Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6332

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Vol cxliv No 15

pp. 249–259

Reports

Report of the Council on the construction of a new annexe building to the Department of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering Division building (CAPE) at West Cambridge

The Council begs leave to report to the University as follows:

1. This Report is to inform the Regent House on the development of a scheme to provide additional laboratory and office space for the Department of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering Division (Division B) in an annexe to their existing building at West Cambridge and to seek approval for construction to proceed.

2. The proposed annexe will be located between the Roger Needham Building and the existing Electrical Engineering Division building (CAPE), as shown on the plan below. The annexe will have a gross internal area of 2,752m2, providing state-of-the-art facilities over three storeys. It will provide additional laboratories, write-up space, and shell space for future fit-out of clean room(s) and additional laboratories. In summary the building will be set out as follows:

Ground Floor

Clean rooms and laboratories

First Floor

Offices with future office space expansion

Second Floor

Clean rooms, laboratories, and future expansion space for either clean rooms or laboratories

Whilst it will link with the existing CAPE building and share some facilities, such as reception, welfare, and other services, to maximize operational efficiency, the new annexe will have its own identity.

3. The Division’s research activity has continued to expand since occupation of the CAPE building in 2005, and projections are that research income will continue to increase, albeit at a reduced rate. In 2012–13 the expenditure on research grants in the Department’s Electrical Engineering Division was £9.7m, an increase of £2.7m on the year 2011–12.

4. In accordance with the Capital Projects process, a Full Case was prepared by the Department and subsequently approved by the Planning and Resources Committee at their meeting on 4 December 2013. It is estimated that the annexe will have annual utility costs of around £86,669 p.a. (£30.42/m2) and recurrent running costs using RAM rates for this area (net internal area of 1,342m2) amounting to around £247,000 p.a. This compares with the Department’s current RAM surplus of £4m p.a.

5. The total cost of the project has been estimated at £12.9m. Funding at this level has been confirmed and will consist of contributions from the Capital Fund (£8m) and the Department of Engineering (£4.9m) of which £2m will be underwritten by the School of Technology to ensure completion of the design and construction works. Details of the scheme have been presented, for information, to the Department of Physics, the Computer Laboratory, and the University’s Information Service. It is hoped to obtain full planning consent in early 2014 to enable a start on site in spring 2014 with completion in Michaelmas Term 2014.

6. Drawings of the proposed scheme are displayed for the information of the University in the Schools Arcade.

Download a PDF of the proposed scheme for the new annexe building to the Department of Engineering's Electrical Engineering Division building (CAPE) at West Cambridge

7. The Council recommends:

I. That approval is given for the construction of a new annexe building for the Department of Engineering as proposed in this Report.

II. That the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Planning and Resources) be authorized to accept a tender for the works, within the available funding, in due course.

23 December 2013

L. K. Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor

Andy Hopper

Flick Osborn

Jeremy Caddick

Richard Jones

Rachael Padman

Stephen J. Cowley

Fiona Karet

Shirley Pearce

Athene Donald

F. P. Kelly

John Shakeshaft

I. M. Le M. Du Quesnay

Mark Lewisohn

I. H. White

Nicholas Gay

Rebecca Lingwood

A. D. Yates

David Good

Susan Oosthuizen

Second-Stage Report of the Council on the construction of a new annexe building for the Department of Engineering at Scroope Terrace

The Council begs leave to report to the University as follows:

1. A First-stage Report on the construction of a new annexe building for the Department of Engineering was approved by Grace 2 of 5 June 2013 (Reporter, 2012–13; 6306, p. 509; 6313, p. 653). This Second-Stage Report is to update the Regent House on further development of the scheme and to seek approval for construction to proceed.

2. As stated in the First-stage Report, the proposed annexe for the Department of Engineering is on the Scroope Terrace site and will be located on part of the existing Royal Cambridge Hotel car park, adjacent to the Department of Architecture and north of Fen Causeway and The Leys School, as shown on the plan below.

