Engineering Innovation Centre Wins Services Award

The University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) new Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC) has been named Building Services Project of the Year at the Specifi Awards.

Lancashire is one of the most renowned engineering and manufacturing regions in the UK, and the EIC will establish the UCLan 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. 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, 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 SimpsonHaugh and Reiach and 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 the icing on the cake and testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the project.”

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.”

BDP was building services engineer, civil and structural engineer, lighting designer and acoustics consultant for the £35m building which was designed by SimpsonHaugh and Reiach and Hall Architects. It was built by contractor BAM.