University of Akureyri research and innovation centre fully finished
On 1 October, Iceland Prime Contractor delivered a fully finished research and innovation facility to the University of Akureyri. The project was a private endeavour: IPC handled the construction of the building, Landsafl is its owner, and ISS will operate the facility for the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture for the next 25 years. Ground was broken on 10 June 2003 for the 5,500-m2 building, which varies from four to seven storeys tall. The construction team consisted of an average of 40-50 employees, peaking at 80 tradesmen as the project drew to a close.
A number of institutions will be housed in the building, including the Eyjafjordur Investment Promotion Agency, the Iceland Centre for Regional Research, CAFF, the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, the University of Akureyri’s resource and information technology department, the Marine Research Institute, IceTec, the Centre for Gender Equality, the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, the National Energy Authority, PAME, Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories, the University of Akureyri Research Institute, the Vilhjálmur Stefánsson Institute, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, and the Wildlife Management Institute of the Environment and Food Agency. Thus it can truly be said that this new facility will be the centre of research and development efforts in North Iceland. The building will be inaugurated on 22 October 2004.