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Industrial

UKAEA

Actiform designed and delivered a permanent two-storey modular facility at UKAEA’s Culham Science Centre — home of The Tokamak, a machine engineered to harness the power of nuclear fusion — providing state-of-the-art accommodation for the expert cleaning teams who keep it running.

Expertise
  • Permanent modular commercial and welfare building
  • Net zero construction and BREEAM Outstanding delivery
  • Greenfield site development including foundations and hard landscaping
Deliverables
  • 440m² two-storey mixed-use modular building
  • Office, dining, breakout, training and cleaners’ areas
  • PV solar, full M&E fit-out, bike shelters & external hard landscaping

As part of a wider long-term regeneration of the Culham Science Centre, UKAEA required a new permanent facility to house its expert cleaning contractor — the specialist teams responsible for maintaining one of the world’s most advanced fusion research environments. The building needed to be delivered on a previously greenfield site, meet a BREEAM target of at least Very Good or Excellent, and provide a high-quality, mixed-use workplace fit for a world-leading scientific institution.

Challenge

Solution

  1. 01/

    Challenge

    The facility needed to function as a genuine workplace across multiple uses — not simply a welfare block — providing offices, communal dining, training space, and cleaners’ areas within a single cohesive building.

    Solution

    Actiform designed and manufactured a 440m² two-storey modular building encompassing mixed-use office spaces, large shared and open-plan dining and breakout areas, a training facility, and dedicated cleaners’ rooms — all within a compact, well-resolved footprint that maximises usability across the working day.

  2. 02/

    Challenge

    The site was previously greenfield, meaning Actiform was responsible for the full pre-construction scope — from new supply and waste services through to foundations and hard landscaping.

    Solution

    Works included site hoarding, new supply and waste services, foundations, and all external hard landscaping — including ramps, external steps, and bike shelters. PV solar was also installed as part of the scheme, contributing to the building’s net zero performance and long-term energy efficiency.

  3. 03/

    Challenge

    The client had set a BREEAM target of Very Good or Excellent — but Actiform’s ambition and proactive approach to sustainability pushed the outcome significantly further.

    Solution

    The building achieved a BREEAM rating of Outstanding — the highest possible certification — making it a net zero building and one of the most sustainable modular structures Actiform has delivered. The result was independently recognised by BREEAM assessor Glenn Miles of Encon Associates, who described it as “the smoothest project we have worked on” in 15 years of assessment.

Our Approach

Actiform was appointed through a competitive tender process to design, manufacture, and deliver the complete facility — taking ownership of every workstream from initial design through to M&E commissioning, internal and external finishes, and all O&M and H&S documentation. The modular construction approach enabled the building to be manufactured off-site to exacting standards before installation, reducing programme risk and site disruption at a sensitive, security-conscious research environment.

Sustainability was prioritised throughout — not as a compliance exercise but as a genuine design ambition. The combination of PV solar, high-performance insulation, and low-carbon construction methods resulted in a net zero building and an Outstanding BREEAM rating, setting a new benchmark for what modular construction can achieve in a scientific and commercial setting.

The Results

Net ZeroBuilding energy performance

440m²Permanent two-storey modular facility

The smoothest project we have worked on.

Glenn Miles

Director, Encon Associates (BREEAM assessor, 15 years’ experience)