Pioneering partnership to deliver greener, affordable homes in North Wales
Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Wrexham University and ClwydAlyn Housing have been awarded a Welsh Government-funded SMART Partnership to drive innovation in sustainable housing.
The collaboration will create innovative and sustainable housing solutions in North Wales and beyond. The project aims to contribute to the energy efficiency of new build homes using renewable energy sources, thus reducing operational energy costs for residents and lowering ClwydAlyn’s environmental impact.
The goal is to set an example of how affordable and sustainable housing can be developed benefitting both the community and the environment.
Wrexham University will play a key role in delivering the SMART Partnership by embedding academic expertise in low-carbon technology and smart energy systems. Through a dedicated graduate associate, the University will lead on technical modelling, feasibility studies, and the development of a smart grid concept tailored to ClwydAlyn’s housing developments.
This collaboration will also support curriculum development in sustainability and renewable energy, ensuring long-term impact beyond the project’s 12-month duration.
Laura Gough, Head of Enterprise at Wrexham University, said: ‘We are delighted to have secured this funding which will assist ClwydAlyn in its mission towards carbon net zero housing and which will also feed into our sustainability and renewable energy curriculum.
“We will be looking to recruit a graduate with computing expertise to work directly on the project, likely to start in September for 12 months.”
Tom Boome, Head of Technical Innovation and Climate at ClwydAlyn, added: ‘We’re delighted to have been awarded funding from Welsh Government for a SMART Partnership. The partnership will not only strengthen the relationship between Wrexham University and ClwydAlyn; it will enable us to utilise the University’s expertise in academia – combining our knowledge and experience, to deliver sustainable and affordable homes for our residents.
“Harnessing renewable energy on a larger scale in our housing developments has the potential to significantly improve the operational emissions of our homes and provide a meaningful reduction in energy costs for our residents."
SMART Partnerships provide financial support to collaborative and innovative projects that are in need of a range of expertise to support business growth, improve productivity and increase competitiveness.
- For more information on the role please visit: https://jobs.wrexham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=2425854
Photo caption: A recent ClwydAlyn development of 56 new, lifetime homes in the Mynydd Isa area.
