National Graphene Institute scoops two major UK construction awards

National Graphene Institute scoops two major UK construction awards

Hemel Hempstead, 15 October 2015 - One of Manchester’s newest buildings – the National Graphene Institute (NGI) – has been crowned the Major Building Project of the Year at the British Construction Industry Awards, 2015. Remarkably, it also won the BIM Project Application Award as well. The £61 million building was built by BAM Construction – the contractor behind the Manchester City Football Academy and now behind No 1 Spinningfields. NGI was designed by Jestico and Whiles, engineered by Ramboll, with EC Harris as consultants.

The Institute is dedicated to the study, research and development of the one atom thick substance that is 200 times stronger than steel. It is the strongest, thinnest and most conductive material ever measured. Located in the heart of the University of Manchester campus, the Institute is five stories high with clean rooms for nanotechnology research, and housing extremely sensitive and sophisticated equipment.

Tony Grindrod, Construction Director, BAM Construction, said: ‘The exceptional quality of the Institute is a credit to the team that designed and built it. The potential for graphene's impact on our everyday lives is immense and at BAM we are delighted to have led the construction of a state-of-the-art centre where cutting edge research will take place here in Manchester.’

The NGI fought off strong competition from six other shortlisted schemes including the Weston Library for Oxford University, Five Pancras Square at Kings Cross and the Brooks Building for Manchester Metropolitan University.

Judges described it as ‘the perfect balance of strong engineering design and architecture’.

Further information: Mark Slattery, press and media manager BAM Construct UK Ltd, 01442 238415.