Shaping Sustainable Construction

The built environment sector in the UK uses more raw material and produces more waste than any other. It is also responsible for around 25% of the country’s carbon emissions. It is a sector that urgently needs sustainability champions and at Edinburgh Napier University we are focused on developing them.

As Head of the Centre for Offsite Construction and Innovative Structures at Napier and Director of the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology at New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Professor Robert Hairstans is a transformational leader. Pioneer of the Year at both the 2024 Offsite and Structural Timber awards, he is a driving force in embedding modern timber construction at the nexus of education, research, practice and policy to meet the climate emergency. 

“The sector has a skills crisis and an urgent need to diversify and deliver change at scale,” Professor Hairstans explains. “While the technical innovations necessary to deliver sustainable solutions are available, we fundamentally need to underpin these with a competent workforce.”

The University’s world-leading reputation for expertise in modern methods of construction, timber technology, and sustainable built environment innovation has been recognised by the Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2009 and 2016. “In January 2026 we were awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education: USA Exchange, which will facilitate knowledge exchange and talent development in sustainable construction through an alliance with a newly identified strategic partner – Anthony Timberlands Centre at the University of Arkansas,” adds Professor Hairstans

MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN

Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings

High density buildings within cities and towns pose some of the greatest challenges in meeting net zero targets. “The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB) is a new UKRI Green Economy Centre aiming to drive change,” explains Professor Hairstans. “It’s a partnership led by the University of Edinburgh with the universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, West of Scotland, ourselves, and Built Environment–Smarter Transformation (BE–ST) – Scotland’s construction innovation centre, which is hosted by Edinburgh Napier.” It will develop, test and underpin the delivery of new green innovations.

The University leads the CeNZ-HighDB’s EDI, Skills and Training Thematic Working Group which unites leading organisations from academia, industry, government and training sectors, to develop a skilled, inclusive workforce for the net zero transition. “Our expertise and industry understanding will accelerate future deployment of innovative solutions through inclusive workforce upskilling,” Professor Hairstans explains.

Alumnus and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Anitha Karthik, is part of the Edinburgh Napier team within the CeNZ-HighDB.

Anitha Karthik is contributing to a portfolio of flagship projects that observe, test and deliver impact across education, skills development, and EDI. “If we don’t mainstream EDI in our transition approaches, we risk building a greener world that still leaves people behind, especially those already underrepresented in technical industries or disproportionately affected by climate change,” Anitha comments.

The group is exploring the lessons learned through research-led case studies – such as the Edinburgh Homes Demonstrator (EHD) which created a new delivery model for net-zero-ready affordable homes. “We are developing skills and training, workforce diversity, community engagement, and inclusive design approaches for the delivery of net-zero housing across different socio-economic areas,” she explains.

Anitha is also involved in Powering Futures, an inclusive, curriculumlinked STEM challenge to schools across the Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland City Region. “It introduces S4-S5 learners across 125 schools to STEM and construction pathways,” she explains, “enabling them to contribute to real-world net-zero solutions while developing their meta-skills for future careers.”

GAME-CHANGING CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION

Built Environment–Smarter Transformation (BE–ST) has enabled numerous industry engagement opportunities and progressed a variety of innovation projects secured in partnership with Edinburgh Napier academics. “It was a real gamechanger when it was founded in 2014,” comments Professor Hairstans.

For example, via the £1.5m Innovate UK-funded Transforming Timber and £4.5m GenZero projects, it has commercialised UK-sourced mass timber forms of construction, drawing on over a decade of Edinburgh Napier research to create social, economic and environmental benefits. Most recently, £2.5m of leveraged investment and the establishment of a Mass Timber Centre of Excellence will result in a three-year projected output of 20,000m³ of mass timber manufactured from sustainable forest practices that will store 12M kg of CO2e per annum. Commercial accelerator Ecosystems Technologies are delivering this into the market on live projects.

Impact Manager at BE–ST, alumnus Louise Rogers, is dedicated to advancing modern methods of construction.

“I’ve specialised in the development, manufacture, and adoption of homegrown mass timber and its innovative applications,” Louise explains. “As Impact Manager for Housing and Manufacturing at BE–ST, I work with industry partners to test and validate approaches that can accelerate achieving net zero through the use of timber.”

Championing homegrown timber supports a low-carbon future while promoting the economic potential of locally sourced materials. “I lead R&D and commercialisation projects on homegrown timber products, looking at lifecycle analysis, feedstock evaluation, and materials innovation,” Louise explains. “By co-authoring key sector reports and delivering demonstrator projects that apply research, I’m helping to enable the use of sustainable materials in scalable construction and offsite manufacturing.”

Louise studied Civil Engineering and was a Built Environment Exchange (beX) scholar, undertaking a placement at the University’s Centre for Offsite Construction & Innovative Structures (COCIS), before embarking on an MSc in Advanced Structural Engineering. “My experience at COCIS definitely furthered a passion for combining structural engineering with sustainable development.”

BUILDING CRUCIAL PARTNERSHIPS

Working with the UK’s largest manufacturer of structural timber components

Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE) is the UK’s largest and longest established manufacturer of structural timber components and a major partner of Edinburgh Napier. “They are industry lead for a £430k Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) flagship Industry Impact Fund - Timber in Construction Skills project,” explains Professor Hairstans. “In partnership with ourselves, BE-ST, and the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), and with industry bodies Structural Timber Association (STA) and Timber Development UK (TDUK), the project will develop a comprehensive industry training programme to accelerate modern methods of timber construction in the UK.” 

