Drone footage of Bristol’s £70m global centre of excellence for ultra-low emission vehicles has been released as it nears its post-construction stage.
The world-beating Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) is due to open next year on the Bristol & Bath Science Park at Emersons Green. 
Owned by the University of Bath, it will put the West of England into the driving seat for research and development into the car engine of the future.
The university is working with engineering professional services consultancy WSP, which commissioned London-based Kestrel Surveys to shoot the fly-past drone footage as the 13,500 sq m, two-storey building takes its final shape.
WSP has been on the University of Bath’s consultants framework since 2012 for civil and structural engineering services. The IAAPS project is being led by the firm’s Bristol structures team.
The vast building’s ground floor rear will contain test facilities for engines, propulsion, power trains and chassis dyno cells, which will be served by specialist equipment housed on the first floor.
The state-of-the-art equipment and space will allow detailed systems-level research to be conducted including whole vehicle analysis under real-world driving conditions, recognising the ever-changing nature of mobility and travel in the UK, particularly with a transition to low carbon transportation as part of the UK’s 2050 net zero target.
By working with industry partners – not all of them from the automotive sector – the centre is expected to support 1,900 high-value jobs. 
It will also stimulate more than £67m in additional automotive research investment by 2025, creating an additional turnover of £800m for the UK automotive sector. When fully operational the centre itself will create more than 100 jobs on-site.
IAAPS, which builds on more than four decades of advanced propulsion system expertise at the University of Bath, has received funding from both Research England’s UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.
West of England Metro Mayor Tim Bowles said: “The West of England is set to lead the world in the development of ultra-low emission vehicles. Supporting innovation and business growth like this is key to our economic success.
“The IAAPS project also supports our ambitions for clean economic growth and will help us to attract even more innovative businesses to the region.”
WSP technical director for structures Peter Bone added: “IAAPS will be a globally significant facility and at the forefront of research into propulsion systems and ultra-low emission vehicles.
“The need for world-class facilities and academia to support this agenda has never been greater as decarbonising our transport network will be a key element of the UK achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We’re delighted to be working on this project with the University and look forward to seeing the facility in action.” 
IAAPS executive director Prof Gary Hawley said he was excited to see IAAPS take shape.
“This footage gives us a unique and useful insight into the build that shows the ambition and scale of the project,” he said
“Both the University of Bath and IAAPS’ other major investors are pleased to see the continued progress of the building, particularly in the current climate. The facility will allow us to significantly accelerate our work to develop high-quality research-based solutions for the automotive industry as it moves to a more sustainable and efficiency-focused future.”
The main contractor is Rydon and the architects Stride Treglown and DKA. Turner & Townsend is project managing with Fulkers Bailey Russell as the cost consultant.
Click here to watch the footage.
