Extreme Photonics Applications Centre planned in Oxford

The Harwell Institute in Oxfordshire is set to benefit from the delivery of the new Extreme Photonics Applications Centre by the contractor company Mace Construction Ltd, as part of a £81M contract that has been commissioned by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Going into more detail, the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre will assist researchers in developing a better understanding of the composition of certain materials and will possess a unique, state-of-the-art high power and high repetition laser system to carry out this research.

The project itself is being funded through the Strategic Priorities Fund, as it supports the Government’s Industrial Strategy, and was organised through the Southern Construction Framework.

In carrying out the project, Mace Construction will work alongside the STFC, designers, a global concrete specialist, and supply chain partners to ensure that they will provide the very best and safest facilities in areas of the development which will house the highest power lasers.

The Director of the UK’s Central Laser Facility, Professor John Collier stated: “As our construction partner in the EPAC project Mace will be contributing, alongside the work of the team of the scientists and engineers at STFC’s Central Laser Facility and our colleagues in academia, to a project that will enable the UK to realise the potential offered by laser driven radiation sources to be genuinely disruptive and that will soon bring together the wider science community in a diverse programme of fundamental and applied research.”

The Managing Director for Public Sector Construction at Mace, Terry Spraggett added: “We are delighted to be appointed to deliver EPAC, marking another step forward in our relationship with the STFC. The Extreme Photonics Application Centre is a technically complex and challenging project, and we will use our experience in delivering cutting edge research facilities to realise the client’s vision.”

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