Final construction phase of Feringa Building in full swing

Construction of phase 2 (building section 5611, approx. 10,500 m²) of the Feringa Building on the Zernike Campus in Groningen is advancing rapidly. Following the achievement of the highest point in November 2025, this section is now wind- and watertight and has entered the final phase of construction. The new spaces for a cleanroom, diverse classrooms, practice labs and research laboratories are increasingly taking shape. Additionally, the technical room on the fifth floor is being prepared. With this progress, contractors Friso-Koopmans and De Groot-Lammerink are getting closer to completing the Feringa Building, one of the largest and most modern university buildings in the Netherlands.

The final section

Building section 5611 represents the last part of the Feringa Building and, like the first-phase sections, will feature a patio garden (the only one with a pond), green roofs and solar panels. A new entrance will also be added on the north side to reduce pressure on the main entrance.

Future users

This final phase, covering approximately 10,500 m², will house research institutes such as the Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON) and the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute. One of the most notable features is a high-quality 150 m² cleanroom on the ground floor, part of which meets the strict ISO5 standard. The first floor will include 580 m² of modern Active Learning classrooms, while the second and third floors will primarily accommodate practice labs (totaling around 1,300 m²). The fourth floor will largely be used by the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), featuring laser laboratories and a radionuclide laboratory for safe research with radioactive materials.

Planning and quality assurance

Construction of the second phase is progressing faster than anticipated, and further assessment is underway to determine whether occupancy can be accelerated. Civil contractors Friso-Koopmans and technical installation contractors De Groot-Lammerink will complete their work within months. This will be followed by Wesemann installing the laboratories and Kelvin setting up the cleanroom. The final connections will then be made and all installations will be commissioned. Occupancy will depend on the timing of the final test (see below) and the fulfillment of all technical requirements. Once these are met, the relocation plan will be coordinated with the institutes.

Building closed for final test: TOAT

A critical step in preparing the building for use is the Total Overall Acceptance Test (TOAT). While extensive integral testing and validation of individual components have already been conducted, this final TOAT will comprehensively assess the building as a whole once the last section is fully realized. During this test, all systems and installations will be rechecked to confirm that the building meets the required quality and safety standards, including in scenarios such as a power shutdown. To conduct this test, the building must be fully shut down for one day. The timing of the test will be determined in consultation with the faculty to minimize disruption to teaching and research. Only after a successful TOAT can the final section be officially occupied.

More Information

For further details about the Feringa Building, visit rug.nl/GroundbreakingWork.

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