As of January 2020, works have begun on site for the construction of the Translational Energy Research Centre.
Part of the University of Sheffield’s Energy Institute, the facility will bring together expert academics and local and national businesses to research and test new low-carbon technology solutions at a speed and scale which will save money and contribute to net-zero carbon targets. Construction of the building is set to be competed in August 2020, for an opening date of March 2021.
The £21 million facility has been part-funded by £10 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £7 million from the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Preliminary works for the site began in December 2019, and in the last few weeks on-site works and construction have begun on the building itself. Sheffield contractors J F Finnegan have been appointed to complete the construction, having completed similar work on neighbouring research facilities.
The facility itself is based in the University of Sheffield Innovation District, within the nucleus of the Sheffield City Region’s emerging Global Innovation Corridor. Located close to the Sheffield Parkway between Sheffield and Rotherham, the Translational Energy Research Centre will be close to other key research and development centres, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Factory 2050.
The facility will include both research and pilot-scale facilities, and a huge range of equipment, which will be fitted in the building once structural construction is completed in August 2020. As well as this state-of-the-art equipment, of which some will be the largest in the UK, the Translational Energy Research Centre will include modern, spacious offices and meeting rooms.
As part of the aim of the facility is to improve low-carbon emission and energy-saving capabilities for a range of industries, factors of sustainability have been taken into particular consideration during construction. The specifications and materials used in the building itself will achieve a BREEAM status of Excellent, meaning it meets best practice with regard to environmental building standards.
Now that construction work has begun, there will be regular progress on the project online. To keep up to date, and to keep track of events, follow @TERCfacilities on Twitter.
