New £35 million facility named Building Services Project of the Year
The University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) recently completed Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC) has scooped its first industry award.
The £35 million-plus state-of-the-art facility was named Building Services Project of the Year (North West) at the 2019 Specifi awards for the mechanical and electrical work carried out by BDP.
The EIC will play its part in producing an increase of hundreds of locally trained graduates per year in areas including aerospace, mechanical and energy technologies and engineering.
Designed by internationally renowned architects SimpsonHaugh working in partnership with Reiach and Hall Architects, it was built by main contractor BAM.
While enhancing Lancashire’s position as one of the most renowned engineering and manufacturing regions in the UK, the EIC will establish the University as one of the UK’s leading universities for engineering innovation by driving new discoveries and developments in emerging fields such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, drone technology and The Internet of Things.
"Congratulations to the team involved at BDP. We’re looking forward to the EIC welcoming students when they return for the new academic year in September and showcasing this impressive facility."
The facility will also become a regional hotbed for promoting collaboration and knowledge transfer between University researchers, industry experts, businesses and students.
Robert Ferry, Principal at BDP, said: “As a former student at UCLan I was personally very excited when we were commissioned to deliver the EIC building with our architect friends at Simpson Haugh and Reiach & Hall. The finished product really is a fantastic building that will provide UCLan and the surrounding business community with a facility in which to collaborate and build on the rich engineering heritage within the area. To receive awards for the scheme is icing on the cake and testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the project. Well done all.”
Michael Ahern, UCLan’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Construction of the EIC has recently completed and it’s fantastic that this milestone has coincided with the building’s first award win. Congratulations to the team involved at BDP. We’re looking forward to the EIC welcoming students when they return for the new academic year in September and showcasing this impressive facility.”
Identified as a signature project within Lancashire’s Strategic Economic Plan, the EIC has secured £10.5 million via the Lancashire Enterprise Partnerships’ Growth Deal with the Government. The new facility has also received £5.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £5 million from HEFCE’s STEM Capital Fund.
Banner image above shows, L-R, Dave Smith, Director of UCLan's Masterplan Capital Projects Team; Robert Ferry, Principal at BDP; and Michael Ahern, UCLan's Chief Operating Officer