Rothamsted Research – Innovation Laboratories

Rothamsted Research, one of the world’s longest-established agricultural research organisations, expanded its Innovation Laboratories at the Lawes Open Innovation Hub on its Harpenden campus through the creation of nine new laboratory spaces as part of a £1.8 million investment in research and development infrastructure.

The project was designed to meet growing demand for high-quality R&D laboratory space from agri-tech and food-tech start-ups and innovation-led businesses seeking to co-locate with Rothamsted’s world-renowned research expertise.

The laboratories were delivered through the refurbishment of a disused goods-in warehouse that had been vacant since 2019. This transformation has given the building a new role as a flexible research and innovation environment, supporting early-stage research, technology development, and commercialisation activity.

The project also supports the objectives of the Herts IQ Enterprise Zone, helping to strengthen a regional cluster of green and innovation-focused businesses.

Designed as incubation and grow-on laboratories, the nine lab spaces range in size from approximately 20 to 31 square metres and support a wide range of research and development activities.

The laboratories form part of a wider innovation ecosystem on the Rothamsted campus, providing businesses with access to shared innovation spaces, specialist facilities, and direct collaboration with Rothamsted scientists. This co-location model supports effective knowledge exchange between research and industry and helps accelerate the scaling of new agri-tech and food-tech solutions.

SB Labs designed, manufactured, and installed the laboratory furniture and fume cupboards across all nine laboratories, in collaboration with Fusion Project Management. Our scope included mobile benches and mobile cupboards to support agile laboratory layouts, fixed Pedestal benches for core R&D activities, IPS safety stations, and Ecoline fume cupboards to provide safe containment for a range of experimental and development processes. Trespa worktops were provided throughout for their durability, chemical resistance, and suitability for intensive research use.

The completed Innovation Laboratories provide Rothamsted Research with adaptable, high-quality R&D laboratory environments that support collaboration, flexibility, and safe daily operation, enabling innovation-led businesses and researchers to develop solutions for sustainable agriculture and food security.

All photos are courtesy of T&B Contractors