University of North Dakota Plans Advanced Materials Facility

The University of North Dakota is planning to construct the Materials Exploration and Advanced Materials Processing Facility (MatEx) in Grand Forks. Designed by Stantec and ICON Architectural Group, the 28,000-sf facility will enable the expansion of innovative programs in biomass processing, critical minerals production and processing, and the creation of advanced carbon-based materials. As part of the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), where several existing buildings will be demolished to make way for the development, the project will accelerate the discovery of sustainable and cost-effective technologies in collaboration with industry partners. Four demonstration plants will complement a fuels processing area where scaled production operations can be studied. In addition, a two-story office and locker area will support administrative and research staff working throughout the EERC complex. A construction timeline has yet to be determined.