Legacy labs, modern risks: Innovating controls and commissioning to future-proof biosafety

Many research organizations are struggling with outdated Animal Biosafety Level 3 (ABSL-3) facilities not designed for current CDC containment standards, risking both safety and compliance. Upgrading these legacy labs presents complex technical and operational hurdles, especially when documentation is incomplete and analog systems resist modern integration. The presenters share actionable strategies for retrofitting aging infrastructure through innovative controls, real-time monitoring, and integrated commissioning. They detail how early commissioning, custom logic for digital-analog bridging, and a cross-disciplinary team approach minimize disruptions and ensure long-term operability. They dissect a case study case study to equip participants with practical lessons and a replicable model for modernizing biosafety environments without costly reconstruction