CAMBRIDGE – Global construction consultancy Davis Langdon, an AECOM company, today announced that it has been appointed cost manager for the University of Cambridge’s new £42m facility for the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Following the merger of the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Institute of Biotechnology, the Department is seeking to unite the elements of teaching and research under one roof in an environment that supports an ethos of achievement and entrepreneurship, befitting this world class institution.

The Department, which promotes activities from Concept to Exploitation, C2X, is built on the belief that by understanding the relevant scientific principle upon which a phenomenon is based we can develop innovative solutions to important problems in the fields of energy, the environment, sustainability and healthcare.

The new building, designed by architects BDP, will also be a focus within the University for its internationally-leading activities in sensors and diagnostics research as well as multi-scale sustainable reaction engineering. Analysis and diagnosis are highlighted by almost every initiative for health, environment, security and quality of life and there is a strategic vision in Cambridge to bridge this expertise across the University, building on the Department’s leading role in the highly successful CamBridgeSens network.

The multi-scale reaction engineering initiative brings together engineering research from the nano-to-laboratory scale and will position Cambridge as the leading UK University in a field which is undergoing a resurgence of both academic and industrial interest as a result of the search for new, sustainable chemical processes.

James Abraham, project leader for Davis Langdon, an AECOM company, said: “Winning this appointment is an excellent reflection of Davis Langdon’s understanding of the science community on an international scale. Our ability to demonstrate an understanding of the cost drivers and benchmarks for a community that collaborates globally helped to set us apart.”

This project joins the growing number of landmark facilities at the University's West Cambridge Site in which Davis Langdon is closely involved. These include the new Materials Science and Metallurgy laboratory, which is under construction; and the first phase of the University's Sports Centre, for which planning permission is currently being sought. Davis Langdon is the project manager and cost manager, respectively, for these schemes.

Attached image: Concept model image supplied by the architects – BDP

– ends –

Editors Note:

Davis Langdon, an AECOM company, is a leading global construction consultancy, providing managed solutions for clients investing in infrastructure, property and construction. The company has worked on some of the most complex and challenging projects around the world, including the Tate Modern and the Eden Project in the United Kingdom; Estadio do Dragao in Portugal; Abu Dhabi International Airport; Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt; the Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia; the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, U.S.A.; the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link in Johannesburg, and the Green Point Stadium – built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup – in Cape Town, South Africa. As well as being the recipient of a number of regional accolades for excellence, Davis Langdon has been named World Architecture’s ‘Top International Construction Consultant’ for 18 successive years. The company employs approximately 3000 people in more than 75 offices globally, spanning Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, Africa and the U.S.A.

In October 2010 Davis Langdon joined AECOM Technology Corporation, a leading provider of professional technical and management support services for government and commercial clients around the world.

About AECOM
AECOM is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government.  With approximately 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves.  AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world's built, natural and social environments.  A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in approximately 125 countries and had revenue of $8.0 billion during its fiscal year 2011.  More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

For further information, please contact Jason Dempsey on +44 (0)20 7061 7117 or email jason.dempsey@davislangdon.com