University of Sheffield Completes Aerospace Manufacturing Research Center

The University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre finished construction in November of 2024 on an open-access innovation facility for aerospace R&D in the United Kingdom. Expanding the capabilities of the adjacent Factory 2050, the 29,700-sf structure will initially house the Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) initiative. An expansive factory environment will enable academic, government, and industry partners to work side-by-side, complemented by individual workshops and ancillary spaces. A fully automated, closed-mold cell spanning 33' by 10' will accelerate the creation and scale-up of advanced components and systems, including complex sub-assemblies of significant size.

Gardiner & Theobald and Bond Bryan designed the flexible building to adapt to changing technologies and institutional goals over time, and the first research program it will accommodate is the Isothermic High-Rate Sustainable Structures (IHSS) project. Led by Boeing, in collaboration with Loop Technology and Spirit AeroSystems, IHSS aims to radically shorten production times while reducing risk, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. Catalyzing the aviation industry’s efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the sustainable facility has achieved a rating of BREEAM Very Good through the use of air-source heat pumps and extensive photovoltaic arrays on both the lower and upper roofs. The high-performance structure is also ready for seamless integration into Veolia's District Energy Network in Sheffield, which generates heat and electricity from non-recyclable waste.

Delivered by Henry Boot Construction for a contract value of £20 million, the development features an array of leading-edge instrumentation that was funded by a £29.5 million grant from the government’s Aerospace Technology Institute. Local and regional authorities, the university, and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult contributed an additional £20 million. The project team included engineering firms Elecomm, Arup, and Curtins, with Rex Procter serving as construction consultant.