Balfour Beatty has commenced construction on the new Nairn Academy school in the Scottish Highlands, following its appointment to the £61 million contract by The Highland Council at the end of 2024.

The project will see Balfour Beatty responsible for the design and construction of a new 9,767 square metre secondary school building and a new 3G artificial grass sports pitch. The new facility will replace the existing Nairn Academy and is designed to accommodate 745 students.

Notably, the new Nairn Academy is set to become Balfour Beatty's fourth Passivhaus certified school building in Scotland. Passivhaus is a stringent quality assurance standard for the design and construction of buildings that achieve significant energy efficiency. Balfour Beatty was also recently awarded the contract to design and build a new Passivhaus campus for Liberton High School in Edinburgh.


To meet the Passivhaus criteria, Balfour Beatty will install high-performance windows and doors, along with mechanical ventilation systems that incorporate heat recovery technology. These measures are aimed at reducing carbon emissions, improving the quality of indoor air, and significantly lowering the school's energy consumption.

Beyond the construction of the physical buildings, Balfour Beatty has also committed to creating opportunities for young people in the local area. In collaboration with the Construction Industry Training Board and Inverness College UHI, a partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands, the company will create ten new apprenticeship positions.

Hector MacAulay MBE, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty's regional business in Scotland, commented on the project: "We are delighted to have been appointed to deliver this latest new campus, further enhancing our legacy in delivering state-of-the-art, sustainable educational facilities across Scotland."

He added: "With works now underway, we are working closely and collaboratively with the Highland Council to successfully deliver this new school which will provide an exciting and inspirational learning environment for hundreds of students and teachers, serving both current and future generations."

Construction on the Nairn Academy project commenced at the beginning of 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in 2026. The project is expected to employ a peak workforce of 170 people during the construction phase.