Australian Laboratory Services – Malaga Laboratory
- Envar
- Commissioning
- Construction & Installation
- Custom Fabrication
- DDC & BMS Solutions
- Engineering & Design
- Maintenance & Service
- Institutional & Industrial Laboratories
- WA
Project
Construct Only – HVAC and Mechanical Services
Key Challenges
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Tight procurement and delivery timeline for specialised HVAC equipment
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Ensuring GMP-compliant pressure gradients across critical lab zones
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Balancing advanced technical requirements with strict cost and delivery targets
Outcomes
Delivered $2.5M HVAC scope for new laboratory facility
Integrated advanced process cooling and laboratory exhaust systems
Achieved controlled pressure gradients across critical lab environments
The Client
ALS (Australian Laboratory Services) is a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification, providing analytical solutions across a wide range of industries. To meet the growing demands of its geochemistry business, ALS invested in a new purpose-built facility in Malaga, WA. The three-level, 2,142m² building was developed adjacent to their existing operations to provide a state-of-the-art environment for advanced laboratory processes.
Shape was appointed as builder for this construct-only project, working with Envar to deliver mechanical services to the highest standards of compliance, safety, and reliability. The new facility represents a major expansion of ALS’ capacity to deliver world-leading laboratory testing services.
What we achieved with our customer
The new ALS Malaga Laboratory was designed to provide highly controlled environments for advanced geochemistry testing. Envar’s $2.5M scope included the full mechanical services package—delivered under a construct-only contract to Shape within an accelerated program between August 2022 and June 2023.
The HVAC systems installed included a basement carpark exhaust system, general building exhausts, and a network of dedicated fume cupboards with associated PVC ductwork. Critical laboratory spaces were equipped with dehumidification and outside air processing units, enabling precise humidity and airflow control to protect sensitive testing conditions.
Office and administrative areas were served by ducted DX VRV systems, while packaged air-cooled chillers provided process chilled water to specialised testing equipment. Envar also installed coloured HDPE reticulation pipework across the laboratory zones, ensuring reliable process water distribution to multiple test environments.
A major achievement was the implementation of an Alerton Building Management System (BMS), which monitors and controls mainstream HVAC functions while maintaining pressure gradients between laboratory zones. This system ensures compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and enables ALS to meet stringent regulatory requirements across all critical spaces.
