Case Study

Spirit Aerospace Innovation Centre

01 / Case Study

Spirit Aerospace Innovation Centre

For many years, DSSR has been awarded serial commissions with Spirit Aerosystems incorporating a multiplicity of both new build and refurbishment / redevelopment projects, including the recently completed Aerospace Innovation Centre and the new build Paint Spray Facility.

Location / Prestwick


Contract Value / £16.7m


Architect / Hypostyle


Client / Spirit Aerosystems


02 / Overview

Overview of the Spirit Aerospace Innovation Centre project

DSSR has delivered a full MEP services design for the new Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) facility and a new build Paint Spray Facility from concept design through to contract completion and commissioning stage.

The 90,000ft² AIC facility showcases Spirit’s capabilities as a global centre for designing and manufacturing current and future aircraft.

The facility provides an environmentally controlled workshop/fabrication, storage, and material test laboratory to research aircraft components. There is also an associated innovation area and open access area that can be utilised by Spirit or other external bodies undertaking associated research.

DSSR’s contribution included delivering site-wide utility infrastructure alterations at Prestwick airport and connections to site-wide private infrastructure to support the construction of the Aerospace facility.

Embracing the building’s purpose for innovation, the building included a Flextron Photovoltaic array of more than 1,000m2 in scale. Integrated into the roofing material, the PV array follows the curved profile of the roof.

The Project

The circa 140kWe Photovoltaic installation was provided to support Spirit Aerosystems’ desire to tap into the renewable energy market. The super-thin PV laminate (including the connected equipment) adds only 3 Kg/m2 to the weight of the roof – a total saving of 8.5 tonnes across the development, compared to standard systems.

The project achieved an EPC rating of A.

Spirit manufactures components for Boeing and Airbus, and at the AIC in Prestwick they specialise in wing design. The R&D facility is intended to test out next-generation manufacturing solutions utilising innovative materials. As such, the design of the building and its services had to be highly flexible to cater for as-yet-unknown processes and materials.

Early uses include utilising a 20m long oven to ‘bake’ carbon fibre wing sections and a large scale 3D printing facility. The main manufacturing area includes environmental control for cooling, and flexible compressed air, power and process water installations to suit a variety of manufacturing options.

03 / Contact

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