Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment, Angela Constance, is to launch two demonstration projects at the BRE Innovation Park @ Ravenscraig today.

The Park, located on the former steel works site, is a mini-demonstration of homes and buildings that tap into the country's legacy of invention and innovation.

During Wednesday's visit, the Cabinet Secretary will open the new Refurbished House. Newly constructed, the four in a block home will showcase a range of retrofit solutions for some of the most energy inefficient homes across Scotland and the UK.

The project has been delivered by BRE Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and Historic Scotland and constructed by local builders Cruden.

In addition to the above, Ms Constance will also meet architectural and construction students from local New College Lanarkshire who have designed – and will now start to build – the Curriculum House on the site. The initiative has been described as a "fresh, unique and youthful" take on how homes for the future should look, feel and perform for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. It is also the first 'live' higher level educational project of its kind in the UK.

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Designed as a family home, the Curriculum House aims to achieve gold level compliance with section 7 of the Scottish Building Standards. It is comprised of a thermally efficient closed panel timber frame build system called Val-U-Therm, manufactured by Scottish company Scotframe, which minimises the energy needs of the home and generates minimum waste. Other key features include TETRiS an eco-friendly, strong and highly insulated structural flooring alternative to beam and block floors. The home is expected to be completed later this year.

Speaking at the launch, the Cabinet Secretary said: "A priority for the Scottish Government is to create better links between the business and education sectors, something which the Wood Commission has been looking very closely at, ahead of its final report, due next month.

"There are mutual benefits to be had, with young people applying their enthusiasm and energy to find new solutions to the challenges faced by the business sector, while at the same time and gaining practical hands-on experience that will ultimately benefit the Scottish economy. This project is also an inspiring example of global business teaming up with the local community."

BRE Scotland Director Rufus Logan added: "The Park is about applying innovation and science to find solutions for our existing and future buildings not only in Scotland but in the UK, in Europe and around the world.

"These two projects will have a significant impact on Scotland in terms of making our buildings better but also in helping us progress the skills of our young people so they can develop careers fit for the global workplace."

(JP/CD)