Green Engineering and Materials building breaks ground

The University of Maine broke ground on a facility designed to advance pioneering research and education in advanced manufacturing, as well as develop the engineering and computing workforce. 

The 50,000-square-foot Green Engineering and Materials (GEM) building will house the Factory of the Future, which will incorporate digital manufacturing technologies and fully adaptive, immersive learning spaces for students at UMaine and across the University of Maine System (UMS). 

GEM will also serve as a large-scale digital additive and hybrid manufacturing test bed for entrepreneurs and companies. GEM will additionally enable new work with industry to manufacture affordable housing, marine vessels, and renewable energy and civil infrastructure components, all while using bio-based materials.

The $82 million project is supported by a number of sources. This includes federal funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, including Congressionally Directed Spending requested by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King, as well as from the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Catalyst Program. State funding was also secured by UMS through Gov. Janet Mills’ Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan supported by the Maine Legislature and through ongoing appropriations provided for capital improvement. Philanthropic investment came from the Harold Alfond Foundation through UMS TRANSFORMS. UMaine additionally contributed to the project.  

GEM will operate as a partnership between the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC), the Maine College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), with opportunities for other programs and industries on campus and remotely.

Read the full story on UMaine News.