Havant MP Alan Mak visits Windsor to see innovation in green energy and building repairs

The Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology went to the headquarters of multinational energy and services company Centrica.

Mr Mak and Windsor MP Jack Rankin were greeted by Head of Public Affairs Harriet Butcher, who is leading Centrica's campaign to remove barriers to heat pump adoption in the UK.

He also works closely with the government to help drive policy for the decarbonisation of heat and support the transition to a more renewable grid.

Mr Mak learned about Energised Futures, set up by Centrica to work with industry leads and academia to play a pivotal role in defining the future of energy through research and innovation.

There were also presentations on Hive, a Centrica eco-tech company aiming to transform home energy, and Centrica Energy, the firm's global energy trading and logistics arm.

While in Windsor Mr Mak also visited Structural Repairs, which specialises in extending the life of buildings and structures by using and pioneering the latest repair technologies.

CEO Roger Line talked about innovations being used in the concrete repair sector on critical national infrastructure, as well as solutions to deal with the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in buildings that avoids demolition.

RAAC is a lightweight material used between the 1950s and 1990s that can be susceptible to structural failure.

Mr Mak said: "It was really interesting to hear about all the work being done on moving to green energy and also to learn how the latest technology is being used to repair and preserve buildings and structures.

"These companies demonstrate how the UK is leading the way in innovation and as Havant MP and Shadow Secretary of State I will continue to shout about the work they and others are doing."