Adra: Delivering a first-of-its-kind decarbonisation hub in North Wales

Iwan Trefor Jones, the CEO of North Wales housing association Adra, shares insight into a new decarbonisation hub in Gwynedd set to become the first such development in the UK.

We need to be bold, ambitious, and innovative in our approach to decarbonisation. We need to grasp the opportunity to work in partnership with other forward-thinking organisations to get the job done. And that’s exactly what we are doing at Adra, North Wales’ largest housing association. 

We are the lead partner in the process of setting up a decarbonisation hub in Gwynedd – the first of its kind in the UK. The site for the hub is the former Northwood tissue factory in Penygroes, near Caernarfon, which closed four years ago with the loss of nearly 100 manufacturing jobs. 

The development, called Tŷ Gwyrddfai, a collaborative project between Adra, Busnes@LlandrilloMenai, and Bangor University, will transform the site into a decarbonisation hub that will ensure North West Wales will be at the forefront of the decarbonisation agenda, working with communities and businesses to retrofit over 18,000 homes over the next 10 years. 

Busnes@LlandrilloMenai’s specialist training team from CIST (the Centre for Training Infrastructure and Skills), Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, will be managing training pods on the site. They will deliver bespoke and tailored decarbonisation curriculum, as well as training programmes for existing members of the construction workforce, particularly in areas such as exterior wall insulation; installation; and the servicing of solar panels, air-source heat pumps, and battery storage. Apprenticeship programmes will also be delivered by Busnes@LlandrilloMenai. 

Through the involvement of Bangor University, Tŷ Gwyrddfai will also promote innovation in new products, materials, and technology to support decarbonisation, while a ‘Living Lab’ will be established to test and trial new technology and materials aligned to the decarbonisation agenda. 

Tŷ Gwyrddfai already accommodates the head office for Trwsio, Adra’s in-house contractor, which employs over 150 staff. Travis Perkins have also set up a depot on site to provide us and our contractors with materials and supplies.

The site of Adra's decarbonisation hub in Gwynedd, North Wales.

The second phase 

This is an exciting time for the project. We are on the verge of completing the second phase - the training pods - and expect them to be up and running in the next few weeks. 

We have seen significant interest in the development from both sides of the Wales-England border, with the Welsh government’s minister for climate change, Julie James MS, among the latest to visit the site. 

During the visit, the minister announced a £500,000 package for the development. A successful bid was also made through the UK government’s Shared Prosperity Fund for the Living Lab element. 

In the longer term, the development will lead to a more qualified and skilled workforce, which will support the local construction sector through enabling them to apply for contracts and ensure that any value generated through decarbonisation and related capital investment will be retained locally. 

It will also contribute toward reducing carbon emissions in our homes, which in turn will reduce the impact of increasing fuel and energy costs by making our homes more energy efficient and improve the quality of life for our tenants. 

There is genuine excitement among the partners and in the region about this project and the social value and positive difference it can achieve to local communities and the local economy. 

Watch this space.

Main image: Adra CEO Iwan Trefor Jones. Credit: Adra