Just Transition Hub
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Client: The James Hutton Institute
Project Value: £7m
Completion: 2025
Sector: Research | Sustainability | Education | Public Sector
Framework: SCAPE Scotland Consultancy framework
“Personally, we (the James Hutton Institute and AtkinsRéalis) have built a strong and productive working relationship. AtkinsRéalis is consistently helpful and always willing to provide sound advice.”
Malcolm Collie
Knowledge Transfer and Support (Hutton Hub) Officer, James Hutton Institute
Delivering a flagship hub to support Scotland’s transition to a low‑carbon economy
The Just Transition Hub is a flagship facility developed by the James Hutton Institute to support communities and industries transitioning from oil and gas towards a low‑carbon future.
Designed as an inclusive space that brings together public, private and community stakeholders, the Hub includes new conferencing facilities, a VR suite and an open science café. Together, these spaces create a vibrant new heart to the Institute’s Craigiebuckler campus in Aberdeen, supporting innovation, connection and knowledge sharing.
AtkinsRéalis was appointed through the SCAPE Scotland Consultancy framework to support delivery of the Hub, enabling early engagement, transparent procurement and access to experienced consultancy expertise. Throughout the project lifecycle, the AtkinsRéalis team provided robust project and contract management to safeguard quality, manage risk and ensure alignment with the Hub’s long‑term sustainability objectives.
The James Hutton Institute required a high‑quality, flexible facility to support research, collaboration and public engagement around the concept of a “just transition” to a low‑carbon economy. The Hub was envisaged as a place where industry policymakers, researchers and communities could come together to share knowledge, test ideas and explore sustainable solutions.
Key requirements included adaptable meeting and conferencing spaces, areas for public engagement and specialist facilities capable of supporting visualisation and immersive learning. Given the diverse stakeholder group, the project demanded strong governance, clear decision‑making structures and careful management of scope and budget. AtkinsRéalis was appointed to provide project management and contract administration services, supporting the client from early design stages through to construction and handover.
The project involved a complex stakeholder landscape, evolving requirements and ambitious aspirations for innovation and sustainability. Ensuring that the design remained aligned with budget constraints while responding to user needs required close collaboration across the project team.
During the design development stage, it became clear that elements of the initial design approach required refinement to remain deliverable and affordable. This prompted a structured review of options, enabling the team to refocus the project on its core objectives. Managing programme pressures, procurement challenges and coordination across multiple disciplines required strong leadership, clear communication and proactive risk management throughout delivery.
The Just Transition Hub was successfully delivered as a high-quality, future-focused facility that meets the James Hutton Institute’s aspirations for collaboration, research and engagement. Through disciplined project management, proactive governance and structured decision-making, the project achieved alignment between stakeholder expectations, programme and budget.
Key outcomes include a flexible building layout that can adapt to changing needs, enhanced stakeholder engagement spaces, and the delivery of a specialist visualisation suite that supports immersive learning and research. Regular reporting, formal stage-gate reviews and collaborative working practices provided clarity and confidence for the James Hutton Institute throughout delivery, resulting in a facility that supports long-term impact and value.
Social value and sustainability
The project was underpinned by a strong focus on social value and long-term sustainability. Engagement with internal staff, external partners and community representatives helped shape the Hub’s purpose and ensure it responded to real needs.
Social value outcomes included enhanced access to facilities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and public engagement, supporting the Institute’s mission to influence policy and practice around climate transition. The Hub provides an inclusive platform for discussion, learning and innovation, supporting economic resilience and skills development in a region undergoing significant change.
Social value was delivered primarily by the main contractor, Kier Construction, through local school engagement. This included site visits for pupils and in-school sessions delivered by AtkinsRéalis and the wider construction team to explain construction phases, roles and skills, helping raise awareness of careers in the built environment.
The Just Transition Hub directly supports Scotland’s sustainability ambitions by enabling research, dialogue and education focused on the transition to a low-carbon economy. Sustainability was embedded in both the project’s design and delivery, with a strong emphasis on adaptability, inclusive engagement and long-term use.
Designed specifically to support a “just transition”, the Hub combines flexible spaces, collaborative stakeholder engagement and industry-leading visualisation technology to enable research, knowledge sharing and informed decision-making around climate and energy transition.
The project team also used recycled materials to meet the James Hutton Institute’s sustainability ambitions. This included reusing flooring from a school gym hall in one of the project’s conference suites.
Strong governance throughout delivery ensured sustainability objectives were protected, resulting in a facility that supports social, economic and environmental sustainability over the long term.
Why SCAPE Scotland?
What did the SCAPE Scotland framework bring to the project?
Using a SCAPE Scotland framework enabled early engagement, transparent procurement and access to experienced consultancy support for the James Hutton Institute. It provided a route to quickly mobilise an integrated team with the right experience to manage a complex, stakeholder-led project.
What were the benefits of using SCAPE Scotland?
SCAPE Scotland’s frameworks and expertise supported collaborative working, clear governance and effective risk management. The framework offered flexibility during periods of change, helping the James Hutton Institute make informed decisions and maintain momentum while protecting project outcomes.
Delivery team
- Project Manager: AtkinsRéalis
- Contractor: Kier Construction
- Architect: JM Architects
- Civil & Structural Consultant: Goodson Associates
- M&E Consultant: CCDP
- Acoustic Consultant: RMP
- Fire Engineering Consultant: Jensen Hughes
In collaboration with:
Meet the lead:
Rachel Park
Framework Manager
Project gallery
Image credit: Niall Hastie, JM Architects
Image credit: Niall Hastie, JM Architects
Image credit: Niall Hastie, JM Architects
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