Nairn Academy construction work progresses with completion of the Passivhaus-certified building expected in 2026
The long-awaited new secondary school in Nairn is starting to take shape as construction work progresses with the steelwork now going up.
Preparation work began last summer on the new Nairn Academy which is programmed to be operational in August 2026.
It will be one of the first schools built in the Highlands to be a certified Passivhaus building - a building standard which aims to make buildings more energy efficient.
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The school has a planning capacity of 800 pupils and is part of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP).
Highland Council’s education committee chairman, Councillor John Finlayson, said it was an exciting development for the area and for members of the community who were eagerly awaiting its completion.
“Nairn Academy is a pilot project for us and is one of the first low energy complete ‘Passivhaus’ schools to be constructed in Highland,” he said.
“Improving our school estate is a challenge, but it is one we are committed to addressing with the support of our partners to offer more quality learning environments for school communities.
“We look forward in anticipation to a fantastic new school building for the pupils of Nairnshire.”
Housing and property committee chairperson, Councillor Glynis Campbell Sinclair, wished the construction team the very best with the build phase and looked forward to progress updates.
“A great amount of work has taken place already in the preparation of the new school build, and we are beginning to see results of those great efforts from those involved in the project,” she said.
“The community will now be able to see the new school take shape as the steelwork goes up on site.
The campus will become Balfour Beatty’s second Passivhaus certified school building in Scotland.
Hector MacAulay, managing director of Balfour Beatty’s regional business in Scotland said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to deliver this latest new project, further enhancing our legacy in delivering state-of-the-art, sustainable educational facilities across Scotland.
“With works now underway, we are working closely and collaboratively with 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.”
The £61 million contract awarded to Balfour Beatty is funded from phase two of the Scottish Government's LEIP announced in December 2020, and capital funding for the project was approved by Highland Council in September 2023.
