Department of Engineering

New home for Institute for Manufacturing

23 April 2009

The newest building on the University of Cambridge’s developing science and technology campus at West Cambridge has opened its doors.

The Department's Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) formally took possession of the keys to the building from developer Kier Marriott this week at a special event to celebrate the completion of the £15 million building.

Guest of Honour at the event was leading British industrialist Dr Alan Reece (pictured right), whose major donation to the Institute enabled the building to go ahead. It will be named the Alan Reece building in his honour. He spoke at the event of how very pleased he was to be involved in such a successful, high quality and worthwhile project.

The striking two-storey split-level building to the south side of the site is based around an attractive central courtyard and will provide laboratory and office space for the Institute.

The IfM was established in 1998 with the aim of linking education, research and practice and engineering, management and economics with a strong industrial orientation.

The building, designed by world-famous Arup Associates, will create an international centre for industrial innovation, its design reflecting and enhancing the IfM's integrated cross-disciplinary approach to global industrial issues.

It is the first University building to have achieved an excellent BREEAM rating in recognition of its environmental performance. Features contributing to the building's environmental impact rating include the widespread use of natural ventilation, good levels of natural light, and the installation of a biomass boiler.

New facilities for the IfM's technical research groups will include workshops for the design of new commercial products and laboratories for research into new applications of laser, radio-identification, and inkjet technologies.

The head of the IfM, Professor Mike Gregory (pictured left) said: "This is a magnificent building with which we are delighted. We are particularly pleased and proud of the BREEAM rating."

Substantial funding for the building has also come from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Government's Scientific Research Infrastructure Fund.

The Alan Reece Building's location on the West Cambridge site will help foster links with other researchers in the University. These include the Computer Laboratory, the Nanoscience Centre and the Centre for the Physics of Medicine.

Several research groups from the Department of Engineering, of which the IfM is a part, are also based nearby, including the Energy, Fluid Mechanics and Turbomachinery and the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics.

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