Francis Crick Institute, London

The project was opened as one of the largest medical research institutes of its kind in the world.

This project was a major new build biological research facility. A wide range of testing and operating facilities were provided, with a range of hygiene coating systems applied to meet stringent requirements, including some areas at the highest Micro-biological Containment Level, CL4. To meet the Containment Level specifications, many areas required the surface finish to be airtight, demanding the highest levels of materials and workmanship quality to ensure that surface finishes had no air-bubbles, holidays, cracks or other blemishes that may compromise the HSE requirements.

Cousins carried out all the painting and decorating for the project over a period of two years.

Systems applied included:

  • Emulsion paint to general areas
  • Hard wearing eggshell paint finishes and Sika Steridex & Sterisheen elastomeric hygiene coatings with Flexitape local reinforcement to low demand laboratories.
  • Fully Reemat reinforced elastomeric Sika Steridex & Sterisheen hygiene coatings, and two pack CS Wallglaze materials to high demand laboratory areas.
  • Fully Reinforced two pack CS Armourglaze to biological waste disposal areas to meet CL4 requirements.
  • A total of 50,000 sqm was coated.