New home for the BGS in Scotland

British Geological Survey in Scotland moves to new base on Heriot-Watt University campus

THE British Geological Survey (BGS) in Scotland has moved to its new base at the Lyell Centre (pictured), on the Heriot-Watt University campus in Edinburgh. Two major new buildings provide large open-plan offices for staff, a major new marine operations and engineering facility, a home for the national collection of Scottish rocks and fossils, together with laboratories and workshops to support the organization’s science programmes.

Among the key geological research programmes based in Scotland are the country’s onshore geological survey activities – supporting urban and rural Scotland, with research ranging from mineral resources and building stones to geothermal energy and landslides/other geohazards; and the UK’s national marine geology mapping programme, providing support for marine industries, marine ecosystems, coastal change etc.

Construction of the Lyell Centre was funded by the BGS, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Heriot-Watt University and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). It is a global centre of excellence based on research synergies and collaboration, with the emphasis of its work being at the intersection of the earth and marine sciences.

Professor John Ludden, executive director of the BGS, said: ‘I see the move to the Lyell Centre as a way of consolidating and enhancing the BGS science strength in Scotland through co-investment with a technology-focused university.’