Northbrook, Illinois, August 28, 2025
News Summary
Construction has officially kicked off for a new Global Fire Science Center of Excellence in Northbrook, Illinois. The project, spanning over 110 acres, aims to enhance testing and research capabilities related to fire hazards in modern building technologies. With various phases of development, the center is expected to complete by 2027, providing vital certification and verification services across the commercial and residential construction markets.
Construction begins on new Global Fire Science Center of Excellence in Northbrook, Illinois
Construction has started on a new fire-science complex at a headquarters campus in Northbrook, Illinois. The project will create a Global Fire Science Center of Excellence that spans more than 110 acres and combines updated laboratory spaces with newly built test facilities. Work is being carried out in multiple phases and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
Key purpose and scope
The development is intended to expand testing, research, and evaluation capacity for fire hazards linked to modern building technologies. The site will support product and system testing across multiple construction sectors, including sprinklers, pipes, fittings, valves, fire extinguishers, foam formulations, water mist systems, exterior wall assemblies, and fire barrier systems. The facility is designed to provide certification and verification services that align with international building codes and insurance requirements.
Size and delivery
The campus covers more than 110 acres and will be built in stages. Construction is planned over several phases to allow labs and test ranges to come online incrementally. Full project delivery is targeted for 2027, with individual laboratories and service lines becoming available earlier as phases are completed.
Technical capabilities
The center will include upgraded fire laboratories and new test bays to expand the range and scale of experiments. A dedicated applied research and development hub will house modeling and simulation tools to study fire behavior, enabling more advanced analysis of how products and systems perform under fire conditions. The site aims to assess both traditional fire safety technologies and emerging solutions tailored to modern building design.
Sustainability and chemical safety testing
A notable part of the program is testing focused on sustainability and chemical safety. The facility will evaluate water-saving extinguishing systems and energy-efficient wall assemblies, acknowledging tradeoffs between fire performance and broader sustainability goals. It will also test firefighting foams that have been reformulated to remove or reduce per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called forever chemicals, to verify performance and safety.
Partnerships and the product lifecycle
The center is planned as a collaborative environment where safety science teams will work with product manufacturers, consultants, trade groups, and standards organizations. The goal is to identify fire risks earlier in the product development process so issues can be addressed before products reach the market. This proactive approach is expected to help shorten development timelines for new building technologies and support safer deployments.
Services and markets served
Certification and verification services will be available across both commercial and residential construction markets. The Northbrook center is intended to serve projects from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America and to act as a global benchmark for product safety and performance compliance.
Regulatory and insurance implications
By offering standardized testing and verification, the facility aims to help manufacturers meet international building code requirements and support evidence-based underwriting for insurers. Laboratories that test exterior wall assemblies, fire barriers, and system performance can provide documentation used in code compliance and insurance assessments.
Event and local context
The official groundbreaking was attended by local and federal representatives, signaling community and governmental interest in the center’s role in improving fire safety and supporting economic activity. Construction will generate phased employment and may create opportunities for collaboration with academic and industry partners.
Timeline and next steps
Work will proceed through multiple phases, bringing different laboratory and testing capabilities online as each phase finishes. The overall schedule targets completion by 2027. Project planners expect the campus to expand testing capacity for emerging building technologies and to enable new cooperative research efforts in fire safety, construction, and compliance.
FAQ
What is being built?
The project is a Global Fire Science Center of Excellence, a large campus of upgraded and new laboratories designed to test fire performance and support applied research into fire behavior and building safety systems.
Where is the center located?
The facility is being constructed at a headquarters campus in Northbrook, Illinois.
How large is the site?
The development will cover more than 110 acres.
When is it expected to be finished?
Construction is phased, with full completion targeted for 2027. Some labs and services are expected to open earlier as phases finish.
What kinds of testing and services will be offered?
Services will include testing and certification for sprinklers, pipes, fittings, valves, fire extinguisher performance, foam formulations, water mist systems, exterior wall assemblies, and fire barrier systems. The center will also provide verification needed for building code compliance and insurance.
Will the center work on sustainable technologies?
Yes. Testing will include water-saving extinguishing approaches, energy-efficient wall assemblies, and other systems where sustainability intersects with fire performance.
Will the center test PFAS-free foams?
The facility will assess firefighting foam reformulations that reduce or eliminate PFAS to determine performance and safety implications.
Who will use the center?
The site is intended to support manufacturers, consultants, trade associations, standards bodies, and public-sector stakeholders from regions including Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Site | More than 110 acres at a headquarters campus in Northbrook, Illinois |
| Primary function | Research, testing, and certification of fire safety for building technologies |
| Major test areas | Sprinklers, pipes, fittings, valves, extinguishers, foam formulations, water mist, exterior wall assemblies, fire barriers |
| Special capabilities | Applied R&D hub with modeling and simulation tools; expanded lab capacity for emerging technologies |
| Sustainability focus | Testing of water-saving extinguishing systems and energy-efficient wall assemblies; evaluation of PFAS-free foams |
| Markets served | Commercial and residential construction projects across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America |
| Completion | Phased construction with full delivery targeted for 2027 |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Construction IL Resources
Additional Resources
- Business Wire: UL Solutions Breaks Ground on Global Fire Science Center of Excellence in Illinois
- Fire and Safety Journal Americas: UL Solutions Announces Upgraded Global Fire Science Center of Excellence
- Bluefield Daily Telegraph: UL Solutions Breaks Ground on Global Fire Science Center of Excellence in Illinois
- Wikipedia: Fire Safety
- Google Search: UL Solutions Global Fire Science Center
