Keeping the Science Running: What it takes to deliver lab projects when the science can’t stop
October 2026
Reflections from the ISPE Boston Product Show
This year’s ISPE Boston Product Show brought together the region’s life science community to connect, discover, and move the industry forward. Northstar was at Booth W78, speaking with professionals across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, manufacturing, engineering, quality, validation, operations, and leadership throughout the day.
Most of the conversations focused on the same question: how do you build or renovate lab space when the science inside can’t stop? In a market as active and complex as Massachusetts, this challenge comes up on almost every project. It has real consequences for active research, and it shaped most of our conversations at the booth this year. Those conversations fell into two areas: renovating occupied labs and delivering new R&D space.
Success in Occupied Lab Construction
Building around scientists who are actively doing their jobs is a different kind of construction altogether. Work must move forward without ever putting an experiment, sensitive equipment, or a person at risk.
Planning starts long before the first wall comes down. Successful teams engage lab occupants early, understand how each space functions day to day, and build the logistics plan around that reality.
Once work begins, co-locating the team on site makes a real difference. When architects, engineers, contractors, and owner’s representatives sit close to the people running the lab, they can proactively address the challenges of building within an occupied lab, catching problems early before they become expensive or disruptive to ongoing research, rather than discovering them after the fact.
Clear communication is just as important. Successful projects designate clear points of contact and get specific: which equipment cannot tolerate vibration, which rooms handle sensitive materials, and which access points are restricted. Naming these constraints early, and making sure the whole team has them in hand, prevents the kind of surprise that can shut a lab down unnecessarily.
Sharing space with an active lab also means planning for containment. Exits must stay clear, PPE staging areas must be set up, and a clear plan must be in place for moving between active lab spaces. On some projects, that means putting up physical barriers to protect sensitive equipment or work. The goal is always the same: a safe environment for the scientists and project teams.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems often extend beyond the construction site, so understanding the potential impacts of shutdowns or utility service fluctuations is essential. Think ahead: plumbing work below the slab may affect labs on lower floors, and construction impacts can ripple to adjoining areas, so plan for temporary utilities if needed and build in pre- and post-balancing of mechanical systems. Pairing that with a rigorous lockout-tagout process, vetted with contractors, subcontractors, and facilities teams, prevents accidental shutdowns in active labs. This is also where coordination extends beyond the core project team. Facilities, engineering, EH&S, and IT stakeholders are critical to planning and executing the work, as well as maintaining ongoing operations.
Successful teams stay flexible. Working in occupied labs introduces challenges that cannot always be predicted. Solving issues in real time, without compromising safety, operations, or schedule, often separates a smooth project from a difficult one.
Success in R&D Projects
Ground-up buildouts and office-to-lab conversions have their own challenges. Many interdependent moving parts must come together at the right time.
Smooth projects start with equipment. Long-lead lab equipment can take months to arrive, so get ahead of it with a clear procurement schedule tied to required-on-job (ROJ) dates, the date equipment needs to be on site and ready for installation, to avoid the common scenario where a space is finished but can’t be used.
Equipment vendors should come in early, too. Engaging them during design and again before any walls are closed in lets them verify connections, layouts, and requirements before everything is final.
The same applies to permits and operational approvals. Figuring out what’s needed early and coordinating with safety and operations teams keeps move-in from becoming a bottleneck at the finish line.
Tools like Room Data Sheets help align stakeholders early and avoid late-stage redesigns. Ongoing engagement from IT, facilities, safety teams, and the scientists themselves keeps everyone aligned and reduces last-minute changes.
The best projects also plan for the future. Labs designed to adapt over time, shift between lab and office use, or accommodate new equipment avoid costly retrofits down the road.
All of this only works if you meet regularly to track it. Operational readiness meetings, starting monthly during construction and then weekly as the project nears completion, bring together facilities, lab operations, and safety teams to track outstanding items. This is often the difference between a space that’s ready to go on day one and one still working through a punch list weeks after move-in.
On one project, this kind of planning made a phased move-in work. When headcount projections outpaced the originally planned space, the team rolled out a 10-phase move management approach, letting employees move into finished space as each phase wrapped rather than waiting for the entire project to be done.
Building Relationships, Finding Solutions
The show provided an opportunity to reconnect with consultants and vendors, strengthen existing relationships, and build new ones. These connections help Northstar stay informed on industry priorities and emerging solutions, while giving project teams trusted contacts to turn to when challenges arise, such as working in an occupied lab. We shared stories with colleagues, discussing successes, challenges, and lessons learned, which made us all better and stronger at what we do. It also helped maintain Northstar’s visibility in the life sciences community and reinforced the value of an owner’s project manager in identifying risks, coordinating stakeholders, and finding solutions that keep projects moving.
A Common Thread Across Both
Across both occupied renovations and ground-up tenant improvements, it comes down to sharing information, coordination, and managing risks. The most successful projects aren’t the ones without challenges; they’re the ones where challenges get identified early, communicated clearly, and managed deliberately.
Thanks for Stopping By
If you stopped by Booth W78 this year, thanks for the great conversations. We love working with people who face these kinds of challenges every day. If you missed us, we’d still like to connect. This is the kind of work we do all the time in the life sciences market as owner’s project managers. We’re always happy to share what we’ve learned and experienced, and would love to compare project successes and challenges so we can all learn together.
About the Author
Katherine Kenney is a Senior Project Manager with over ten years of experience in owner’s project management, delivering projects from early planning through closeout. She has successfully managed a wide range of developments and tenant improvements, with a focus on life sciences and healthcare environments. Katherine brings deep expertise in research and development settings, leading complex, mission-critical projects that require technical precision and coordination.
