November 26, 2020

The National Research Council (NRC)’s new advanced materials research facility has opened in Mississauga. Designed by Diamond Schmitt, the facility will serve as a national clean energy hub, supporting and undertaking foundational research of new materials for clean energy and other applications and transitioning them to industrial use.

This facility will bring companies, government, and universities together to collaborate on breakthrough projects in clean technologies and advanced materials, as part of the Canadian Campus for Advanced Materials Manufacturing (CCAMM), a joint initiative between the NRC and the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC).

The new 21,500 square foot facility is designed with flexible laboratory and office spaces that are divisible by movable / removable partition systems and with multiple layers secure access. The laboratory program includes characterization, dry, wet and a high bay pilot lab to accommodate the range of NRC’s research. The two-storey building is designed with the ability for future expandability vertically with minimal disruption to ongoing research activities.

The building exterior of precast concrete cladding and vertical fins provides solar shading and light dispersion into the interior. The façade provides a distinctive presence on the site while maintaining a complementary relationship with the surrounding campus architecture of the Sheridan Science and Technology Park.

“The opening of our new facility in Mississauga represents a major stepping stone for the National Research Council of Canada in advancing Canada’s clean energy agenda. Our vision is for this collaborative hub to become the home to new technologies that will enable industry to be more sustainable.” said Roger Scott-Douglas PhD, Acting President, National Research Council of Canada. “We look forward to working with our partners in accelerating the development of advanced materials technologies and their commercialization into disruptive products for industry.”

“The NRC Mississauga research facility is a unique facility that will act as a focal point for the development of high-performance advanced materials manufacturing. “ said Eric Lucassen, Project Architect, Diamond Schmitt. “ the interior laboratory spaces and casework systems have been designed to provide maximum flexibility for the user groups while the exterior building features of rigor, quality, and permanence speak to some of the core values of the NRC.”