Alumnus, Michael Donaldson, is Executive Chairman of the Donaldson Group.

The James Donaldson Group has grown from a small sawmill in Fife into a diversified group of leading companies in timber distribution, manufacturing, and construction. “I was one of the first to qualify with an MSc in Timber Industry Management* receiving my masters in 2007,” Michael comments. “Ensuring we have a sustainable business for generations to come is what drives me, and the CITB funded project will allow the development of colleagues, and future colleagues, to increase our impact.”

He regards collaboration across the industry as a whole, and with Edinburgh Napier as essential, allowing research projects for more sustainable and commercially viable building systems to be developed. “I would whole heartedly support anyone partnering with the University,” he adds. “Partnership is how we will move forward.”

*This programme’s equivalent today is Construction Management.

Collaborating with major global consultancy WSP

The adaptive reuse of existing buildings is essential for meeting net zero targets and achieving sustainability. WSP, a major global consultancy firm at the forefront of enhancing the value of reuse against demolition and rebuilding, is the University’s industry representative on the board of the Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings. “Together, we are combining WSP’s built environment expertise with our knowledge of advanced timber technologies with a proposed project to explore how sustainable products, such as Cross Laminated Timber, can be best utilised for adapting and extending existing buildings,” comments Professor Hairstans. 

Alumnus, Mark Naysmith, is Global Chief Operating Officer for WSP.

In 2018, Edinburgh Napier awarded Mark an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering in recognition of his contribution to the built and natural environment. He has maintained strong links with the University throughout his career, helping to foster links with industry and shape programmes to fit industry needs. “I studied an HND, followed by three years at WSP, which then supported me to return to Edinburgh Napier to gain a degree,” he explains. “Over my 38 years with the company I’ve been fortunate to work on a number of iconic projects.”

WSP is providing scholarship support for a Master of Research student in the CeNZ-HighDB project. “We are proud to bring global expertise to the CeNZ-HighDB. Partnering with academia is critical to accelerating innovation and embedding sustainability at the heart of the construction industry,” Mark comments. “While today’s students, graduates, and apprentices will be tomorrow’s project directors, chief executives and board directors, cutting-edge materials research, such as that at Edinburgh Napier, is fundamental to transforming how we design, build, and operate for a sustainable built environment.”

GRADUATES POWERING IMPACTFUL COMPANIES

"Our expertise will accelerate future deployment of innovative solutions through inclusive workforce upskilling" 

Paramount Structures is a structural engineering consultancy focused on sustainable timber construction. “One of our graduates, Gordy Nelson, founded the company and its team includes another University alumnus, Mark Kirk, who serves as the company’s Technical Director,” explains Professor Hairstans. “Timber engineering is about shaping the built environment with a material that is sustainable and versatile, and Paramount Structures is redefining what’s possible with engineered timber products. It’s fantastic that Edinburgh Napier alumni are powering its success. Mark was previously an Associate Consultant in the COCIS research group and was involved in the development of the Tedds software that Trimble picked up.”

Trimble is a globally leading technology company. It partnered with the University to launch the first UK Trimble Technology Lab (TTL) in 2019. “Our world-leading approach to sustainable construction has led to a long-standing relationship with them,” comments Professor Hairstans. “Trimble recognised the impact we could make together, and now through the TTL we are cultivating highly trained graduates who can contribute to the net zero transition agenda.” 

In 2024 the company pledged a further £10.9m of in-kind support for the next five years.

Alumnus, David Crawford, is Managing Director at Deeside Timberframe Ltd.

David has a BSc in Civil Engineering and MSc in Timber Engineering from Edinburgh Napier and began his career as an associate consultant in COCIS. “I graduated during the 2007-08 recession and there weren’t many jobs for graduate engineers. I was encouraged to stay on and study a master’s while working part-time at the newly established COCIS, which was a really great opportunity.” Here, he was involved with much of the pioneering work on homegrown Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in partnership with CCG, a leading construction and manufacturing company in Scotland. 

“I then joined CCG, working there for around eight years. I left to become MD at Deeside Timberframe Ltd, an award-winning timber frame manufacturer and supplier operating throughout the UK,” he explains. A selfproclaimed timber evangelist, David is a champion for the benefits of timber construction. “Offsite construction solutions using sustainably sourced timber reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry,” he explains. “At Deeside, our innovation and semi-automation mean we can offer a platform for adaptability and repeatability and that’s key to long-term sustainability.”

Alumnus, Lauren Brister, is a Product Design Engineer with ITW Construction Products (UK & Nordics).

ITW is a leading global firm and Lauren is part of a new dedicated Engineering function within ITW’s Offsite Europe business. “I’m involved in supporting product development, industry compliance, and responding to technical queries,” she explains. “We are currently looking into creating innovative and sustainable connector products for use in the construction industry.”

Previously, after completing her degree at Edinburgh Napier, Lauren was appointed to head up a specialist division of Donaldson Timber Engineering focusing on the design and engineering of care home roof projects across the UK. “Working on care homes involves higher levels of engineering, standards, and complexities, so I learnt a lot,” she comments. “This industry is an exciting place to be, with so many opportunities to develop and contribute to more sustainable methods of construction."