Z Wing space and extended Biological Sciences Building will remain occupied and operational during the project. Increased planning is required to deliver the project while managing the impacts on building occupants that are located within adjacent spaces. The phase 2 and phase 3 decant implementation plan was guided by a thorough planning, logistics, design, construction and occupant move exercise that proactively engaged all occupants from March 2023 through June 2024.

As part of phase 1, the project considered renewal of head-end mechanical and electrical infrastructure systems that serve both the project area and surrounding building. Scopes of work have been prioritized and approved by University Services, Operations and Finance for implementation in phase 3.

Reminder: The building will experience increased noise and vibration throughout the project that will be mitigated by modified work hours so building occupants can schedule their own work activity with no concrete cutting or drilling after 9 a.m. Changes in work and adjustments to the modified work hours will be communicated in the monthly Building Occupant Inform Meeting.