Great Glen House

Overlooking Inverness and the Moray Firth from an elevated site on Leachkin Road, 2 miles (3 km) west southwest of the city centre, Great Glen House is the headquarters of NatureScot (previously known as Scottish Natural Heritage), the government agency tasked with protecting the natural environment. The building is also home to the Crofting Commission, a non-departmental public body which promoted and regulates crofting.

The building cost £12.5 million and the design incorporated large area of glass and locally-sourced larch cladding. The architects were Keppie Design and Robertson Developments were responsible for construction. A 90m-long voluminous atrium forms the heart of this three-storey building, providing exhibition and function space, with open-plan offices, meeting rooms, a library and boardroom arranged around it to maximise visual connectivity. The atrium serves as the primary entrance and the driver of the natural ventilation. The building employs passive solar and wind to achieve a naturally heated and ventilated office space. Heat is absorbed by a concrete slab and released at night. There is also a staff room, gym and changing rooms, with workshops and a service yard at the rear.

Great Glen House was developed for Scottish Natural Heritage, following the Scottish Government decision that the organisation should move from Edinburgh, and opened in July 2006, accredited as being the greenest building in the UK at the time. It has received several awards, including the British Council for Offices' Award for Best Corporate Workplace 2007.

NatureScot represented a rebranding of Scottish Natural Heritage, a non-departmental public body established under the provisions of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991. It is governed by an appointed Board and is led by a Chief Executive. There are 620 staff and NatureScot has an annual budget of £54.5 million (2019).

The Crofting Commission is another non-departmental public body, operating under the auspices of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and largely independent from government. It comprises of six commissioners elected from geographic areas in the crofting counties, and a further three appointed by the Scottish Government. It is supported by a staff of over 55, led by a Chief Executive.

It was also the headquarters of the Deer Commission in Scotland, but the functions of this agency were merged with Scottish Natural Heritage in 2010.

The Great Glen Way passes immediately to the north.


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