Building work at LAB42

There is a hive of activity at and around the LAB42 construction site. The outside of the building has recently undergone visible changes and the façade sections have been installed. This week, the mast climbers will begin to be dismantled, starting on the corner with the 904 building and the beach volleyball courts. To complete this work, the walking route between the 904 building and LAB42 will temporarily be closed. Pedestrians will be redirected on site.

Outside the gates of the construction site, work is also underway to lay the GHP pipes. The company Siers has now begun laying the GHP pipes between building 904 and LAB42, and near the main entrance of Science Park 904. This work will consist of fencing off the work area, removing the current paving and street furniture, digging, laying the pipes, and lastly, neatly repairing and restoring the paving. The work will be carried out in five phases, so that the 904 building will always be accessible from the side of the bicycle parking facility and Polder restaurant. Any diversion routes will be signposted, of course, and a traffic officer will help staff and students get used to the new situation during the initial period. The current estimate is that the work on the GHP pipes will be completed in March 2022.

A lot of work is also being done inside LAB 42. On the top floors, the final fitting out is underway and work has begun on finishing the atrium and toilet blocks, painting, hanging doors and installing the climate ceilings. The interior of the building is really coming together! The transformers will be installed this week as well. All this is being done so that the building will have power and heating by the beginning of next year.

The aim for LAB42 is to have the rough finishing in the building completed and the façade wind and watertight by Christmas.

Building work at Matrix ONE

At Matrix ONE, work is being done to create a heating and cooling source for the geothermal heat pump (GHP) system. This GHP system will play an important role in heating and cooling the new building. Two wells must be drilled for this purpose: one hot and one cold. The heat source is now in place, and this week the company Tjaden will begin drilling the cold source at the corner of LAB42 and the beach volleyball courts. This drilling work is expected to last two weeks. Work on the two wells is expected to be completed by Christmas.

Construction at Matrix ONE is proceeding smoothly as well. The building is expected to be largely wind and waterproof by Christmas, which means that the roof is finished and the façades are mostly sealed. De Vries en Verburg have now begun installing the atrium roof. Inside the building, work is being done on the installations and other tasks such as installing fire-resistant coatings and sand-lime brick walls. Before the Christmas holiday, the first sand-cement flooring will be laid and work will begin on the interior walls. 

If you have questions and/or comments about the construction site, the progress of the work or any other matters, please feel free to contact the area manager: Simon de Roo via omgevingsmanager-asp@uva.nl.