The inspiring Bay Campus at Swansea University is soon to open its doors to thousands of students and academics.  A brand new £450m development on the eastern verge of the city, the campus will include the College of Engineering and the School of Management and host specialist industry projects including The Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) which consolidates the university’s strength in the energy sector.

The design and construction of a new 3,800sqm building by Bouygues UK received a BREEAM Outstanding rating and is the UK’s first dedicated centre for research into energy safety.

The project was of particular interest to the Bouygues UK team as the principles of the institute resonated with their corporate goals of achieving excellence in environmental responsibility and finding new ways to measure and reduce the environmental impact of their activities.

The project team liaised with Recipro Wales, a collaborative project between Constructing Excellence in Wales, Swansea Care and Repair and the inventors of Recipro-UK (www.recipro-uk.com), to arrange the donation of surplus materials to charitable organisations and community projects. Through this, the company reduced waste; extended the lifespan of the materials and was able to help local groups, as well as avoid sending items to landfill.

Waste management is a key focus area within Bouygues UK and Matt Wisdom, Environmental Advisor for Bouygues UK’s Western Region commented: “All of our new sites in this region will obtain the Ecosite label, our global and group-wide environmental standard.  Ecosite recognises those sites that have achieved our ambitious environmental standards, which are founded on stringent regulations and exemplary practices observed throughout the Group.  Waste management is one of the twelve key areas audited by Ecosite.  Working with Recipro Wales was a great benefit to our team on this project.”

Small quantities of unused, surplus construction materials were donated to Recipro Wales and are now available for community groups, schools and social enterprises to access at heavily discounted rates for use in projects – giving useful materials a second chance and avoiding costly disposal.  You can view items available for reuse here

If you are interested in finding out more and joining a growing of network of businesses who are reducing site waste and supporting local communities, make direct contact with the project team - Jim Owen on 07913 993280 or email

CEW Award Winners City and County of Swansea were very successful at the UK-wide Public Sector Sustainability Awards held in London on the 12th November 2015.

Swansea was a runner-up in the Innovation and Best Waste/Recycling categories. Corporate Building & Property Services recycle a number of waste streams and currently achieve 93% recycling with the remaining 7% going as waste to energy. Total waste has reduced by 52% compared to 2008/9 and a total of 12,678 tonnes of waste has been diverted from landfill since 2007 across a full range of waste streams

They won the award for most Sustainable Public Sector Project (Best Refurbishment Project) for the Guildhall and Morriston Comprehensive. The Guildhall, incorporating the Brangwyn Hall was opened on 23rd October 1934 and was Grade I listed in July 1994.  Although the building was generally structurally sound and many of the original features were in good condition, much of the building required extensive repair and refurbishment works. Works included complete replacement of M&E building services, including power, lighting, fire alarm, communication systems, data network, access controls, heating, domestic hot and cold water services, comfort cooling, environmental controls, ventilation and drainage. A total of 188 photovoltaic panels have been installed on the South East elevation of the Brangwyn Hall roof based upon the recommendations of a feasibility study prepared by the Mechanical and Electrical Designer’s McCann and Partners. 

Morriston Comprehensive re-build achieved BREEAM Excellent when it was completed. The development was designed to minimize energy use through the specification of u-values significantly better than the Part L minimum and very good air tightness. The building, benefits from passive design features to optimize energy efficiency, including solar control glazing and shading. The design incorporates combined heat and power which satisfies the base heating load of the building whilst also producing electricity for use in the building. A PV array on the roof provides further electricity. The building also benefits from natural ventilation with automatic controls to ensure occupant comfort whilst minimizing energy use. Lighting controls were provided with automatic absence detection and day lighting control. Metering and sub metering with remote monitoring via the Building Management System has been included for electricity, gas and water to enable monitoring of energy use and target setting. The development has achieved a reduction of energy use against a 30% increase in floor space and 30% reduction in CO2 emissions due to the use of Low/Zero Carbon Technologies.  The construction achieved 4.43 tonnes waste removed/100m2 of GIFA off site against BREEAM exemplar target of < 4.7 tonnes/m2.  97.44% of waste was diverted off site from landfill against CEW exemplar target of 95%.

As a result of all these submissions the City & County of Swansea went on to win the ‘Most Sustainable Local Authority’ category and the top prize of ‘The Most Sustainable Public Sector Organisation in the UK’; the Platinum Award.

This is an excellent achievement which recognises the hard work and widespread team approach that City & County of Swansea staff demonstrates in their daily activities.

Feedback from two different events proved that integrated teams, collaboration with enlightened clients and a focus on the end product delivers great results.

Two different projects were showcased at CEW workshops recently, but both emphasised that collaboration and more specifically working as an integrated team helps to guarantee value from a project no matter if it is a major trunk road or a school.

How do integrated construction teams add value right from the start of a project? This was answered by the Welsh Government’s Transport Division and their partners as they explained to CEW delegates the story behind the A477 St. Clears to Red Roses Improvement.

It was completed in 2014, under an ECI form of procurement and has been operational for over 18 months and finished within time and budget, accommodating an environmentally sensitive site with the full support of the local community. The integrated team successfully brought the project through the statutory process, detailed design and construction stages.

Their approach was much the same to that behind the success of Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Talwg. Once again, the workshop heard about the value of maintaining an integrated team throughout the delivery of a number of projects to continually refine and improve the final product. Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Talwg is a cost-effective primary school for 210 pupils and a nursery based on a template design derived from previous projects and refined over a number of years. The “Agilis” model school, jointly developed by the contractor and architect, features an efficiency of design, a lean building process, speedy construction and cost effectiveness compared to a more traditional bespoke option. It offers flexibility through removable internal walls and the ability for the client to customise the external appearance as well as the internal positioning of certain elements such as toilet blocks.

The Minister for Natural Resources this week launched a consultation on proposed amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 and a proposed new Approved Document R for Wales (Physical infrastructure for high–speed electronic communications networks). 

They would like to hear your views on the following proposals: 

• make changes to the Building Regulations 2010.
• Introduce a new Approved Document R supporting a new Part R of the Building Regulations 2010. 

For more information and how you can respond, please click here 

The closing date for the consultation is Tuesday 12th January 2016. 

Cymraeg 

Mae’r Gweinidog Cyfoeth Naturiol heddiw wedi lansio ymgynghoriad ar newidiadau arfaethedig i’r Rheoliadau Adeiladu 2010 a Dogfen Gymeradwy R newydd i Gymru (Seilwaith ffisegol rwydweithiau cyfathrebu electronig cyflym). 

Hoffwn glywed eich barn am y cynigion isod: 

• Gwneud newidiadau i’r Rheoliadau Adeiladu 2010.
• cyflwyno Dogfen Gymeradwy R newydd i’r Rheoliadau Adeiladu 2010. 

Am fwy o wybodaeth am sut y gallwch ymateb  cliciwch yma 

Dyddiad cau’r cyfnod ymgynghori yw dydd Mawrth 12 Ionawr 2016.