The UK's first energy positive office capable of generating more energy than it uses is to be built at Swansea University.

The University has secured £800,000 of UK Government-backed funding for its SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre to develop Active Office, which will incorporate cutting edge, innovative energy harvest, storage and release technologies. Work on the project can now get underway and completion is scheduled for April 2018.

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SPECIFIC is led by Swansea University and works with more than 50 partners from academia, industry and government to deliver its vision for buildings as power stations. The office is to be manufactured using modern off-site manufacturing techniques and will be occupied immediately by up to 40 members of staff.

Professor Richard Davies, Vice Chancellor of Swansea University, said: "It is exciting to see SPECIFIC's innovative 'buildings as power stations' concept becoming a practical reality. The Active Office at our magnificent Bay Campus follows closely on the heels of the ground-breaking Active Classroom.

"As well as demonstrating what is now possible off the grid, the new building will share energy with the Active Classroom, showing how buildings can work together to create energy resilient communities."

(LM/MH)