The new facilities of the Experimental Teaching Center in Cadriano are now open

A new lease of life for the Experimental Teaching Centre in Cadriano. This morning, the Rector of the University of Bologna, Giovanni Molari, inaugurated over a thousand square meters of renovated spaces, designated for the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the Azienda Agraria of the University of Bologna. A 2.6-million-euro renovation project (60% co-financed through the MUR grant - Line A - DM n. 1274 dated 10-12-2021) involved two buildings resulting in a new cafeteria, new laboratory spaces, new offices, and a new meeting room. Following the announcement of the tender in September 2022, the awarding and the work adhered strictly to the schedule, completing the project in March 2024, 13 months after the beginning.

The first of the two renovated buildings now houses a 60-seat cafeteria, 4 teaching-experimental laboratories, and 6 new offices, distributed between the ground floor and the first floor, covering a total area of 673 square meters. In the second building, which previously housed the CRIOF (Experimental Center for the Pathology of the Conservation and Processing of Horticultural Products), 14 offices and a new meeting room have been created, covering a total area of 420 square meters.

The project, completed over 400 days of work, involved the complete renovation of the two buildings' structures and their energy requalification. Insulation cladding was applied to the vertical structures, along with other measures to ensure the healthiness of the premises and minimize thermal dispersion. Additionally, low-consumption and low-environmental-impact heating and cooling systems were installed, along with building automation systems. These include artificial lighting control through presence sensors and temperature control via thermostats installed in each individual room. Lastly, the outdoor spaces surrounding the two buildings were also renovated, with enhancements to the perimeter areas.

Officially inaugurated in 1965, the Experimental Teaching Centre of Cadriano hosts the experimental activities of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna. It also conducts experimental trials for companies in the agri-food sector and manufacturers of technical equipment, as well as demonstrations of mechanization techniques. It is also the venue for demonstrative and outreach activities, as well as educational activities.