Aberystwyth University and AIEC Limited are working in partnership with Constructing Excellence in Wales to avert waste generated during the upcoming construction of the new Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus at Aberystwyth University’s Gogerddan site (www.aiec.wales). As part of Enabling Zero Waste, the AIEC project will focus on monitoring waste arising from different activities, identifying any problematic waste streams, establishing benchmarks upon which improvements can be made and identifying opportunities for solutions.
Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus (AIEC) will provide world leading facilities and expertise for the agri-tech industry and the bio-science sector. Set between the Cambrian Mountains and the Irish Sea, this £40.5M campus will be a progressive environment to encourage business and academic collaboration to flourish. Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus will offer a range of high quality facilities to support innovation, enabling commercial enterprises to grow, prosper and drive economic growth in the food & drink, bio-processing and biotechnology sectors throughout Wales and beyond.
Initiatives planned for the AIEC include:
- Innovation Zone
- Analytical Science Centre
- Future Food Centre
- Bio-refining Centre
- Seed Biobank and Processing Facility
Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd. are the chosen contractor for the scheme. Working with the Enabling Zero Waste team Willmott Dixon are looking to prevent, reuse and recycle as much waste as possible. As part of the EZW initiative CEW will:
- undertake a pre-demolition survey to identify opportunities for reuse/repurposing, material reuse/recycling of the elements identified for demolition.
- carry out a design review in terms of quantifying savings made between the earlier scoping site design and current design.
- review the final design to examine the material choices with a view to identifying opportunities to increase waste prevented/minimisation, enhance resource efficiency and end of life benefits.
A final planning application for the Campus has submitted to Ceredigion County Council with a decision expected in the Spring of 2017. If planning permission is granted, construction is due to start mid-2017 and is expected to take two years to complete.
The campus is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, through the Welsh Government; by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and by Aberystwyth University.
Enabling Zero Waste is a CEW initiative which aims to establish if and how the industry can achieve the zero waste targets outlined in the Welsh Government’s waste strategy document Towards Zero Waste. We work alongside the industry to identify challenges in achieving the targets and disseminating best practices. To find out more please visit www.cewales.org.uk/enablingzerowaste or follow @EZWaste_wales or call 02920 493322 to speak to a member of the team.
