A range of industry insiders and experts have been invited to speak at the Showcase event, covering topics ranging from procurement and project management to achieving BREEAM excellence. John Frankiewicz, CEO of Willmott Dixon Capital Works, will be addressing attendees on the importance of engaging with communities and tackling the low carbon agenda. The day will end with a tour of the building.

The City Campus is the first phase of development for the University of Wales, Newport, with partnership funding from Newport City Council and Newport Unlimited. The striking five-storey glass-fronted building is situated on the bank of the River Usk. The university hopes that its impressive new campus and the state-of-the-art facilities it houses will attract more people to study in the city. The £35m project includes teaching, research, exhibition and studio space as well as a restaurant, library and roof-top boardroom.

Willmott Dixon approached the project as a collaborative partnership, working closely with the architects and design team from the very beginning. A high level of co-operation and communication ensured that everything ran smoothly from winning the contract right through to completion. The leading construction company will be taking this initiative to all future tenders and hope to use this showcase to convince others of its benefits.

Another key aspect in the construction of the City Campus, and one that will be addressed during the Open Day, is the importance of sustainability. Both the building itself and the processes involved in its construction conform to high environmental standards. Zero waste was sent to landfill during the project and the building has been designed to be carbon neutral. Timed total power shutdowns for evenings and weekends and water-saving eco-cubes is the operatives’ washrooms meant that no energy was wasted, and exceptional care was taken to preserve wildlife in the surrounding areas.

Neal Stephens, Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in Wales, said: “We see the City Campus as a flagship development. The approaches taken by Willmott Dixon in its construction have been highly successful and we hope that they will form the basis for the building of all higher education facilities in the future. The Showcase event is an opportunity for us to share what we have learnt and outline how these approaches have been beneficial to the project.

“It has been a pleasure to be involved in delivering this fantastic new resource which will allow the university to improve on the already high standards of education that it offers students at the same time as regenerating the Newport waterfront.”

The City Campus Showcase Event is taking place on Wednesday 20th July.