If you’ve walked past 1 Portal Way recently, you may have noticed something unusual on the roof: the 6 newly installed vented fume extract risers. It may not look glamorous, but in the world of chemistry‑led innovation, it is a major milestone for this site and something somewhat rare in London science space.

It turns out that many of the so‑called lab‑enabled buildings being delivered across the city do not actually include any vented extract.

While recirculating systems such as microbiological safety cabinets can, in some cases-and particularly in life sciences-reduce or even eliminate the need for vented extract, this approach often does not meet the requirements of organisations working across the broader spectrum of science, including chemistry, materials, batteries, and related disciplines, where true ducted extract is essential for safety, process integrity and regulatory compliance.

Designed for Chemistry from Day One

At 1 Portal Way, being a purpose-built space, we have intentionally taken a very different approach.

From day one, we designed the building to support a broader range of science innovation, including chemistry. That means every lab has the capability to install at least one fully vented fume cupboard, or a range of equipment requiring ducted extract, from specialist enclosures to hydrogen storage solutions and other process specific setups that chemistry companies depend on.

Occasionally there are workarounds to avoid installing vented extract, but anyone working seriously in chemistry knows they are rarely the right long-term answer. So instead of designing for minimum compliance, we have designed for the reality of how scaling chemistry companies operate.

How many vented extracts is "enough"?

Now, is one vented fume cupboard per lab enough? If you ask around, chemistry founders will almost always say they want more.

However, we also find that there is often a practical and commercial reality for fast growing teams about the difference between what they would want in an ideal world and what they actually need and can afford on day one, which is often a lower requirement.

At 1 Portal Way our facility enables you to rapidly develop your science in a ready-to-occupy space with one extract (at least), and then -only when the moment is right and you have proved your concept- you can either take more space with more extract or move into more bespoke space with all the vented extract you could want.

For many, that staged path can be a far more sensible solution.

We are building 1 Portal Way to support the companies who genuinely need ventilated infrastructure and who rarely find it available in London. With the extract stacks now standing proudly on the roof, the building is one step closer to delivering on that promise.

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