Revitalizing Life Science Spaces at UC Irvine for Adaptive Reuse | P2S
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Revitalizing Life Science
Spaces at UC Irvine for
Adaptive Reuse

University of California, Irvine

As a leader in life science research, UC Irvine continually seeks to provide state-of-the-art facilities for its researchers and students. However, maintaining cutting-edge lab environments often requires more than just new construction—it demands the renovation and adaptive reuse of existing spaces. The engineering team at P2S has been a key partner in transforming aging infrastructure into modern life science labs that meet today’s rigorous standards for functionality, safety, sustainability, and flexibility.

This case study focuses on P2S’s role in several significant UC Irvine renovation projects, outlining the general process for renovating life science buildings and the MEP solutions that ensure these labs support world-class research.

The General Process
for Renovating Life Science Buildings

Renovating life science facilities begins with a feasibility assessment and pre-design analysis. This step involves evaluating the existing building’s infrastructure, determining structural suitability for lab conversion, and identifying potential challenges such as space constraints, regulatory requirements, and the need for specialized systems. During this phase, stakeholders—including architects, lab users, and university officials—are consulted to understand specific research and operational goals.

The design and engineering phase follows, where customized MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) systems are developed to meet the unique demands of life science research. This includes designing HVAC systems for proper air quality, ventilation, and temperature control, along with plumbing solutions for lab processes and reliable electrical infrastructure. Sustainability and energy efficiency are prioritized, and flexible lab designs are incorporated to adapt to future needs.

Next is the construction and installation phase, where the renovation work is carried out based on the design. A phased construction plan is developed to minimize disruptions to ongoing university operations, especially in occupied buildings. MEP systems are installed with precision, and the construction team ensures that all systems—such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical—are implemented correctly and in line with the design specifications.

Once construction is complete, commissioning and validation occur. This step includes rigorous system testing to ensure that all MEP systems function as intended, providing proper airflow, ventilation, temperature control, and electrical stability. Compliance with safety and regulatory standards, such as cGMP or biosafety requirements, is verified, and lab personnel are trained on the operation and maintenance of the specialized systems.

UC Irvine Medical Sciences
B & D Major Building Maintenance

P2S provided comprehensive design and engineering services for this major building maintenance project. Our team was responsible for the complete operational HVAC system installation, start-up testing, adjusting, balancing, and commissioning of the Medical Sciences B and D buildings.

Key Solutions Provided:

HVAC System Overhaul: P2S designed and installed new air handling units, exhaust equipment, and controls for the facility. This required the removal and replacement of the roofs to accommodate the new equipment, as well as the abatement of hazardous materials that were discovered during the project. Our engineers used a wind study to ensure optimal placement of exhaust systems, minimizing any adverse effects on building occupants.

Energy Optimization: To support UC Irvine’s sustainability goals and optimize building performance, P2S conducted load calculations using Trane Trace software to evaluate various design options. We also used EnergyPro to assess the energy consumption of different scenarios in comparison to Title 24 energy standards. These analyses helped UCI achieve substantial energy savings and identify potential utility incentives through the Savings By Design program.

Design-Build Delivery: P2S leveraged the design-build project delivery method to collaborate closely with contractors, ensuring an efficient workflow and minimizing downtime. This streamlined approach allowed us to manage the complexities of the project and deliver the HVAC upgrades within an occupied facility, while ensuring that research operations continued without major interruptions.

UC Irvine Hewitt Hall
cGMP Laboratory Facility

P2S played a critical role in the success of the Hewitt Hall cGMP Lab Facility, providing comprehensive mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering services. A key challenge of this project was maintaining uninterrupted operation of the existing insectary and research labs in Hewitt Hall throughout the construction process. P2S tackled this through strategic planning, detailed Revit modeling, and precise engineering.

Key Solutions Provided:

Mezzanine and Utility Integration: P2S facilitated the integration of a mezzanine and catwalk system to optimize utility placement within the limited basement space. This included eight air handling units, supply valves with reheat coils, relief valves, extensive ductwork, electrical distribution systems, acid waste piping, and process gas piping. The detailed coordination allowed for efficient use of space while maintaining the lab's functionality.

Energy Efficiency: Sustainability was a priority for this project. P2S incorporated energy-efficient designs such as low cooling coil velocities, advanced control systems for outside air units, and optimized LED lighting. These measures reduced energy consumption while maintaining the high standards required for cGMP operations.

Redundancy for Operational Reliability: To ensure the lab's continuous operation, P2S provided redundant exhaust and relief fans and sophisticated air handling units capable of varying pressure for different facility needs. The inclusion of a 300kW generator and a 100kVA uninterruptible power supply further guaranteed the facility's reliability in the event of power outages.

Specialized Lab Infrastructure: The MEP systems were designed to meet the unique demands of a cGMP lab. Utility connections were provided to fume hoods, security and telecom systems were integrated, and new fire alarm devices were added to the existing fire safety infrastructure. P2S also managed the installation of new casework and flooring, ensuring that the lab spaces were fully functional and ready for research.

Legence Solutions
Scaled

As part of the Legence team, P2S can build collaborative strength by emphasizing the breadth of services offered by affiliated companies like A.O Reed & Co. and Therma.

A.O. Reed is a leading mechanical contractor crafting high-performance buildings that harmonize environmental responsibility with economic prosperity. A.O. Reed takes pride in building and servicing memorable projects, including the Salk Institute, UCSD Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, BioLegend, Lilly, Foundation Medicine, Pacira, Healthpeak, and Zentalis. As a partner, P2S can leverage that expertise to reduce energy consumption and unlock a future-proofed space. The experts at A.O. Reed have gained the trust of top customers and clients by providing cost-effective budgets, exceptional service, and maintaining aggressive schedules.

P2S has worked with A.O. Reed on UC Riverside School of Medicine II Building as well as Cal Poly Pomona’s Student Housing Replacement.

Therma is a leader in HVAC, fabrication, and building automation and is a full-service mechanical solution providers. As experts in mastering precision for critical environments, Therma specializes in construction for complex HVAC, process piping, and control systems, ensuring optimal performance and compliance for critical operations for biopharmaceutical, education, healthcare, food and beverage, commercial, industrial and data center facilities.

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Legence

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A.O. Reed

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Therma

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