Subscribe to our Construction Newsfeed
UK Construction Directory
Search our 157,481 companies....

Construction News

26/04/2023

Merthyr Tydfil Project 'Paving The Way For Future Construction'

Construction News Image
A significant refurbishment project at a school in Merthyr Tydfil will pave the way for the future construction of educational facilities in Wales.  

Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed the contract for Pen Y Dre High School  by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council last summer, which once complete will be the first major school refurbishment project delivering net zero carbon in operation in Wales.

The scheme is partially funded by the Welsh Government, as part of its Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme which aims to invest in and improve educational facilities.  

The news follows an announcement from MPs, who have called for a cut in building demolitions to save carbon, instead prioritising retrofit and reuse of buildings over knock down and rebuild. 

The project will see the use of CarboniCa, Morgan Sindall's innovative digital carbon reduction tool that is enabling the contractor to support its customers decarbonise local communities.

CarboniCa is part of Morgan Sindall's Intelligent Solutions approach, bringing together digital and platform design capabilities with modern construction methods and innovative carbon reduction tools to create unique, sustainable, and inspiring places for customers. It measures whole life carbon emissions, ensuring potential carbon outputs can be managed and reduced during the design, construction and entire building lifecycle.

The contractor will take the existing frame and structure from the 50-year-old building and make it suitable for modern standards, working closely with civils and architects and employing the latest technology. 

The design has been tailored for maximum reduction in carbon with the help of CarboniCa and will use air source heat pumps and mechanical electrical equipment, meaning the building will run without the use of fossil fuels. It also incorporates the reuse of materials and Morgan Sindall Construction has been able to provide a new IT suite for the school. 
-- Advertisement --
hss



 Pen Y Dre is one of the largest school refurbishments in Wales and will increase its capacity from 800 to 1,100 places for 11-to 16-year-olds.

The new design of the three-storey 14,000sq metre comprehensive will make the school more accessible, removing a lot of steps from the original site and massively improving provisions. 

Plans also include a refurb of the existing swimming pool which is open to the public, enhancing the school's existing legacy for fantastic sport facilities.  

Throughout the development, Morgan Sindall Construction will strive to ensure the building remains as carbon neutral as possible after handover through a range of workshops for teachers and pupils to educate them on sustainability and how to use the building efficiently. 

The main contractor will use its extensive experience in building educational facilities, including navigating live schools, and will build and handover Pen Y Dre in phases to avoid disruption to teaching. 

Rob Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: "Pen Y Dre is a hugely important development for us, the local community, and Wales as a whole. It will be the first refurbished net zero school of its size which we believe will shift attitudes about demolishing and rebuilding existing facilities.  

"We have made it our priority to engage with the school from the outset to educate them on sustainability, heat loss, and building efficiently to make sure that the efforts we put into constructing a carbon friendly school are continued by those who use it. 

"We will take a hand-in-glove approach with the local authority to deliver a state-of-the-art school which will inspire pupils and ensure disruption is kept to a minimum for the surrounding area and teaching. We will also collaboratively use Merthyr Tydfil's knowledge on carbon targets with our expertise from other projects, such as recycling and reusing existing materials. 

"We also look forward to working with the school's Eco Council, which is student-led, and have planned a series of workshops on sustainability and Net Zero. It is fantastic to see pupils display such passion and enthusiasm for the environment and the future of their school. 

"We pride ourselves on nurturing the next generation of talent, and Pen Y Dre will be an exemplar project for apprentices to cut their teeth on a site from start to finish due to the length of construction works." 

As part of Morgan Sindall Construction's social value plan, it is committed to introduce pupils who may be vulnerable to not going into further education, training or employment by offering work placements and engaging with students from the start of the development. 

The main contractor will also continue to back local suppliers throughout construction. To date, it has routed more than 90% of spend through Welsh subcontractors.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Michelle Jones said: "We're pleased and proud that Pen Y Dre is helping set standards for achieving net zero in Welsh schools.

"The Council has been working for a number of years towards meeting Welsh Government's targets for the public sector to be carbon neutral, ensuring that all newbuild/refurbishment projects are completely energy efficient – our new bus station is the first fully-electrified one in Wales.

"Pen Y Dre High School has long been known for its high aspirations for all its learners. We are delighted the refurbished building will soon match these aspirations."

The development was awarded through the £1bn South East & Mid Wales Collaborative Construction (SEWSCAP) Framework, as part of which the main contractor previously completed Pantycelyn Halls for Aberystwyth University. 

The work at Pen Y Dre follows a flurry of activity in the region for the tier one contractor including works at King Henry VIII High School in Abergavenny and the completion of Haverfordwest High School.

Latest Construction News

10/07/2025
Vistry Group has agreed two major deals with housing provider Abri to enable the delivery of almost 200 affordable homes across Hampshire, marking a significant step forward in addressing local housing needs. In Funtley, near Fareham, Vistry has completed a simultaneous land acquisition and forward
10/07/2025
Caddick Construction has officially completed its first Midlands project with the handover of Mansion House, a six-storey residential development comprising 58 new apartments, to joint venture partners Urban Splash and Places for People. Located on the 43-acre Port Loop island alongside Birmingham
10/07/2025
Lovell has broken ground on a new residential development in Port Sunlight, set to transform a long-vacant brownfield industrial site into a thriving community of 115 high-quality homes. Located on Dock Road North, the development supports the local authority’s strategy to unlock underused land for
10/07/2025
Morgan Sindall Construction's Wales division has officially broken ground on a new state-of-the-art Additional Learning Needs (ALN) school in Clydach Vale, designed to be net zero carbon in operation. Commissioned by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, the £37 million school will provide Engl
10/07/2025
HG Construction has announced a £1.2 million investment in Dumarey Green Power's 'Revolution Battery' technology, following successful trials earlier this year aimed at decarbonising crane and hoist operations across its UK sites. The investment marks a significant step in HG Construction's drive t
10/07/2025
M Group has completed a major improvement project at Queenstown Road Station in south-west London, delivering long-awaited upgrades including a new rear entrance designed to ease access for daily commuters. Undertaken on behalf of developer Taylor Wimpey, the project involved significant engineerin
10/07/2025
Helical has appointed McLaren Construction as the main contractor for the £90 million transformation of Brettenham House, an iconic Art Deco building on London's north bank, into a state-of-the-art sustainable office and retail hub. Originally built in 1932 and located within the Savoy Conservation
10/07/2025
Tower Hamlets Council has completed 30 road resurfacing schemes across the borough over the past year, thanks to targeted investment and funding support from central government. The improvements aim to deliver a more resilient road network, reduce disruption, and lower carbon emissions. Part-fund
10/07/2025
Mace has been appointed by Pegasi to deliver the major transformation of Fresh Wharf, a prominent 1980s building located on the banks of the River Thames, into a cutting-edge, sustainability-driven workplace. Situated just minutes from Tower Bridge, the 11-storey structure will be transformed to of
10/07/2025
Morgan Sindall Construction has celebrated a key milestone at Abbeywood Community School with a steel signing ceremony marking the final structural installation of the school's new extension – completed ahead of schedule. Held on 27 June, the event brought together representatives from South Glouce
Lakeside HireEfco UK LtdAqua Direct LtdStuart CanvasCTE Construction Tooling & EquipmentAF Thomas ElectricalsSardarji ConstructionCar Stackers Northampton (Scrap my Car Northants)Efco UK LtdRapid Chiller Rentals