Cleanroom construction in Malaysia

The order things happen in

Classification decision, then layout and airflow, then scope and pricing, then supply, then installation, then independent testing and handover. Projects that start with a floor plan instead of a classification decision get redesigned halfway through. See our project sequence.

Where projects lose time

• Authority submissions started too late
• Long-lead air handling units and filters ordered after site work has already begun
• Shutdown windows agreed with production after the programme is already fixed
• Classification testing booked at the end, when the testing party has no availability

Where projects lose money

• Specifying one class tighter than the product needs, which raises air change rates and runs up energy cost for the life of the room. What drives cost.
• Undersizing the air handling unit for tropical humidity, then paying to replace it
• Filters and valves placed where they cannot be reached without stopping production
• A scope document vague enough that every variation becomes a negotiation

Start with the class, not the drawing

The classification decides the air change rate, the air change rate decides the plant size, and the plant size decides a large part of the cost. Every other decision follows from it, which is why it is the one decision worth slowing down for. Learn about classification.

The tropical variable

Most cleanroom reference designs come from temperate climates and assume a dehumidification load that Malaysia does not have the luxury of. Sizing the air handling unit on a European worked example is one of the more expensive shortcuts available here. HVAC and filtration.