University of Aberystwyth Constructs Research Facilities

The University of Aberystwyth initiated construction on two research facilities in late 2010. The $11.1 million, 2,000-sm Phenomics facility will house laboratories and greenhouses for plant science. The project is the centerpiece of the Institute for International Plant Breeding, a center housing laboratories, an enterprise hub, and accommodation for visiting academics. The second facility is a two-story teaching and research block slated for completion in late 2011. A BREEAM Excellent rating for sustainable design will be sought for both projects. The Phenomics facility will be heated by a biomass boiler and the teaching and research block will be heated by a ground source heat pump. The two facilities represent an investment of about $40 million.