Fostering innovation in Life Sciences—does BTR complete the equation?
Placing life sciences talent under the microscope reveals a striking evolution in preferences: today’s scientists and researchers demand more than just laboratory space – they seek convenience, connection and cultural vibrancy.
Where will they find it? In places integrated with urban life and hassle-free living arrangements. To minimise dual admin of workplace and home rentals, researchers –especially in incubator and accelerator programs – favour ‘plug and play’ options that meet both needs. Innovation demands integration.
The shift is clear: innovation hubs must evolve from disconnected compounds into inclusive, bonded ecosystems – out of town is out of fashion.
The Life Sciences and Build to Rent (BTR) sectors face similar challenges: demand is outpacing supply, and complex and overburdened planning systems are delaying the supply of urgently required space.
Both sectors are shaped by tenants who prioritise flexibility, high-quality infrastructure, and seamless urban integration. In life sciences, biotech incubators and accelerator programs often operate on uncertain futures, requiring adaptable lease structures that mirror the shifting needs of research talent – many of whom also seek flexible living arrangements that accommodate evolving careers. Meanwhile, BTR residents value premium amenities and concierge-level services, but these demands place pressure on operational stability. Both sectors also share fundamental infrastructure needs, including robust utilities, high-speed data connectivity, and, perhaps most crucially, a strong urban presence that fosters collaboration and cross-pollination.
BTR’s adaptability aligns with the needs of life sciences talent, from post-doctoral researchers seeking short-term housing to established scientists requiring family accommodation. As isolated business parks fall out of favour, success depends on creating vibrant, accessible environments with strong transport links and community engagement. By integrating BTR within life sciences clusters, developers can cultivate live-work communities that minimise commuting friction, enhance collaboration, and provide the urban vitality that scientific talent demands – ultimately fostering the kind of dynamic, 24/7 environment where innovation thrives.
Recognising the Life Sciences-BTR symbiosis is one thing; designing spaces that balance tenant and developer benefits is another. Co-location harnesses flexibility and guarantees hassle-free, great places to live and work anytime. Here are some possibilities:
By developing BTR within a Life Science cluster, developers have the opportunity to offer packaged ‘plug ’n’ play’ work and living leases that provide incubator and accelerator tenants maximum flexibility and peace of mind—an essential consideration given that in the UK nearly 86% of all dedicated life science space currently under construction (approximately 360,000 square metres) is being developed on a speculative basis, highlighting the importance of optimising flexibility for an ‘unknown’ tenant. This approach turbocharges the offer for researchers and generates strong market differentiation and USP for developers.
Co-locations of this kind create further opportunities whereby district heating networks can be leveraged, using the waste heat recovered from energy intensive laboratory cells to provide domestic water and space heating for the residential building.
On our Bunns Lane BTR project in the UK, we’re implementing our first project with Exhaust Air Heat Pumps (EAHPs) in all apartments – systems that use both heat exchangers and heat pumps to recover heat from exhaust air. Scaling this technology up to utilise lab waste heat is a clear next step, creating an environmentally and economically efficient ecosystem that benefits both landlord and tenant with reduced utility bills.
By creating integrated BTR & Life Science clusters, developers can leverage supply chain economies of scale & construction efficiencies through modular and off-site construction. Both Laboratories & BTR developments can benefit from modular design, be that modular laboratory workstations with integral fume cupboards or on a domestic scale modular bathroom pods. Developers can therefore leverage their purchasing power, when purchasing modular pods for each use and generate programme efficiencies with off-site construction.
Similarly, these clusters can benefit from pooled servicing, through shared resource ‘supply banks’ Incubator and Accelerator researchers often draw on benefits of the LS community to share resources, whether that is borrowing a tank of oxygen or a petri-dish or two in a time of need. Centralised ‘supply banks’, which can provide day-to-day essentials for both research and living needs, could reduce the volume of consumption & waste of individual organisations and help to remove the supply chain hassle that many incubator start-ups experience.
Tenancy agreements in the life sciences sector tend to be significantly longer than typical commercial office leases, often ranging from 7 to 15 years, reflecting the substantial investment in specialized lab fit-outs and infrastructure . Given this extended commitment, it is essential for life science precincts and campus developers to offer a diverse and adaptable range of accommodation models and spaces . By combining BTR and Life Sciences sectors, we can create opportunities to mix multiple different tenures: accelerator, co-working, major tenants, HQs, research, co-living, short-term accommodation, family accommodations and more within a single development. This diversity fosters serendipitous innovation through unexpected collaborations and provides resilience in the commercial underpinning of the combined cluster. The exponential increase in innovation potential comes from the cross-pollination of ideas between researchers, entrepreneurs, established scientists, and their families – all living and working in proximity within an integrated ecosystem.
Ultimately, the success of these co-located developments depends on creating genuine communities that serve both work and life. Beyond basic amenities, thriving clusters need carefully curated spaces that foster connection – from community hubs and local pubs where ideas can be exchanged informally, to wellness facilities and walking paths that promote health and work-life balance. Strategic additions like on-site grocery stores, daycare facilities, and places of worship help ground an inherently mobile workforce, creating a sense of place for scientists whose research often spans multiple cities.
The Londoner, London, UK and UNSW Biological Sciences, Sydney, Australia
The integration of BTR with Life Sciences transcends conventional solutions to housing and workplace challenges. What emerges instead is a framework for sustainable innovation – ecosystems calibrated to thrive amid our world’s accelerating pace of change.
As these sectors evolve in parallel, their intersection points multiply. Sustainable building technologies and community-building strategies represent just the visible horizon of this convergence. The future of urban research hubs stands at a crossroads, with implications extending far beyond these two sectors alone.
The most compelling innovation stories unfold when traditional boundaries dissolve. The BTR-Life Sciences nexus represents not merely a market opportunity but a fundamental rethinking of how knowledge economies function at human scale. Those who recognise this shift early will help write the next chapter of urban innovation.
The question remains open: what forms will these integrated ecosystems ultimately take, and who will lead their development? By embracing tenure diversity – from accelerator spaces to family homes – these developments create resilient communities that support innovation at every career stage. The next generation of Life Science eco-systems will be spaces that don’t just accommodate research – they catalyse it through the power of proximity and community. As we continue to examine this relationship under the microscope, one thing becomes increasingly clear: in the equation of life sciences innovation, BTR may well be the crucial variable that brings everything into focus.
Simon Saint, Principal.
Starting his architectural career with Woods Bagot in 2004, Simon has worked across a wide range of sectors and disciplines including workplace, hotels, serviced apartments and retail, on both architectural and interior projects.
During his architectural career in the UK, Simon has focused on residential projects, working to develop Woods Bagot’s approach to residential design alongside global sector leaders. This approach has led to the design of some of Europe’s most successful residential schemes. As part of the ongoing understanding of the residential market, Simon has undertaken research into the burgeoning Build-to-Rent sector, becoming a thought leader in design for this growing sector.
Kayla Csazar, Senior Associate.
Kayla is a Senior Associate with over a decade of experience shaping complex architectural projects across Canada and the UK. Her work spans science, health, commercial, cultural and mixed-use sectors, with a particular focus on the design of research and innovation environments.
Passionate about creating spaces that enable discovery, she brings a deep understanding of how laboratory design, workplace culture, and urban context intersect to foster collaboration and accelerate breakthroughs. Combining technical rigour with strategic insight, Kayla is a thought leader in designing life sciences environments that strengthen connection between people, place, and innovation.
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