Plumbing and Process Piping Upgrade for Gladstone Institutes - San Francisco, CA
Image Credit: Gladstone Institutes
Category: Laboratories
Square Footage: 2,237 sq ft
Services Provided: Plumbing & Process Piping
Completion Date: 2024
Owner: Gladstone Institutes
Architect: Folio Architects
Contractor: Bellanti Plumbing
Project Description
During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. medical industry was forced to acknowledge gaps in its ability to manage infectious diseases. The Gladstone Institute responded by re-tooling and dedicating laboratory space to advance research on bloodborne and airborne pathogens.
As part of this initiative, a tenant improvement project was undertaken to expand and modernize an existing BSL-3 laboratory on the fifth floor of a six-story research facility. The project required designing revisions to multiple building systems, including Plumbing and Process Piping, to support the lab’s enhanced research capabilities.
Pragmatic PE was subcontracted to design and implement critical plumbing and piped utility systems, ensuring alignment with applicable building codes and project requirements. The scope included integrating new and expanded systems into the existing research infrastructure.
Pragmatic PE was responsible for engineering and integrating essential plumbing and process piping systems to support laboratory research operations. Key systems included:
Domestic hot and cold water
Tepid/tempered water for emergency safety fixtures
Industrial/lab hot and cold water
Lab and sanitary waste and venting
De-ionized (DI) water distribution
Medical gas systems, including Nitrogen, CO₂, and Compressed Air
Medical vacuum system
Cryogenic nitrogen (LN₂) distribution
The project required extensive coordination with HVAC, electrical, and fire protection systems to ensure proper system integration and functionality within the lab environment.
All plumbing and piped utility work adhered to California building codes and regulatory requirements applicable to laboratory infrastructure.