Research & Technology

Research and technology facilities represent a unique and often underestimated category of asbestos risk. From the 1940s through the 1980s, laboratories, data centres, and research complexes were built with extensive use of asbestos-containing materials precisely because these environments demanded exceptional fire resistance, thermal stability, and chemical inertness. Laboratory bench tops were manufactured with asbestos-cement composites. Fume cupboards were lined with asbestos board to withstand corrosive chemicals and high temperatures. Server rooms and early computer facilities used asbestos in fire-rated partitions and raised floor systems designed to protect sensitive and expensive equipment. The very properties that made asbestos attractive to architects and engineers of research facilities — durability, heat resistance, and incombustibility — now make it a persistent hazard embedded in the fabric of buildings that continue to operate at the forefront of scientific and technological advancement.

Managing asbestos in research and technology environments presents challenges that are distinct from other sectors. These facilities are characterised by continuous operation, sensitive instrumentation, and strict environmental controls. A pharmaceutical clean room cannot simply be shut down for weeks of asbestos remediation without significant financial and operational consequences. Data centres supporting critical infrastructure demand near-zero downtime. Laboratories handling biological or radioactive materials introduce compounding hazard considerations when asbestos work must be performed alongside existing containment protocols. Furthermore, the frequent reconfiguration of research spaces — installing new equipment, modifying ventilation systems, running additional cabling — means that asbestos-containing materials are at heightened risk of disturbance compared to more static building types.

The workforce in research and technology facilities often includes highly trained scientists, engineers, and technicians who may not be aware that the buildings they occupy contain asbestos. Unlike industrial settings where asbestos awareness training is more commonplace, laboratory and data centre staff may have little knowledge of the ACMs surrounding them. This gap in awareness is compounded by the fact that many research institutions, particularly universities and publicly funded laboratories, occupy buildings that are decades old and may have incomplete or outdated asbestos registers. As these facilities face increasing pressure to modernise — adopting new energy systems, upgrading computing infrastructure, or expanding laboratory capacity — the need for thorough asbestos surveys and professional management has never been more critical.