State of Arkansas Awards Contract to Scientific Buildings Company to construct new Biosafety Level 3 laboratory facility for Arkansas Department of Health

The State of Arkansas announced at a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 9, 2002, that Scientific Buildings, Inc., has begun construction of a new 1,680-square-foot Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory facility. The contract was awarded to Scientific Buildings late last summer. Following installation of this lab by the end of 2002, Arkansas will become one of 15 states with the ability to respond definitively during a bioterrorist or other biological or chemical emergency.

State of Arkansas Awards Contract to Scientific Buildings

Company to construct new Biosafety Level 3
laboratory facility for Arkansas Department of Health

Dayton, OH - The State of Arkansas announced at a groundbreaking ceremony on
Oct. 9, 2002, that Scientific Buildings, Inc., has begun construction of a new 1,680-square-foot Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory facility. The contract was awarded to Scientific Buildings late last summer.

Following installation of this lab by the end of 2002, Arkansas will become one of 15 states with the ability to respond definitively during a bioterrorist or other biological or chemical emergency.

A Biosafety Level 3 laboratory meets the safety and precautionary standards necessary to conduct research and analysis with indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal health hazards.

Scientific Buildings will construct the prefabricated, "two-section" unit off-site, and will install it at the Arkansas Department of Health's headquarters in Little Rock.

"We're pleased that the State of Arkansas decided to select us for designing, constructing and installing this new BSL-3 certified laboratory," Valerie Jobe, Scientific Buildings president, said. "This new facility is state-of-the-art, and incorporates the successful experience and know-how we have gained over the years in designing, constructing and installing a variety of permanent, semi-permanent and temporary prefabricated laboratories for biological and chemical research applications, including mail decontamination," she added.

Internally, this new laboratory will have four biosafety cabinets, a security system, 90 linear feet of casework, emergency and regular showers, a pass-through autoclave, and inverse air flow locks. All openings in the laboratory are sealed, including openings for wiring, doors and windows.

"The laboratory we are manufacturing for the State of Arkansas also incorporates a unique vaporized hydrogen peroxide decontamination system," Valerie Jobe stated. "In case of a contamination emergency, it can be used immediately to decontaminate the laboratory, or on a scheduled basis to prevent the buildup of common bacteria from contaminating the facility."

State of Arkansas officials said this new facility also will be used for the isolation and analysis of bioterrorism agents, enteric bacteria such as E. coli 0157:H7, and special microbiological procedures such as the verification and speciation of referral cultures.

- 30-

About Scientific Buildings, Inc.

Scientific Buildings provides high quality, cost-effective prefabricated BSL-3 certified laboratories for biological research applications. Since 1995, Scientific Buildings has been recognized for its strong engineering expertise and innovative solutions in providing laboratory solutions for the chemical, petroleum and medical industries.

The company offers full design services, manufacturing turnkey installations, rapid responses to crisis situations, and faster turnaround times than with conventional construction methods for all its laboratory designs - permanent, semi-permanent, mobile and specialized facilities for mail decontamination and investigative research.

Scientific Buildings is headquartered at 733 Congress Park Drive, Dayton, OH 45459. Phone: 937.434.9600; fax: 937.435.9197; email: info@scientificbuildings.com. Web site: www.scientificbuildings.com.

For more information contact:
Joseph Jobe, Technical Sales
Email: info@scientificbuildings.com