In a UK first, the energy positive office will be manufactured using cutting-edge off-site manufacturing techniques and innovative energy harvesting, storage and release technologies.

Work on the ground-breaking building project, known as the Active Office, can now get underway with the target of completion next year.

Once finished the office will be occupied by up to 40 staff.

The Active Office will be linked to its Active Classroom building – an existing space which provides teaching space and a laboratory for Swansea University students, as well as a building-scale development facility for SPECIFIC and its industry partners.

Swansea University is working works with more than 50 partners from academia, industry and government to deliver its vision for buildings as power stations through its SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre.

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.”