21/09/2026
Scottish College’ Net Zero Accelerator Hubs.
We are excited to announce that Local Growth Funding has been awarded for the Net-Zero Accelerator Hubs for 4 Colleges across Lothian, the Borders and Fife. Working in collaboration with Luths Services, Hardies Chartered Surveyors, Mass Timber Structures
and Elliott & Co Consulting Engineers, we delivered a feasibility study and site-by-site option appraisals for modularised and sustainable training facilities that are required for the Colleges as the diversity of courses they offer are expanding with the growth of sustainable technologies.
The funding was announced at West Lothian College by The Secretory for State, Douglas Alexander on the Thursday 3rd September.
These Hubs help answer a panoply of construction industry needs, for when architects discuss the challenges facing the built environment, the same issues are to the fore: the climate crisis, the importance of retrofit and the need for maximum carbon-lock in newbuild; the need to do that newbuild in healthy, circular economy ways; and skills shortages and the need to capitalise on young people’s wish for well paid and useful jobs.
Thanks go to Simon Earp (West Lothian College Vice Principal, People, Performance and Improvement) and Professor Professor Sean Smith (School of Engineering and Edinburgh Futures Institute, The University of Edinburgh) for their efforts in securing the funding.
