Morgan Sindall to build £20m R&D centre to decarbonise steel

Morgan Sindall Construction is to design and build a £20m R&D facility in Neath Port Talbot to help steel and metal industries decarbonise.The net zero facility is the brainchild of Neath Port Talbot Council in partnership with Swansea University.To be known as SWITCH – South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub – Harbourside it will be located close to Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant and is expected to take 18 months to complete.SWITCH Harbourside will be a purpose-built open-access centre bringing together expertise across academia, industry and government with the aim of accelerating the region’s transition to net zero.Morgan Sindall will include sustainable energy technologies in the building’s design.This will support the council’s Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy strategy by incorporating technology such as photovoltaic panels to provide a significant clean source of energy and eliminating any fossil fuels used on site during the build.Robert Williams, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said that the facility will support the steel and metals industry to decarbonise processes, develop a circular economy, and create advanced materials for a net zero society.