Pearl East Campus Labs

The Pearl East Labs in Boulder, Colorado, represented a significant transformation of existing commercial office space into state-of-the-art life science laboratories. This initiative spanned multiple buildings within the Pearl East campus and focused on converting approximately 25,000 square feet of office suites into high-performance laboratory environments suitable for research and development. The project encompassed the renovation of three distinct suites, each tailored to support the unique needs of life sciences tenants.

To successfully achieve this transformation, substantial upgrades were made to the mechanical and electrical infrastructure throughout the buildings. Major equipment such as air handling units, exhaust systems, and power distribution networks required replacement or significant modification to meet the specialized requirements of laboratory use. Given the long lead times for obtaining this equipment – especially during a period of supply chain unpredictability – early-stage design coordination and proactive procurement strategies were critical to reducing schedule risk and ensuring timely project delivery.

An added challenge was that the construction was carried out in a fully occupied building. This required careful logistical planning and continuous communication with existing tenants to minimize disruption to their daily operations. The team implemented a phased approach to construction, which included off-hours work and temporary isolation zones to maintain safety and comfort for all building occupants.

As part of the scope, new rooftop mechanical units were installed to support increased heating, cooling, and ventilation demands. This required reinforcing the building’s structural steel to handle the added equipment weight. The project also included the integration of vital laboratory systems such as compressed air, nitrogen, vacuum, and reverse osmosis/deionized (RO/DI) water systems. Each lab suite was equipped with overhead fume hoods to support a wide range of testing and research activities.

The Pearl East project successfully combined complex technical requirements with tenant-focused construction management to deliver flexible, high-performance lab spaces in Boulder’s growing life sciences market.