IN Brief:
- Morgan Sindall Construction has handed over the main new-build phase at Portfield School in Haverfordwest.
- The £25m specialist education project has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation.
- A second phase will include demolition, a new respite block, and remodelling of the SEN sixth form.
Morgan Sindall Construction has handed over the main new-build phase of the £25m Portfield School project in Haverfordwest, delivering specialist education accommodation designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation.
The Wales business of Morgan Sindall Construction delivered the scheme for Pembrokeshire County Council through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework, working with engineering consultant AtkinsRéalis. The first phase focused on refurbishing the existing school building and creating new accommodation for pupils with additional needs.
The single-storey school includes therapy rooms, sensory rooms, treatment rooms, and a main hall fitted with a retractable trampoline. External provision includes a multi-use games area, while the wider campus layout is designed to create a cohesive environment for pupils and staff.
The building uses a steel frame, brickwork finish, and Vieo cladding. Its operational carbon strategy includes solar panels, air-source heat pumps, low-energy lighting, improved wall build-ups, and a fabric-led approach to reducing energy demand.
Morgan Sindall has also applied its 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge on the project, working with consultants and the supply chain to reduce construction-stage emissions. The contractor says 11.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent has been saved to date, exceeding the project target.
The scheme has been tracked through CarboniCa, Morgan Sindall’s carbon assessment tool, which is used to estimate, manage, and reduce emissions across design, construction, and lifecycle stages. The project has also reported local supply-chain and training benefits, including high local subcontractor involvement and work experience placements with Pembrokeshire College learners.
Public education projects are increasingly being used to combine building performance, inclusion, social value, and carbon reduction within one capital programme. The Department for Education’s work around regenerative school-building innovation shows how school estates are being drawn into a wider search for better construction methods, lower lifecycle costs, and stronger environmental outcomes.
Specialist education buildings add further design complexity. Sensory spaces, therapy rooms, treatment areas, acoustic performance, accessibility, secure external areas, lighting, safeguarding, and circulation all need to operate together. Mechanical and electrical systems must support comfort, reliability, and air quality without undermining energy targets.
Net zero carbon in operation is particularly relevant for schools because energy use becomes a long-term burden for public clients. Education buildings are occupied intensively, often with extended community use, high ventilation requirements, and specialist equipment. Fabric performance, renewables, heat pumps, controls, commissioning, and maintenance planning all need to remain aligned after handover.
The use of a carbon assessment tool also reflects a shift in public-sector procurement. Carbon is being measured earlier and more explicitly, but the quality of that measurement depends on supply-chain data, design stability, product choices, transport assumptions, and site practice. A tool can support better decisions, but only if the project team uses it to challenge specifications and methods before commitments become fixed.
The local training element adds another layer to the project’s value. School construction can create visible routes into trades and site roles, particularly when work placements are linked to local colleges. That connection is becoming more important as the sector faces persistent shortages in both skilled trades and technical roles.
The second phase of Portfield School is due to complete in early 2027. It will include demolition, construction of a new respite block, and remodelling of the SEN sixth form, extending the project from the main school accommodation into wider support provision.
The handover gives Pembrokeshire County Council new specialist capacity while the remaining phase continues. For Morgan Sindall, the project adds another example of public-sector school delivery where inclusion, carbon, local labour, and long-term building performance have to be designed into the same programme.
