Completion of UCLan’s Engineering Innovation Centre

Drees & Sommer UK are proud to announce the construction of the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC) has now completed.

The state-of-the-art facility is an integral part of the £200 million Masterplan and will ensure the facility becomes a regional hotbed for collaboration and knowledge transfer between University researchers, industry experts, businesses and students.

The building provides new accommodation for the school of computing, engineering and physical sciences, to enable them to offer degrees in emerging engineering disciplines such as oil & gas safety engineering and aerospace engineering.

It is equipped with technology demonstration areas and specialist work sections to create a space for teaching, research and knowledge exchange. These integrated teaching and research spaces will deliver a range of key objectives, ensuring that local skills reflect social and economic needs and increase the number of women in engineering careers.

The EIC establishes the University as one of the UK’s leading universities for engineering innovation and will drive new discoveries and developments in emerging fields such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, drone technology and The Internet of Things.

Identified as a signature project within Lancashire’s Strategic Economic Plan, UCLan’s 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.

Drees & Sommer UK were appointed through the North West Construction Hub Engineering and Professional Services Framework to provide project management, quantity surveying and Principal Designer services.