World-Class Design
Discover how our new £110m building will use sustainable design to create an open, inclusive, creative and entrepreneurial space for our engineering community.
Sustainable by design
We’re dedicated to making the world a better, greener place to live and work.
The sustainable design for the new Stephenson utilises many initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the project and the building’s life thereafter.
The design reduces embedded carbon in the building fabric through:
- use of a timber structure for the fourth floor
- reuse of half of the current building floor space
- highly efficient use of floorspace
Reducing in-use carbon
We're substantially reducing in-use carbon through:
- utilisation of the CHP (Combined Heat & Power) plant
- reduced heat loss using high air tightness levels
- minimised use of mechanical ventilation
We're promoting more sustainable behaviours of occupants through:
- sustainability research and education
- office and IT support for virtual meetings
- reducing future need for travel
Facilities for transformative research and innovation
Inspired by flexibility, collaborative working and digital infrastructure, the building’s research facilities will include:
- flexible research space to promote new interactions
- wet and dry labs and spaces located to promote synergies between hub activities
- permanent desk space for non-academic partners who wish to co-locate staff
- hot desks for staff from across the University and external staff on secondment
Inclusive education spaces
The education facilities will enhance student experience and support blended learning. They will include:
- Maker Space - a new student-centred zone for interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship
- multi-purpose teaching laboratories with flexibility to support multiple disciplines
- digital learning spaces with large flat-floor areas for flexible working
- blended social learning spaces
- environments for quiet study and busy group work
- two lecture theatres, each with capacity for 180 people
Specialist labs and services
The building will be home to a wide range of specialist facilities, including:
- analytical facilities and services
- biomedical engineering facilities, including:
- tissue engineering laboratory
- assistive technology testing facilities
- neural engineering - electrochemical and mechanical testing of neural interfaces
- biomaterials lab
- bacterial wet lab
- human tissue lab
- materials, manufacturing, processing and testing facilities
- wind tunnel – renewable energy infrastructure, automotive, aviation, structures
