The winners of the Cleanroom Technology Awards 2026 have now been revealed!
This year’s winners reflect a clear trend: solutions that not only meet stringent regulatory demands, but also push boundaries in sustainability, efficiency, and future-ready design.
Best Cleanroom Design Award
WINNER: Scitech UK – Guy’s & St Thomas’ Advanced Therapy Manufacturing Expansion
Judge: Steve Ward, Managing Director, T-SQUARED Validair
Scitech UK’s work on the Guy’s & St Thomas’ Advanced Therapy Manufacturing Expansion stood out as a highly regarded and widely praised project.
The design demonstrates exceptional foresight, particularly in its flexibility for future adaptation. It allows for potential changes in separative devices within Grade A workspaces, an increasingly important consideration in the rapidly evolving landscape of advanced therapy environments. The inclusion of integrated vapourised hydrogen peroxide (VHP) decontamination capability further enhances operational readiness and compliance.
The judge also commended the clarity of segregation within the layout, ensuring both process integrity and user confidence. While the project faced significant delivery challenges, most notably construction on the 15th floor of a live hospital, the strength of the design itself lay in its adaptability, technical coordination, and strong alignment with user needs.
Cleanroom Innovation Award
Winner: Entrematic Dynaco – DYNACO D-313 CL4
Judge: Gordon Farquharson, Chartered Consulting Engineer, Critical Systems
The DYNACO D-313 CL4 cleanroom door represents a significant step forward in cleanroom access technology.
Independently tested against ISO 14644-14 suitability standards, the product has undergone rigorous assessment for particle dissemination and pressure resistance. This level of validation is critical in applications where maintaining pressurised, classified environments is essential.
The judge recognised the importance of properly engineered rapid-rise doors in modern cleanrooms. With increasing demands on operational efficiency and contamination control, solutions like the D-313 CL4 demonstrate how innovation in seemingly simple components can have a substantial impact on overall facility performance.
Sustainability in Cleanroom Practices Award
Winner: Elis Cleanroom – Reusable Mops and Wipes (LCA Study)
Judge: Nigel Lenegan, Managing Director, Energy & Carbon Reduction Solutions
Elis Cleanroom impressed the judge with a deeply detailed and data-driven Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), setting a new benchmark for sustainability submissions.
The company's reusable mops and wipes solution challenges traditional single-use approaches, addressing one of the cleanroom sector’s most resource-intensive practices. By reducing reliance on highly purified water (including water-for-injection (WFI)), which is itself energy-intensive to produce, the solution offers meaningful environmental and operational benefits.
The judge particularly valued the depth of analysis and the clear demonstration of reduced waste, lower water consumption, and overall lifecycle impact. This entry highlights how sustainability in cleanrooms can move beyond theory into measurable, actionable change.
Best New PPE (Gloves, Garments, Goggles) Award
Winner: Alsico – Cyclop Cleanroom Suit
Judge: Ray Wheeler, founder, Guardtech Cleanrooms
Alsico’s Cyclop Cleanroom Suit delivers a compelling combination of operator protection, comfort, and sustainability.
Designed to provide full sterile coverage, the suit incorporates a continuous fresh airflow system that regulates temperature and humidity. This not only improves wearer comfort but also reduces the risk of bacterial growth—an important factor in maintaining cleanroom integrity.
Additional features, such as integrated fog-free goggles and reusability, further enhance its value. The judge noted the broader impact on workforce satisfaction, with improved comfort leading to fewer complaints, better retention, and increased productivity.
Best Disinfectant Product (Spray or Wipe) Award
Winner: STERIS – Vesta-Syde SQ
Judge: Professor Tim Sandle, Head of QA Compliance and Sterility Assurance, Kedrion BioPharma UK
STERIS secured this award thanks to the depth, clarity, and technical strength of its submission.
Vesta-Syde SQ stood out for its demonstrated efficacy across multiple regulatory frameworks, including both US and EU GMP requirements. The submission clearly articulated not only performance but also safety considerations, an essential balance in disinfectant selection.
The judge highlighted the product’s versatility and strong regulatory alignment, making it a reliable choice for global cleanroom operations.
Cleanroom Training and Education Award
Winner: Micronclean – Training Portal
Judge: Tim Triggs, Consultant, Air Techniques International (ATI)
Micronclean’s Training Portal represents a major advancement in accessible, global cleanroom education.
The platform delivers structured, multi-level training that can be accessed worldwide, enabling consistency and competency across different regions and time zones. Importantly, the content goes beyond product-specific instruction, offering broader insights into cleanroom standards and regulatory frameworks.
This focus on the “why” behind cleanroom practices was particularly praised by the judge, as it fosters deeper understanding and long-term behavioural improvements among users.
Best Cleanroom HVAC System Award
Winner: Thrive Buildings – Aircuity Adaptive Airflow for Cleanrooms
Judge: Keith Beattie, Director, EECO2
Aircuity’s adaptive airflow system introduces a forward-thinking approach to cleanroom HVAC design through demand-based ventilation.
While still an emerging concept in cleanroom environments, the technology demonstrates strong potential to transform how airflow is managed, aligning ventilation rates with real-time requirements rather than fixed assumptions.
The judge recognised this as a significant step toward reducing energy consumption and operational costs, particularly in life sciences and pharmaceutical facilities. With sustainability and efficiency becoming critical priorities, demand-based ventilation is expected to see rapid adoption in the coming years.
Best Environmental Monitoring Award
Winner: Clever Culture Systems – APAS Independence
Judge: Toni Horsfield, founder and Managing Director, ISO Cleanroom
Clever Culture Systems’ APAS Independence was one of the most impactful innovations recognised this year.
By replacing manual microbial plate reading with AI-driven analysis, the system delivers improved accuracy, consistency, and data integrity. It enables faster turnaround times, real-time data access, and more proactive contamination control—key advantages in high-stakes cleanroom environments.
The judge was particularly impressed by the strong supporting case studies, which demonstrated both reliability and efficiency. The technology not only reduces labour demands but also enhances decision-making and strengthens regulatory compliance.
Ultimately, APAS Independence represents a major advancement in environmental monitoring, with clear benefits for product quality and patient safety.
A year of meaningful progress
This year’s winners highlight a clear direction for the cleanroom industry: smarter systems, sustainable practices, and solutions designed with both people and performance in mind.
From AI-driven monitoring to reusable cleaning systems and adaptive HVAC technologies, the innovations recognised in 2026 are not just incremental improvements, they are shaping the future of cleanroom operations.
As the industry continues to evolve, these award-winning solutions set a high standard for what comes next.
Click here to find out more information and prepare for 2027's Cleanroom Technology Awards