University of Queensland EQUS Research Laboratory, Brisbane, QLD

The University of Queensland’s (UQ) St. Lucia Campus is home to the Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS) laboratory in the existing GP South building. EQUS is a specialist laboratory for the Faculty of Science’s research group. The researchers needed laboratory spaces with increased floor area and improved space quality and contracted NDY to design the laboratory fitout comprising:

• Two main areas for two research groups for a total of 22 people: cold atoms and optics laboratories (10-12 pax) and super conducting quantum devices laboratory (8 pax)
• Associated control rooms for the two main areas
• Workshop areas.

The laboratories and associated spaces have a floor area of approximately 600 m² located on level 1 of the building and a plant deck on the roof. NDY considered laboratory compliance and specialist laboratory requirements during the design process. Stakeholder engagement was key to success, with our team managing an iterative process to discuss the key requirements during weekly user group meetings. The design was dependent on these user group engagement discussions to meet the needs of the scientists and all consultants.

The project included complex requirements such as the consideration of liquid nitrogen with oxygen depletion monitoring, laboratory gases and HEPA filtration on air handling units. This required a knowledge of laboratory compliance, and NDY’s involvement in the early stages of the design was substantial towards ensuring that the constructed facility is compliant with current industry standards.

The new laboratories were designed to be more resilient than the existing laboratories and with improved space conditions, particularly in terms of temperature, humidity and air movement direction. NDY’s design solutions reduce the inaccuracies introduced by the environment and also reduce lost experiments and research due to building equipment failure.

For example, NDY undertook a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the cold atoms laboratory to optimise air flow patterns and volumes. A process of analysing fluid flows using numerical solution methods, CFD allowed NDY to examine various system problems involving fluid-fluid, fluid-solid or fluid gas interaction via software. CFD helped our team design and implement a mechanical solution tailored to the research being undertaken in the optics laboratory, suiting the optics and laser table requirements. The application of CFD into the design helps the continuity and energy conservation of fluid within EQUS.

NDY’s design incorporated a separate process chilled water system to provide chilled water for lab equipment. This system was separated from the site chilled water system for reliability.

The project delivers a sophisticated suite of laboratory space for the Faculty of Science, with specialist facilities enabling a continued program of world class science research for the University.