How Much BSL-3 Space Do You Need?

Isolators and cubicles can provide cost-effective containment.

Published April 2008

One very appropriate value engineering question to ask is whether or not all the BSL-3 space being asked for is necessary. A 10% reduction in BSL-3 space can free up a lot of dollars for other project features. By reducing the amount of biocontained vivarium space dedicated to any one researcher from a whole room down to one or two of several cubicles inside a room, you can make use of space that might otherwise be unused and thus increase your holding capacity. Flexible film isolators appear to provide a low-cost room-within-a-room BSL-3 containment option. For small, inexpensive point-solutions for rodent housing and containment, consider isolation cubicles with ventilated cages. Additionally, there are some new, improved non-human primate transfer boxes now available for ABSL applications, so don’t buy without looking for the latest options.

- From Tradeline's International Conference on Biocontainment Facilities 2008