The initial scheme for the University of York's Biosciences Research Facility was for a concrete framed building; the typical solution where resistance to the vibrations caused by people movement in order to protect sensitive equipment and costly research. However, a steel framed solution was ultimately adopted after a feasibility study showed that, after modification, it could not only deliver similar performance characteristics to a concrete frame but also result in a £200,000 saving.

Before taking this alternative approach, Buro Happold carried out a vibration evaluation of the proposed steel frame to benchmark its dynamic performance against concrete. Then more detailed analysis of the steel frame was conducted to estimate the quantitative performance against the laboratory usage classes of ISO 2631. Testing of the actual, laboratory floor in its bare state was also carried out and compared against analytical models. The results proved that the structure behaved as predicted, achieving the same performance levels as a concrete frame and also enabled Buro Happold to garner valuable information on the response of buildings to vibrations for use in future projects.