The 3,834m2 Torbay Electronics and Photonics Innovation Centre (EPIC) in White Rock Business Park, Paignton, will provide open market access to specialist laboratory and clean room facilities, accommodating specialist equipment to support R&D, prototyping, innovation and collaboration in emerging technologies. The centre will also provide office, meeting room and collaboration space, along with incubation facilities to support start-up and spin-off tech companies.
An ISO Class 7 (Fed STD Class 10,000) cleanroom is located on the third floor of the building and is believed to be the only open-access cleanrooms of its kind anywhere in the South West. If needed, the room also offers the option to upgrade to Class 6.
Clarkebond provided a range of engineering services on the scheme including civils, drainage, foundations and steel frame design. The building is formed with a braced steel framed structure with pre-cast concrete floors, lift shaft and stairs and a steel framing system façade. An inverted roof supports rooftop plant as well as photovoltaic cells for the building and rooflights for the main atrium.
The building is founded on traditional pad and strip foundations of varying depth to suit the complex local ground conditions. Alongside the geotechnical engineers, Clarkebond undertook a watching brief during the foundation construction to assess each pad position and the founding depth required.
Clarkebond also provided support to the contractor during the construction of the building to ensure a smooth construction process and undertook liaisons with the local authority to ensure the co-ordination of the new access road and off-site drainage serving the wider area.
