'A strategically important addition': Work to begin on £8m Co Down research facility after Northern Ireland contractor appointed
E Quinn Civils Ltd has been appointed as the contractor following a competitive procurement process through Department of Finance’s Construction and Procurement Delivery
A construction contract has been awarded for the new Ruminant Emissions Research Facility at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Hillsborough.
Pomreroy-based civil engineering E Quinn Civils Ltd has been appointed as the contractor following a competitive procurement process through Department of Finance’s Construction and Procurement Delivery.
The planned investment of £8m by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in the research asset was said to represent a significant step forward in Northern Ireland’s efforts to address agricultural emissions and support sustainable livestock production.
The research facility will provide infrastructure to measure greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from cattle under controlled conditions.
The data generated will support research into mitigation strategies and inform national inventories, helping Northern Ireland meet its climate targets.
Construction work on the facility is scheduled to commence early this month. The project is expected to last 13 months with the building to be handed over in August 2027.
Welcoming the contract award, DAERA minister Andrew Muir said: "This facility will support scientists develop innovative, low carbon farming practices with reduced ammonia emissions strengthening environmental outcomes whilst sustaining the productivity and economic resilience of our agri-food sector.
"This investment highlights our continued support for AFBI’s research and its critical role in informing policy and driving innovation across the sector."
Prof Elizabeth Magowan, director of AFBI Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences added: "The Ruminant Emissions Research Facility represents a strategically important addition to AFBI’s research infrastructure.
"It will provide a unique, specialist platform that bridges the gap between detailed laboratory studies and commercial farm systems, enabling us to deliver world class leading science that supports innovation and sustainability across the agri-food sector."