National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, UK

NEC has been used to deliver the new National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NIMS). The University of Strathclyde, which operates the 11,500 m² carbon-neutral facility next to Glasgow Airport, let the building work to Morrison Construction under an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option A (priced contract with activity schedule). Construction started in November 2020 and the £42 million project was completed on programme and budget in January 2023. 

Designed by HLM Architects under an NEC3 Professional Services Contract (PSC), NMIS is a collaborative space for short-term innovative manufacturing projects up to prototype stage. It includes an advanced forming research centre, digital factory, digital process manufacturing centre, lightweight manufacturing centre, manufacturing skills academy and open-plan offices and meeting spaces for 90 research staff. 

‘Outstanding’ sustainability

Featuring an exposed timber glulam diagrid frame, NIMS was the first education facility in the UK to achieve a Breeam ‘outstanding’ sustainability rating. It is powered by renewable energy generated on site, including from a 520 kW rooftop photovoltaic array and a network of ground- and air-source heat pumps. The development also has rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, sustainable drainage and a 1,500 m² green roof to encourage biodiversity. 

NMIS has won numerous awards, including Project of the Year–Universities in the 2024 Education Estates Awards and the Championing Carbon Reduction/Net Zero in a Project Award at the 2024 Modern Methods of Construction Awards. It is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and supported by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Island Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, Renfrewshire Council, South of Scotland Enterprise, and the Scottish Funding Council. 

Turner & Townsend was the NEC project manager.

Useful and effective 

Steve Harris, the University’s senior capital projects manager, says ECC Option A is the University’s standard procurement route for larger projects. ‘The simplicity of the NEC processes for early warnings, compensation events and project manager instructions mean they generally work really well for us as useful and effective tools. The NIMS contract was no exception.’

 He says HLM and other consultants were appointed in 2018 under NEC3 PSCs to undertake the design, which was completed at the end of 2019. ‘Following protracted tender negotiations through the initial Covid-19 lockdown period, we managed to agree a contract with Morrison in September 2020 with no Covid risk to the University. The initial construction programme was 18 months long with further periods for commissioning and defects close-out while the digital factory was being fitted out.’

Harris says the NEC requirement to act in a ‘spirit of mutual trust and co-operation’ was fully embraced by the project team, ensuring a collaborative approach to delivery. ‘Both sides used the NEC early warning process effectively to identify and collaboratively mitigate any risks to the programme and budget. As a result, the award-winning building was successfully delivered on programme and budget in January 2023, and was officially opened in June 2023.’ 

Benefits of using NEC

• NEC requirement to act in a ‘spirit of mutual trust and co-operation’ was fully embraced by the project team, ensuring a collaborative approach to delivery.
• NEC early warning process were used by both sides effectively to identify and collaboratively mitigate any risks to the programme and budget.
• The simplicity of NEC processes for early warnings, compensation events and project manager instructions meant they worked well as useful and effective tools.