A new £2.2million science building at Inverness Campus has been completed and is ready to start work.
The building is set to house life sciences companies on the campus and will be one of the first operational building on the 215 acre site.
The striking new building was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) as part of wider plans for research and commercialisation on the site, which also includes the new Inverness College building.
Ruaraidh MacNeil, HIE’s project director for Inverness Campus, says the opening of the life sciences facility is a significant milestone in the development of the site.
He added: “Providing a modern purpose-built facility for life sciences companies marks the start of the expansion of the business side of the Campus.
“We can offer life science companies state-of-the-art facilities in a beautiful environment where they can grow their businesses by sharing knowledge and expertise with other like-minded companies.”
The unit has been designed to be extremely flexible with space for up to six tenants and is eligible for grant incentives for life sciences.
It was designed by Inverness architects Threesitxty Architecture and Morrison Construction, also based in the Highland capital.
There is also additional space for expansion on the plot surrounding the new life sciences building, one of six on Inverness Campus with Life Sciences Enterprise Area status.
Environmental impact is a priority for HIE at Inverness Campus and the life sciences building has achieved a BREEAM excellent rating for sustainable design which includes air-source heat pumps.
The campus is expected to be one of the main drivers of the north’s economy over the next five years and has the potential to support up to 1,300 jobs on site and a further 940 jobs across the Highlands and islands.