3. The key aims of the project are to:

encourage greater interaction and interdisciplinary working;

provide flexible space that can be adapted in the future, as requirements change;

provide additional space for an expanding research activity; and

address the current lack of space to support existing research activities.

4. The new four-storey annexe will have a gross internal area of 2,899m2. It will include state-of-the-art facilities for research in open-plan accommodation with associated offices for academic staff. Considerable efficiency benefits are expected in terms of both space utilization and in the operational energy performance . The building will adjoin and connect to the existing Baker Building South Wing. The following types of space, as listed in the RIBA Stage D Report, will be provided:

Open Plan Offices

246 desk positions

Cellular Offices

23

Meeting Rooms

5

Seminar Rooms

2

Group Teaching Spaces

2

In addition it will provide an opportunity to showcase research outputs that include low-carbon building designs, sustainable materials, smart buildings and sensor technologies, and energy-efficient building services.

5. As noted in the First-stage Report, projections are that research income will continue to increase, albeit at a reduced rate. The Department’s new strategic research initiatives of Energy, Transport, and Urban Infrastructure; Uncertainly, Risk, and Resilience; Engineering for the Life Sciences and Healthcare; and Inspiring Research through Industrial Collaboration are being received with enthusiasm by funding bodies and industry. A strategic approach to industry is leading to new partnerships which include among others:

a collaboration with Laing O’Rourke, which includes an initial £10m consisting of a donation for new staff posts, a professor, and two lecturers, as well as support for a Master’s Course. Additional research funding is now being negotiated;

the Innovation Knowledge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction, funded by the EPSRC and TSB (£9.5m) and a consortium of 30 companies (£7m);

a new collaboration with Dyson Ltd to support a Professorship of Experimental Fluid Mechanics and new research projects;

an expansion of materials research through new collaborations that include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries;

an increase in research in Energy Efficiency, ranging from Energy Efficient Cities to sustainable materials, and control for energy and sustainability.

6. In accordance with the Capital Projects process, a Full Case was prepared by the Department and subsequently approved by the Planning and Resources Committee at their meeting on 4 December 2013. It is estimated that the annexe will have annual utility costs of around £35,272 p.a. (£12.16/m2) and recurrent running costs using RAM rates amounting to around £218,414 p.a. This compares with the Department’s current RAM surplus of £4m p.a.

7. The total cost of the project has been estimated at £13.2m. Funding at this level has been confirmed and will consist of contributions from the Capital Fund (£6m), a £6m pledge from an external donor for the purpose of completing the design and construction works, with the balance to come from the Department of Engineering.

8. The project is based on a start on site in the summer of 2014 with completion in the summer of 2015. Full planning permission was submitted by Estate Management on 18 September 2013 following scheme approval by the City Council’s Design and Conservation Panel on 12 June 2013. In addition details of the scheme have been presented, for information, to the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art, The Leys School, and the Royal Cambridge Hotel operator. The outcome of the planning application is anticipated in January 2014 and to date no significant objections have been raised.

9. Drawings of the proposed scheme are displayed for the information of the University in the Schools Arcade.

Download a PDF of the new annexe building for the Department of Engineering at Scroope Terrace

10. The Council recommends:

I. That approval is confirmed for the construction of a new annexe building for the Department of Engineering as proposed in this Report.

II. That the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Planning and Resources) be authorized to accept a tender for the works, within the available funding, in due course.

23 December 2013

L. K. Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor

Andy Hopper

Flick Osborn

Jeremy Caddick

Richard Jones

Rachael Padman

Stephen J. Cowley

Fiona Karet

Shirley Pearce

Athene Donald

F. P. Kelly

John Shakeshaft

I. M. Le M. Du Quesnay

Mark Lewisohn

I. H. White

Nicholas Gay

Rebecca Lingwood

A. D. Yates

David Good

Susan Oosthuizen