Genzyme Ireland

Genzyme Ireland is a state of the art biopharmaceutical plant that employs a high level of automation including manufacturing execution systems. It is situated on a 34.5 acre site in Old Kilmeaden Road, Waterford. RKD was commissioned in 2007 to design a four storey office building, circa 4,500 sq.m, a single storey cafeteria and 1,600 sq.m extension to its existing QC laboratory to support the expansion of its fill/finish manufacturing plant. This expansion will increase the total workforce to over 600 personnel.

The development is complemented with a new landscaping proposal that includes a Sli-Na-Slainte (healthy walk) through the campus and extending the existing car parking facilities. The four storey offices consist of a reception/waiting area, training and meeting rooms, open plan and cellular offices, breakout spaces with adjacent a three storey atrium. The atrium ground floor acts as a “street” that connects the new offices with the three previous phases of existing offices. The street hosts a coffee bar with 16 seats. The offices and meeting rooms are fully air conditioned using chill beam technology; the street and reception have under floor heating. The cafeteria consists of a kitchen/servery and a seated area for 200 employees along with an external coffee terrace, with 40 seats. The cafeteria is naturally ventilated from the BMS (building management system) and heated by under floor heating.

The laboratory expansion consists of ground floor accommodation of QC and micro labs, write up spaces, meeting rooms andgowning areas, lockers and toilets along with consumables and waste storage locations, document stores and glass wash areas. The first floor houses plant space. The offices and cafeteria buildings have been designed and achieve Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Following assessment by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), Gold LEED status was awarded, the first time a new build in Ireland has achieved this status.

For a breakdown of the building’s environmental metrics visit the USGBC’s Green Building Information Gateway.