Building work has started on a new £24 million acoustics research, testing and teaching facility at the University of Salford.
Construction of the facility, on the University’s main campus, is set to be completed midway through 2027.
The new centre for research into sound will see a change in the innovation and development which the University of Salford can offer and could be a draw for students deciding whether to come to the city.
Developers have hailed plans to introduce AI-enabled hearing aids, which improve sound quality, and say that the noise heat pumps within the building create will be accounted for.
The acoustic building will allow researchers at the University to lead pioneering projects and shape how we hear the world, setting government standards and influencing the sound of products sold across the globe, project planners say.
It will sit within Crescent Innovation, which forms part of the wider £2.5bn Crescent Salford masterplan being delivered by the Crescent Partnership.
This comprises the University of Salford, Salford City Council and ECF – a joint partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse.
The building has also received funding from the GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) through the Greater Manchester Industrial Strategy Zone.
It will feature vibration-isolating foundations and walls constructed from extra-dense concrete to insulate the space from external noise and create several idealised acoustic environments.
The building will be centred around a vast triple-height space housing a suite of acoustically isolated laboratories.
A four-chamber Building Environment Testing Suite to measure modern construction materials to ensure future living and working spaces are protected from external noise and a perception engineering sleep laboratory to understand how people respond to sound will be developed.
Professor of Acoustics at the University of Salford, Trevor Cox, said: “It is great to see our new building under construction.
“This is a very exciting time for acoustics at Salford as acoustics research is becoming increasingly relevant to society today.
“The World Health Organisation recently labelled noise the second most harmful environmental pollutant, and new technologies such as drones, AI and EVs are changing everyday sounds in our world.
“The new acoustics building at Salford will allow us to strengthen our support for businesses of all sizes, as we work with product sound engineers on the innovations which will drive productivity and efficiency.
“It will also be used by our PhDs in our EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Sound Futures, which is now recruiting for 2026.”
The new all-electric acoustics building will target an excellent sustainability rating and will utilise low-energy and low-carbon technologies to minimise energy consumption and reduce the carbon footprint of the building.
Steven Gregory, North West area director at project developer Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Our relationship with the University of Salford is built on shared values of innovation, quality and sustainability.
“This new acoustics building will be a true testament to those principles – a space designed with exceptional precision to support world-leading research. Using our Intelligent Solutions approach, we’re ensuring the facility meets the highest standards of performance, while delivering lasting benefits for the Salford community.”
Max Bentham, development director at ECF, said: “Work starting on the state-of-the-art acoustics building marks another key milestone in the creation of Crescent Innovation.
“Designed to bring industry and education together, Crescent Innovation will provide 1.7m sq.ft of new commercial, academic and research floorspace to attract investment, create jobs and give residents, students and businesses the tools to reach their full potential, putting Salford firmly on the map as a city built for the future.
“The acoustics facility will build on Salford’s existing expertise in this area, fostering research and innovation that will have a global impact.”
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