Eco-innovation Center at Gdańsk Tech. The tender has been settled, the contractor starts working at the construction site | Gdańsk University of Technology

The handover of the construction site by Gdańsk University of Technology took place after the closing of the tender procedure and the signing (on 29 April ) of the contract for "Construction of the Building if Eco-innovation Center, together with equipment and land development as part of the project: Construction of the Gdańsk University of Technology Eco-innovation Center in Gdańsk". The signatories of the agreement were prof. Krzysztof Wilde, rector of Gdańsk Tech, Mariusz Miler, university chancellor, and Krzysztof Figat, president of Polimex Mostostal S.A.

– Gdańsk Tech Eco-innovation Center will be one of the most important scientific units in Poland working on the development of pro-ecological solutions and environmental technologies - says prof. Krzysztof Wilde, rector of Gdańsk Tech. - The construction of EIC will enable, among others implementing innovative solutions in line with the idea of building eco-cities and ecological spaces. We are waiting impatiently for the implementation of this extremely important and needed investment.

– Polimex Infrastruktura will build a facility that will constitute a research and development base for the most important specializations of the Pomeranian region, such as energy-saving construction, eco-energy and environmental protection technologies - says Krzysztof Figat, president of Polimex Mostostal S.A. - It is also the first center in Poland implementing the idea of ecological cities - adds the company's president.

Ecological technologies in modern laboratories

EIC is to be a modern building that will perform an educational, laboratory and research function. It was designed on the site of the former hydro hall of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering of Gdańsk University of Technology - in an environmentally friendly manner and with the use of innovative, advanced technologies.

The Center will be used by the research staff from Gdańsk Tech (mainly from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), who will conduct research projects for the needs of ecological development of construction, industrial and transport infrastructure. The investment will also be the headquarters of the EkoTech Center, one of the four Gdańsk Tech Research Centers, which were established after the university received the ‘Research University’ status in the program of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education "Initiative of Excellence - Research University".

The building was designed by the Tri-City architectural office FORT, selected in a competition, and the main designer of the building is prof. Antoni Taraszkiewicz. It will be a free-standing, four-storey building, the above-ground storeys of which will be mainly occupied by teaching and conference and training rooms, laboratories and office rooms, and in the underground part there will be a garage and storage space.

The implementation will be completed within 18 months from the date of signing the contract, i.e. in autumn 2022. The value of the investment is PLN 79.7 million.

Construction based on funding from the European Union

The commencement of the construction of the Eco-innovation Center was possible thanks to the acquisition of additional EU funds in the amount of PLN 20 million, thanks to the Gdańsk Tech  cooperation with the Pomeranian Development Agency - a unit of the self-government of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, which handles European funds and at the same time supports economic ventures of high regional importance.

The planned investment will be a research and development base for the most important specializations of the Pomeranian region, i.e. construction, eco-energy and environmental protection technologies. The activities of the center will be focused on the following areas:

• Environment: water and sewage management, waste management, environmental protection through the development of wastewater treatment technologies, water and anti-flood management,
• Energy: energy efficiency, renewable energy sources,
• Construction: energy-saving cubature and transport construction, structural foundations of power installations,
• Mobility: road and rail infrastructure, urban transport, development of ecological forms of transport,
• Revitalization: public and resident-friendly spaces, energy-efficient construction, revitalization of degraded urban and post-industrial areas,
• Education: educating future staff focused on creating innovative ecological solutions,
• Industry: transfer of knowledge and competences to the economy.