Swansea-based Centre of Excellence welcomed with £6.5m investment

Swansea University led a consortium bringing together universities and industry and won the UK wide contest to establish a Centre of Excellence. The university will establish an Active Buildings Centre, leading on work to bring buildings that can generate and store their own energy – active buildings – to wider use.

Housing and Regeneration Minister Rebecca Evans said:

“We are committed to developing affordable and energy efficient housing, as we work to achieve stretching climate change targets and meet our target to build 20,000 affordable homes this Assembly term.

“Swansea University’s success is a recognition of their work in this area through the SPECFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre and the energy and expertise in the housebuilding sector in Wales. It also reflects our commitment to supporting the development of buildings that can reduce energy bills and generate electricity. 

“We are dedicating £5m of our Innovative Housing Programme over two years to support eligible projects developed at the Active Building Centre. We are looking for projects that can help meet our affordable housing needs, projects that can tackle fuel poverty and improve the lives of people who live in them. 

“I’m delighted to offer this support to the exciting new Active Building Centre being developed at Swansea University.”  

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: 

“I am pleased to have provided £1.5m to support the Active Building Centre which will further the ambitions of our Economic Action Plan by driving inclusive growth, reducing carbon emissions and helping to attract more research and innovation funding to Wales.

“We are currently exploring how we grow a supply chain to deliver new innovative building products, services and help transform the construction sector. We are working closely with the university to find a suitable site to develop this work further. 

“Innovations in housebuilding have the potential to create new skills and new jobs and enable us to become a leader in this field.  I’m looking forward to watching this project flourish and grow.”