The NSW Government sought a highly specialised facility capable of supporting research, development and pilot-scale manufacturing of ribonucleic acid (RNA) therapeutics. The facility needed to accommodate complex scientific processes and instruments, meet stringent safety and regulatory requirements and remain adaptable to rapid advances in RNA technologies and future operational needs.

Working alongside project delivery partners, Health Infrastructure, Hindmarsh and HDR in collaboration with the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, our team supported the planning, design and delivery of the new facility. Our engineering, sustainability and specialist advisory services worked together to shape precision environments for clean manufacturing and hazardous materials handling while balancing safety, constructability and long term operational performance.

The new facility provides New South Wales, and Australia, with critical capability to progress RNA research from laboratory discovery through to pilot scale manufacturing, helping to retain scientific IP onshore. By enabling local development and clinical trial production of RNA based medicines and vaccines, the project strengthens the national life sciences ecosystem and enhances Australia’s ability to respond to future public health challenges.

Designing precision environments for RNA research and manufacturing

RNA research has been a powerful new category for vaccine and therapeutics medicine. But this work has been limited to only the most specialised of laboratories. The NSW Government committed funding to deliver an advanced manufacturing capability to Macquarie University Innovation Precinct to offer local researchers the opportunity to push forward in this critical scientific field.

Delivering a facility capable of supporting RNA research and manufacturing requires highly controlled environments that balance precision, flexibility and safety. Our team worked closely with delivery partners Health Infrastructure, along with HDR on architecture and Hindmarsh on construction, to define clean room requirements that support sensitive scientific processes while allowing for future adaptation as technologies evolve.

We contributed to the planning and design of clean manufacturing spaces, supporting airflow strategies and defining pressure and environmental controls appropriate for RNA processes. This included integrating clean rooms within a broader research and manufacturing facility so they could operate reliably alongside laboratories, plant spaces and supporting infrastructure.

By coordinating clean room design with building services, commissioning requirements and operational workflows, we helped create environments that support quality, compliance and long term performance without over constraining future use of the facility.

Managing complex hazards in a highly specialised research facility

RNA research and manufacturing involves handling of hazardous substances, specialist equipment and tightly regulated processes. Our team supported the identification and management of relevant risks through early stage advisory and detailed design input focused on safety, compliance and operational clarity.

We provided specialist advice on hazardous materials storage, handling and segregation, helping to integrate dangerous goods requirements into the overall facility layout. This included consideration of material flows, containment strategies and interfaces between research, manufacturing and support areas.

By embedding hazardous materials and process safety considerations into building design from the outset, we helped reduce risk during construction, commissioning and operation while supporting safe and efficient day to day use of the facility. 

The skill and experience demonstrated by the Arup team has been high throughout the engagement, demonstrated by the linear progression of design finalisation with the main works contractor.

Health Infrastructure

A group of people in a lab.

Scientists working inside the facility © Guy Wilkinson

GMP cleanroom and biosafety containment integration

The facility has been designed to meet both GMP compliant cleanroom operations as well as biosafety containment, providing protection to both the product and the environment. This is achieved through integrated pressure regimes, a specialised HVAC system and thermal treatment of wastewater to neutralise biohazardous effluent prior to discharge.

Together, these measures maintain cleanroom classification while preventing release of genetically modified organisms, resulting in safe, compliant production of RNA-based therapeutics within a controlled and environmentally secure setting. 

Embedding sustainability within a highly technical facility

Achieving strong sustainability outcomes within a highly specialised RNA facility required careful balancing of environmental performance with technical and operational demands. Our team supported an environmentally sustainable design approach that responds to the intensive energy, servicing and regulatory requirements of advanced manufacturing environments. This included accounting for future climate change adaptation, including predicted changes to rainfall and temperatures.

We worked with the project team to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, manage resource use and support long term operational performance while maintaining the strict environmental controls required for research and manufacturing activities. These sustainability considerations were integrated alongside mechanical, electrical and architectural design decisions, including 100 per cent electric operation and the reduction of embodied carbon within steel and concrete procurement.

This approach helped the facility support Health Infrastructure’s sustainability objectives, demonstrating how advanced medical manufacturing facilities can be designed to be both technically robust and environmentally responsible.

Partners & collaborators

HDR | Hindmarsh