Get ‘Real’ – Norscot wins Interface innovation award

Successful Veka Group customer Norscot took home the ‘Innovation of the Year’ trophy at the prestigious Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2018; which celebrate the achievements of academic and business collaborations and partnerships.

Norscot Joinery – the Highlands and Islands fabricator of PVC-U windows and doors, and timber frame kits – received the award at an evening event run by Interface in Edinburgh. The Innovation of the Year prize was awarded to Norscot, in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, in recognition for the research and development of virtual reality show home software. 

Having identified a major challenge in the self-build market; that of customers being unable to ‘visualise’ their future home designs through traditional paper plans and CAD designs alone, Norscot began to work with the University of Strathclyde on software that allows a customer to ‘walk-through’ their new-build via a combination of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and virtual reality technology. 

The champion collaboration was born as Interface, the Government backed organisation which links businesses with academic partners, paired Norscot to the University of Strathclyde through the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) initiative.

Norscot’s chairman Peter Body said, “While the idea is very simple, it is taking a small army of very clever and supportive people to bring it to fruition. I thank them all for the progress to date, which has exceeded expectations. This award is a very welcome recognition of the project’s potential, which will further enthuse the team to make it a success.

“Norscot is a family-owned company based in Bower, a small village in the far north of Scotland, but with over 30 years of experience we have never stopped innovating and improving the products and services we offer to all of our customers throughout the UK.

“I’d like to offer special thanks to Claire Farquhar at HIE and Shaie MacDonald at Interface. When the idea was first mooted, their vision and encouragement was instrumental in getting it off the ground.”

Veka Group’s Sales Director Neil Evans added, “Norscot is a long-standing Veka fabricator and valued member of Independent Network, with a hard-working team that have never shied away from innovative technologies or new developments that will fuel growth for the company. ‘Innovation of the Year’ is certainly an accolade to be proud of. Congratulations to all at Norscot on a very well deserved win.”