Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/03/26

Key Takeaways

  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed its new 35,000-square-foot Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II), a research facility designed to advance aerospace technology development and education through specialized laboratories and a sterilization clean room.
  • The facility includes advanced capabilities to simulate space and atmospheric conditions, providing researchers with highly specialized environments for aerospace testing and innovation.
  • Construction required careful coordination with nearby flight operations at Daytona Beach International Airport, with Hoar Construction implementing equipment-height restrictions to maintain safe and unobstructed airspace throughout the project.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer. The university partnered with ikon.5 architects as the project’s lead designer and with Hoar Construction for construction services.

The 35,000-square-foot facility contains specialized laboratory space that can simulate space and atmospheric conditions, the news release reports; it also features a clean room to sterilize equipment for space operations.

“CAT II is a great example of how thoughtful planning and collaboration can bring highly technical spaces to life,” said Erika Charlassier, Hoar Construction project manager. “From advanced laboratories to the sterilization room, every element of this facility was built to support innovation. Our team worked closely with Embry-Riddle to safely navigate complex conditions while maintaining schedule and budget, delivering a space that will help shape the future of aerospace research and education.”

The construction process took into consideration student planes frequently taking off and landing from the nearby Daytona Beach International Airport. Hoar Construction worked with the university to ensure the placement of equipment like cranes, boom pumps, and forklifts never exceeded the height of the building itself to keep airspace clear.

Hoar previously partnered with Embry-Riddle on the construction of a 239,172-square-foot, four-story parking garage including office space on the ground floor.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.