Infrastructure net zero researchers help secure new regional housing and construction skills hubs

One of Edinburgh Futures Institute’s flagship research centres played a key role in a project that resulted in a £25M award for five new skills training centres across south east Scotland.

The UKRI funded Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings, led by Professor Sean Smith from the School of Engineering and who also leads the Centre for Future Infrastructure, worked with regional partners including West Lothian College to secure UK Government Local Growth Fund investment to support future housing delivery, retrofit and green economy jobs in the region.

The investment is part of an overall award of £37.8m for Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region from the UK Government’s Local Growth Fund, targeting areas with the lowest household incomes to create jobs and boost living standards.

A partnership between the four regional colleges of Borders, Edinburgh, Fife, and West Lothian plans to train over 20,000 new entrants across the region over the coming decade as well as upskill existing workers.

South East Scotland is the fastest growing region in Scotland, with some of the highest housing demand for now and into the future. The new training hubs will be strategically important in the delivery of 40,000 new homes across the region’s seven strategic housing sites.

The training centre in the South of Scotland will also benefit from Scottish Government funding through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander visited West Lothian College on Thursday 3 September 2026, to launch the UK Local Growth Fund, see the site of the future training facility and meet students.

Mr Alexander said: “The UK Government is releasing more than £14 million in year 1 to Edinburgh and South East Scotland partners who know their communities best. These funds will be crucial for addressing skills shortages, driving green innovation and removing barriers to local employment and infrastructure development. The UK Government is committed to empowering local communities by spreading power throughout the country. These funds will support local leaders throughout Scotland to create skilled jobs, help start up businesses and revive our local high streets.”

Professor Sean Smith, Principal Investigator, the Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings, which is hosted in Edinburgh Futures Institute, said: “We are delighted to see the investment from UK Government to these critically important five regional delivery skills hub facilities which will help so many people entering training and jobs in the housing and construction sector.”

The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings is a new UKRI Green Economy Centre. Led by the University of Edinburgh, the research partnership combines the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, West of Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, and BE-ST – Scotland’s construction innovation centre. High density building areas within cities and towns have the greatest challenges in meeting net zero targets and are ‘keystones’ of the future UK green economy. Diverse complexities of building archetypes, multi-use, historic and ‘listed status’ planning constraints requires a range of innovative low carbon green solutions. This is a critical net zero challenge not just for the UK (6M buildings) but also globally with 55% of the world’s population living and working in urban areas, rising to 68% by 2050.