Xplore Hits Key Milestone In Expansion Plans – the science discovery centre has ambitious plans to redevelop its first-floor space and make a lasting impact on communities in the region. As part of this, the charity has installed more than 200 solar panels as well as insulation and waterproofing work on the roof of its city centre base.
A Key Hurdle
Making the space habitable and decreasing energy usage and bills was a key hurdle in moving to the next stage of its expansion. The project will feature everything from a state-of-the-art planetarium to a dedicated under-7s play area and conferencing facilities.
The 262 solar panels and improved insulation are expected to save Xplore! up to 22 tonnes of CO2 a year, with the centre running on 100 per cent of its own renewable electricity in the summer. Any excess will move to the grid for distribution to local homes and businesses.
Xplore!’s business development officer, Katie Williams, said, “We play an active role in educating and changing behaviours when it comes to looking after our planet, and it’s important our actions align with our words. It’s really exciting that we can now press on with securing the necessary funding to realise our goals of a truly game-changing expansion that will allow Xplore! to have an even bigger and wider impact on people’s engagement with STEM.
“In addition, energy bills contribute a large amount to the £800,000 it takes to run the centre each year, so reducing this number will be critical in adhering to a sustainable business model.”
Complex Installation
Xplore!, based on Henblas Street, is a subsidiary of Wrexham University. It was able to access the expertise of its capital projects manager, Paul Moran, to handle the complex installation.
Paul said, “It was a big scheme in a tight, land-locked site in the city centre. Next door, there was also another live site. And, of course, we had lots of children and families visiting the centre. All partners worked closely together to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum while delivering a high-quality finish for Xplore!
“Interestingly, we are also investigating how we might introduce an interpretation panel to show visitors how solar panels work, with real-time data from our system.”
Alumasc supplied the roof covering. Mold-based Cassidy and Ashton was the architectural and design consultancy. Anglesey-headquartered OBR Construction installed the solar panels. The building improvements have been made possible through the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund.
Admission charges and financial support from the Welsh Government and other stakeholders and sponsors fund Xplore! Science Discovery Centre. For more information, please visit xplorescience.co.uk, call 01978 293 400 or email info@xplorescience.co.uk.
We hope you enjoyed reading “Xplore Hits Key Milestone In Expansion Plans”. Click here for more stories about our local businesses.
