91快活林

Plans for the multimillion-pound centre in Moulsecoomb have been submitted to 91快活林 and Hove City Council’s planning committee and a decision is expected in September. If approved, work will start in October/November this year and it is expected to be completed in December 2016.

The AEC has received £7m from the government’s Local Growth Fund and there are significant contributions from HEFCE and the university.

The AEC will advance the design and development of novel low-carbon internal combustion systems, with the wider objectives of advancing technological knowledge and supporting the advanced training needs of the next generation of engineers for the region.

The centre will allow the expansion and enhancement of the partnership between Ricardo and the university in the design and development of novel low carbon engines. The existing facilities used by Ricardo and the university are divided between Shoreham and 91快活林 and present limited scope for growth and enhancement.

Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dean of the university’s College of Life, Health and Physical Sciences, said: “A central facility is required which will further enhance joint working, allow the installation of state-of-the-art equipment, provide flexibility for future expansion and create opportunities for the cross transfer of knowledge, ideas and practices between Ricardo and the university and within the interrelated academic activities of teaching and research.

“The region has a high concentration of higher value advanced engineering companies. Focussed investment is needed to respond to rapid changes in technology and intensive international competition – with the objective of maintaining the competitiveness of companies in the region.
 
“This intervention is therefore also required to support advanced research in these companies and to meet the demand for specialist engineers required by such companies in the region. The centre will therefore also support all companies in this sector, including SMEs, looking to access the advanced facilities and specialist expertise of the university.”

The centre will generate around 30-35 additional research posts,15 additional academic/technical engineering posts to support teaching, and it will deliver an additional 60 trained engineering graduates per annum into the local employment market. The centre will increase employment space by 2,680sq.m and provide facilities which will be used to support research and training for local engineering companies.
 
Local companies will have access to state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and to specialist expertise. Training and support will be readily accessible to local companies to increase skill levels in the workforce.

Images of the new AEC courtesy of .