Borders pupils design a greener future

​The Scottish Borders Construction Forum, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, recently announced the winners of the second annual “Design an Eco House” competition at a special event held in the state-of-the-art 360° immersive classroom at Borders College, Galashiels.

​First launched in September 2023, the competition gave pupils from across the Scottish Borders several months to bring their ideas to life before the inaugural prize-giving in August 2024.

After a successful first year, the initiative returned for a second time, once again inviting young people to design homes that put energy efficiency, sustainability, and resource conservation at the heart of their thinking. Entrants were challenged to imagine a house that stays warm in winter, cool in summer, keeps carbon emissions low, and embraces the reuse and recycling of water, energy, and materials.

Sixteen pupils were selected as prize-winners from a wide range of imaginative and thoughtful entries. Their designs demonstrated outstanding creativity, practical thinking, and a strong understanding of what it means to build with the environment in mind.

Robyn McNulty (11), a winner from Broomlands Primary, said: “I feel really proud! I’d love to see my design in real life – I’d be so surprised if it actually became real. I really liked putting everything together, designing it and learning how it all worked. The competition showed me a totally different career I’d never thought about before.”

Councillor Julie Pirone, Executive Member for Education, Youth Development and Lifelong Learning, presented the awards. The winning pupil from Broomlands Primary School received a £50 voucher, while all runner-up pupils from Broomlands and St Peter’s Primary Schools received £10 vouchers each. The prizes were kindly funded by Oregon Timber and NorDan Windows.

Cllr Julie Pirone said: “I was delighted to award the prize to our fabulous pupils who had take time and a lot of effort to submit amazing eco- homes in this fantastic competition. The children from St Peter’s and Broomlands Primary Schools were absolute stars and are truly the minds of the future that we badly need in the Borders if we are to have the skills and ideas to build more sustainable, affordable homes.”

The Scottish Borders Construction Forum, which exists to support the region’s construction sector and supply chain by encouraging the exchange of ideas, information and innovation, congratulated all the participants and shared their excitement about the role these young designers will play in shaping a greener, more sustainable future.

Julie Nock said: “Reaching net zero will take more than ambition – it will take skilled people. That’s why it’s so important we open up clear, engaging educational routes into careers in the built environment. The Design an Eco House Competition inspires young people to think about sustainability, green technology, and biodiversity, while also showing them the wide range of rewarding opportunities that exist in the sector. We can’t wait to see how these talented pupils shape the future of sustainable design.”