Harper Adams University - Campus Tour Guide

8 9 Agricultural Engineering Innovation Centre This unique covered soil hall is to your right as you exit the Foulkes Crowther Building. It provides an excellent facility for carrying out practical demonstrations and research into the performance of off-highway vehicles and field machinery without the influence of the weather. The covered field can be irrigated to change soil conditions, and is used for both student project work and for commercial companies to carry out research and development work on their products. A machinery demonstration hall attached to the soil hall provides storage and demonstration facilities for off-highway and agricultural machines. This £2.9 million centre, which opened in 2013, houses a range of ‘clean’ engineering facilities, supports advanced agricultural engineering teaching and research. Facilities include a large lecture theatre with space for a tractor, electronics/mechatronics lab, hydraulic lab and research lab for tractors and machines. It is home to the National Centre for Precision Farming (NCPF), which aims to promote and evaluate the use of technology as a vital aspect of precision agriculture, and provides a focal point for the industry; offering a place for agriculturalists to meet and source information, and gathering and disseminating good practice fromwithin the UK and abroad. This building was also funded by a number of grants and donations, including gifts from allumni, industry, former governers and charitable trusts. A donors board is located in the foyer of the building. From the rear of Foulkes Crowther, turn left and follow the path. At the end turn, right, walking only between the yellow lines. On your right are the well-equipped Applied Engineering Facilities. The avenue at the side of this building leads to an off road vehicle test track. (Please be aware that tractors and other large machinery may be moving around this area). The large new building in front of you is the... Weston Teaching Building Future Farm Here at Harperwe have restructured our farming activities into a single ’Future Farm’, amalgamating all of our teaching, research and commercial operations into one management structure. The aim is to improve coordination and allocation of resources for teaching and research and the vision of the farm is to be economically, ecologically and socially sustainable. Another new addition in 2013, the Weston is primarily a teaching centre, with a state of the art 260 seat lecture theatre, IT classrooms, 24-hour computer suite and a range of seminar rooms. The building, which has high sustainability credentials, also boasts a large atrium, which makes an ideal social space. Its creation was supported by a significant donation from the Garfield Weston Foundation. You are now at the far end of the campus, though our farm land extends further, encompassing fields, woodland, wildlife ponds and a bird hide. Please return back along the yellow-lined walkway. At the end of the path cross the road. The gold- clad building in front of you is the... Please exit through the rear of the building and take a moment to look toward the... Access to the farm is restricted. Please do not enter any buildings or touch any machinery or livestock. If you would like to arrange a tour please contact Reception (01952 820280) and ask for the FarmOffice. 22 (no entry) 20 21 (no entry) Engineering Soil Hall 19