What Special Pathogens Laboratory does

Special Pathogens Laboratory provides specialized laboratory testing and consulting services focused on Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in the built environment. Its core product set centers on Legionella detection and response (Legionella Testing and Analysis, 24/7 Legionella Outbreak Response Services), broader waterborne pathogen detection (Acinetobacter, Burkholderia cepacia, NTM, coliforms, E. coli, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia), and water management planning aligned to ASHRAE 188 standards (including Environmental Risk Assessments, Water Infection Control Risk Assessments, plan audits, and on-site sampling). The company also delivers the ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification Training, a live, virtual curriculum targeted at personnel responsible for developing and managing water safety plans.

The business operates as a professional-services laboratory with a quote-based pricing model and direct sales motion (phone and Request-a-Quote channels). Service delivery for the certification training is conducted through a strategic partnership with Special Pathogens Technology (specialpathogenstechnology.com) and Pace Analytical, with Pace Analytical providing the underlying laboratory infrastructure, certifications (ISO, AIHA, A2LA, NVLAP, NELAP, CDC-Elite), and broad geographic reach as the largest American-owned laboratory network. Primary end customers include healthcare facilities (hospitals and healthcare systems with infection control obligations), hospitality, data centers, and other operators of complex building water systems. Secondary segments include engineering and construction firms, government organizations, and insurance companies requiring environmental due diligence.

The company's revenue mechanics are not disclosed in the available data; pricing is quote-driven across most services and no headcount, financial, or ownership information is available for Special Pathogens Laboratory as a standalone entity. Based on the source material, the company's positioning is that of a domain-specialized testing and training provider operating in partnership with a larger laboratory platform rather than as a large, independent laboratory network.

Name

Special Pathogens Laboratory

Website

https://specialpathogenslab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Pathogens Laboratory provides Legionella and waterborne pathogen testing, consulting, and ASSE 12080 certification training for healthcare facilities, hospitality, data centers, and built-environment operators requiring water safety and ASHRAE 188 compliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Laboratory Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sampling, Testing & Laboratory Analysis (Legionella/Microbiology) (BPABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbiology & Pathogen Monitoring (Legionella, Coliform, HABs) (EUAHACAI), Legionella Risk Assessment & Compliance Audits (BPABAJAA), Water Safety Plans, Training & Documentation (Logbooks, SOPs) (BPABAJAL), Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services (in-house/contract labs; microbiology, metals, organics) (EUANAJAB)

Keywords

• Legionella testing services
• Waterborne pathogen analysis
• Water management consulting
• Built environment microbiology
• ASSE 12080 certification training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Analytical Testing Services: Laboratory testing services for environmental contaminants, waterborne pathogens, asbestos, mold, Legionella, PFAS, and other industrial hygiene goals across water, soil, air, surfaces, and building materials

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Special Pathogens Laboratory delivers specialized laboratory testing, consulting, and certification training focused on Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in the built environment. Offerings include ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification Training, 24/7 Legionella outbreak response, Legionella testing and analysis, ASHRAE 188-aligned water management planning, and waterborne pathogen testing for healthcare, hospitality, data center, and other regulated facility customers.

Product overview

Special Pathogens Laboratory provides specialized testing and consulting services focused on Legionella and waterborne pathogens in the built environment. The company's core offerings center on ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification Training, delivered in partnership with Pace Analytical, along with 24/7 Legionella Outbreak Response Services, Legionella Testing and Analysis, Water Management Planning (including ASHRAE 188-compliant plans, Environmental Risk Assessments, and WICRA), and Waterborne Pathogens Testing services. These products work together to help healthcare facilities, hospitality, data centers, and other industries ensure safe water systems and regulatory compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification Training

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of time people spend indoors, making indoor environmental quality critical for human health

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Special Pathogens Technology (specialpathogenstechnology.com)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPace Analytical partners with Special Pathogens Technology to offer live, virtual training for the ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification Training. This certification is vital for individuals tasked with developing, implementing, and managing risk assessments and water management plans targeting Legionella and other waterborne pathogens. The training is delivered through Special Pathogens Technology's platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NSF International: Testing and certification organization with water quality and microbiology services. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering Legionella and drinking-water testing under accredited programs aimed at public health and commercial customers.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) provider with environmental and water testing capabilities. Comparable because it offers Legionella and waterborne pathogen testing as part of a broader environmental compliance portfolio targeting similar industrial and facility customers.
• SGS: Worldwide testing, inspection, and certification company with environmental and water microbiology services. Comparable as a broad incumbent in environmental analytical testing competing for the same regulated water-quality and Legionella testing work.
• Pace Analytical: The parent/host laboratory network whose Building Sciences division distributes Special Pathogens Laboratory's services. Directly comparable in environmental testing breadth (water, air, soil, surfaces) and shares the same CDC-Elite, NELAP, NVLAP, AIHA, A2LA accreditation stack.
• Eurofins Environment Testing: Global environmental testing giant with extensive water, Legionella, and microbiology capabilities across the US. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping Legionella and waterborne pathogen testing alongside much larger environmental and food testing portfolios.
• IDEXX Water Microbiology: Division of IDEXX providing water microbiology testing products and lab services for coliforms, E. coli, and Legionella. Comparable because it operates in waterborne pathogen testing with overlapping accreditation and method offerings.

Direct peers

• EMSL Analytical: Independent environmental testing lab offering Legionella, mold, asbestos, and indoor air quality testing with AIHA and NVLAP accreditations. Comparable because it competes head-to-head on Legionella/waterborne pathogen testing for the same industrial hygiene and building science customers.
• AquaPhoenix Scientific: Water testing laboratory and supplies distributor offering Legionella, coliform, and waterborne pathogen test kits and lab services. Comparable because it sells directly to facility operators and environmental consultants for routine Legionella and water-quality testing.
• Phigenics: Specialist in building water safety, Legionella risk management, and Water Management Plan development for healthcare and commercial facilities. Comparable because it sells Legionella-specific testing, WMP consulting, and outbreak response into the same healthcare/built-environment customer base.

Others

• Special Pathogens Technology: Training and certification provider that co-delivers the ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist course with Special Pathogens Laboratory. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a competitor — relevant because it is the lab's channel into the certified water-safety specialist community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/specialpathlab

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Special Pathogens Laboratory