Cost of BSL Space

Construction and Maintenance Estimates

Published April 2005 How much will it cost you to build and maintain your biocontainment facility?

BSL spaces typically come in small modules, but the cost per square foot is high -- $300 to $600/sf, and up to $800/sf if you have a liquid decontamination system involved. Maintenance and operating costs, including energy cost, for biocontainment facilities may be three times (or more) as much per square foot than you are used to. Get that idea committed to at the highest organization level. Most universities are falling behind on getting maintenance and operating money for their buildings in general. BSL facilities cannot tolerate deferred maintenance, but few institutions have budgeted for this operating criterion. Facilities designed for BSL-3 and BSL-4 research may not be the money makers some institutions are hoping for. Under the funded research model extra administrative costs and higher operating costs may not be recoverable.

- From Tradeline's 2005 International Conference on Biocontainment Facilities