Creating Northern Ireland's First Stem Cell Biobank
Some projects are about buildings. Others are about people.
For LifeCellsNI, the vision was always much bigger than bricks, mortar and laboratory equipment. It was about creating a facility that could transform healthcare opportunities across Northern Ireland while giving families, researchers and clinicians access to services that previously did not exist locally.
To bring that vision to life, they needed a specialist environment capable of supporting some of the most sensitive biological materials imaginable.
A Vision for the Future
LifeCellsNI was established with an ambitious goal: to create Northern Ireland's first dedicated stem cell biobank and advanced cryogenic storage facility.
Stem cells hold enormous potential in modern medicine. From regenerative therapies and clinical research programmes to long-term biological preservation, they represent opportunities that could shape the future of healthcare for generations to come.
For the LifeCellsNI team, the challenge was not simply creating storage capacity. It was developing a highly controlled environment where valuable biological samples could be processed, protected and preserved under strict regulatory and environmental conditions.
The facility needed to inspire confidence from day one.
Every surface, every process and every environmental control system would play a role in safeguarding materials that may one day contribute to life-changing treatments and scientific breakthroughs.
Building a Space with Purpose
When Total Clean Air became involved in the project, the objective was clear.
Create a cleanroom environment that would support the operational requirements of a modern biobank while providing the flexibility to grow alongside the organisation's future ambitions.
The result is a bright, modern and highly controlled GMP Grade D / ISO Class 8 cleanroom facility designed around precision, compliance and performance.
Covering a total controlled area of 81.01 m² and a managed volume of 187.98 m³, the cleanroom suite was carefully configured to support regulated life science activities through a series of interconnected spaces:
- Main Cleanroom
- Solution Room
- Material Airlock (MAL)
- Storage Area
- Change Area
Together, these spaces create clearly defined personnel and material flows that support contamination control, operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
From the moment visitors enter the laboratory environment, the attention to detail is immediately apparent. Clean lines, controlled access points, specialist equipment and carefully managed workflows combine to create a space where quality and consistency are built into every aspect of the operation.
Behind the scenes, sophisticated environmental controls help maintain the conditions required for sensitive laboratory activities and biological storage. Air quality, cleanliness standards and operational workflows all work together to create an environment where critical processes can be carried out with confidence.
For LifeCellsNI, this wasn't simply about meeting standards.
It was about creating a facility capable of supporting world-class science in Northern Ireland.
Engineering the Environment
Creating a compliant cleanroom is about more than walls and finishes. It requires a carefully engineered environmental strategy capable of maintaining stable operating conditions while supporting daily laboratory operations.
The LifeCellsNI facility was designed around a target operating temperature of 21°C, with dedicated dehumidification provided through a dedicated, TCA designed HVAC system featuring an 80 mm wet-air discharge arrangement.
Rather than relying on a standalone air handling system, the HVAC strategy utilises treated make-up air drawn from the adjacent laboratory environment, providing an efficient and practical solution tailored to the facility's operational requirements.
Detailed load assessments confirmed a cooling requirement of approximately 12.5 kW, ensuring sufficient capacity to support both personnel comfort and process stability within the controlled environment.
The resulting system delivers a balance of performance, simplicity and operational reliability that aligns with the needs of a modern stem cell processing and storage facility.
Environmental Monitoring and Compliance
A critical element of the project was ensuring that environmental conditions could be continuously monitored, recorded and reviewed.
To achieve this, Total Clean Air integrated the Safyr LYRA Environmental Monitoring System (EMS) throughout the facility.
The system provides monitoring of key environmental parameters including:
- Room pressure differentials
- Airborne particle levels
- Environmental condition trending
- Audit-ready data collection
The monitoring strategy was developed with consideration for GMP expectations while also supporting the traceability requirements often associated with regulated life science and medical-device environments.
The project considered key principles associated with:
- GMP Grade D operation
- ISO 14644 cleanroom standards
This ensures that the facility is well positioned to support both current operational requirements and future regulatory developments.
More Than a Cleanroom
One of the defining characteristics of the project was the close collaboration between the LifeCellsNI team and Total Clean Air.
Every specialist facility presents unique challenges, and this project was no exception.
The requirements of a stem cell biobank are fundamentally different from those of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, industrial cleanroom or conventional research laboratory. The infrastructure needed to support highly specialised biological activities while remaining practical for the people who would use it every day.
Throughout the project, the focus remained on creating a space that worked not only technically, but operationally.
The finished facility reflects that approach.
Researchers and laboratory staff have access to an environment designed around efficiency and control. Critical equipment is integrated seamlessly into the cleanroom layout. Personnel and material flows have been carefully considered. Environmental controls operate quietly in the background, supporting day-to-day activities without creating unnecessary complexity.
Most importantly, the facility provides confidence.
Confidence that the environment has been engineered specifically for the task at hand.
Intelligent Controls for Reliable Operation
To support operational reliability, the cleanroom suite was equipped with a control philosophy based on Trend building management controls.
The system incorporates environmental interlocks, emergency stop functionality and simplified control logic specifically tailored to the needs of a Grade D / ISO Class 8 facility.
During design development, fire alarm integration and interlock strategies were reviewed to ensure that safety requirements were maintained without introducing unnecessary operational lockouts or interruptions.
The result is a robust, user-friendly control system that supports both compliance and practical laboratory operation.
Supporting Innovation Closer to Home
For many years, organisations and families in Northern Ireland have often relied on facilities outside the region for specialist stem cell storage services.
LifeCellsNI is helping to change that.
By establishing advanced biobanking capabilities locally, the organisation is creating new opportunities for healthcare providers, researchers and future generations of patients.
The facility provides infrastructure that supports innovation, encourages collaboration and strengthens Northern Ireland's growing life sciences sector.
It also demonstrates what can be achieved when specialist expertise and ambitious thinking come together.
Creating Incredible Spaces for Incredible People
At Total Clean Air, every project begins with the same understanding: no two clients are the same.
Some facilities manufacture medicines. Some develop new technologies.
Others, like LifeCellsNI, are safeguarding biological materials that may contribute to future medical discoveries and treatments.
That responsibility demands more than technical expertise. It requires a deep understanding of the people behind the project and the purpose behind the space.
Working alongside LifeCellsNI, Total Clean Air delivered a cleanroom environment designed to support an extraordinary vision, one that has the potential to influence healthcare, research and innovation across Northern Ireland for years to come.
Because the most important spaces are not defined by what happens inside them today.
They are defined by the possibilities they create for tomorrow.
Project Summary
Client: LifeCellsNI
Sector: Life Sciences & Biobanking
Project: GMP Grade D / ISO Class 8 Stem Cell Processing and Storage Facility
Classification: GMP Grade D / ISO Class 8
Environmental Monitoring: Safyr LYRA EMS
Controls Platform: Trend Building Management System
Cooling Capacity: 12.5 kW
Delivered By: Total Clean Air
Outcome: A purpose-built controlled environment supporting Northern Ireland's first dedicated stem cell biobank, providing the infrastructure required for advanced biological storage, laboratory operations and future healthcare innovation while supporting the compliance expectations of regulated life science environments.
