BEFS News

BEFS new film, made in collaboration with the Scottish Traditional Building Forum, Heritage & Sustainability: A Journey Down One Historic Street was launched at the Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival 2021. BEFS Policy and Strategy Manager Hazel Johnson is joined by special guests from Architectural Heritage Fund Scotland, SURF, Under One Roof and Edinburgh World Heritage for a meander down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as she explores how the buildings and places that make up part of the Old Town of Edinburgh play an important role in the city’s sustainable future.

The 9^th Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival has now wrapped up after another year of fascinating online talks and virtual events. In a new blog post, John McKinney of the Scottish Traditional Building Forum reflects on the key themes of this year’s event.

BEFS attended the launch of Doors Open Days 2021 earlier this month at the Scottish Maritime Museum. The programme for their first ever hybrid festival, with both in-person and online events, is now live.

It was good to hear from Scotland’s Towns Partnership at the latest meeting of the Historic Environment Working Group (HEWG) about the potential support available for heritage projects under town centre regeneration and place-based investment funding streams. STP highlighted the potential for multi-year funding available through funds such as the Scottish Government Scotland Loves Local Fund, the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, and the Place Based Investment Programme, which is administered through local authorities (more info from SG available here). Members were encouraged to consider how their projects and assets might make use of these opportunities.

Also at HEWG, the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers shared that new CIRIA guidance Archaeology in construction: good practice guidance (C799) is now available. The guide offers practical advice applicable to construction projects of all scales and is relevant to all stages in the construction and development life cycle.

Scottish Civic Trust is looking for speakers for a digital lecture series on the intersection of heritage, equity and sustainability. The lecture series will consist of pre-recorded sessions that will be broadcast during COP26, 31 October – 12 November. Possible topics include inequitable funding of historic building refurbishment, community-led approaches to sustainable heritage and engaging children and young people with heritage and the climate crisis. Expressions of interest are due by 14 September.

Institution of Civil Engineer members are being invited to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of civil engineer John Rennie by contributing to a special commemorative project.

The Scottish Government has this weekend reached agreement with the Scottish Green Party on formal cooperation. BEFS notes the draft Shared Policy Programme, which includes commitments to:
–        to take forward the recommendations of the Scottish Parliament working group on tenement maintenance;
–        to embed the concept of twenty minute neighbourhoods within NPF4;
–        to ensuring that our existing and potential workforce has the support, skills and retraining needed to realise the significant economic opportunities from refurbishing our building stock.
–        to enable local government and housing associations to provide whole home retrofits where needed, helping to upgrade the most inefficient and expensive to heat social homes to the highest possible standard in one leap.

Consultations

HES Grants Refresh Consultation
Closes 6 September 2021

Funding for Culture – Call for Views
Closes 8 September 2021

The Heritage Alliance Diversity and Inclusion Survey
Closes 10 September 2021

Domestic Energy Performance Certificates Reform Consultation
Closes 8 October 2021

Home Energy Efficiency: Equity Loan Pilot – Call for Evidence
Closes 8 October 2021

Scottish Building Regulations: Proposed changes to Energy Standards and associated topics, including Ventilation, Overheating and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Closes 15 October 2021

UK Government Review of Architects Regulation: Call for Evidence
Closes 8 November 2021

Publications

To support the consultation and enable designers and developers to assess what the changes mean for building projects, updated consultation versions of the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) have now been released.

David Hume Institute: Scottish Parliament consultation response: Public Finances in 2022-23

IEMA Principles of Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment – in partnership with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) (20/07/21)

RTPI Scotland: Response to Scottish Government’s call for evidence on the development of the National Economic Transformation Strategy (26/08/21)

Achieving net zero in social housing – The Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce Report (SG 31/08/21)

Scottish Government News Releases

Short-term lets: letter from Cabinet Secretary on revised licensing legislation plans (SG 20/08/21)

Support to Protect Scotland’s Coastlines (SG 27/08/21)

Making a Quality Building Warrant Application – What you need to know
(SG 27/08/21)

Patrick Harvie appointed Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights (SG 30/08/21)

News Releases

New Research says ‘Cathedrals Matter’ (Association of English Cathedrals)

Opinion & Comment

Forget shops: how one UK town ripped up the rule book to revive its high street (Observer 21/08/21)

Insight: The detrimental impact short-term lets are having on urban and rural Scotland (Scotsman 22/08/21)

The recent SURF conference closed with a specially commissioned poem by Jo Gilbert. (27/08/21)

Scotland’s isles ‘would benefit’ from Faroes-style tunnels (BBC 30/08/21)

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

Question ref. S6W-02389 Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 23 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in the Scottish National Party election manifesto, what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland’s historic estate meets its net zero obligations.

Question S6O-00093: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date Lodged: 25/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to enshrining a rule in the National Planning Framework 4, where, for every new building, 1% of the cost is given to the arts.

Question S6W-02465: Kenneth Gibson, Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 25/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government when proposals for the introduction of Compulsory Sales Orders will be brought forward.

Question S6W-02556: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date Lodged: 30/08/2021 R
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has prepared an Island Communities Impact Assessment in relation to its proposed short-term lets Licensing Order, and, if so, whether it will publish it.

Parliamentary Questions and Answers

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament. Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

Question S6W-01909: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/07/2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many off-gas grid homes it estimates are not suitable for the installation of heat pumps, and what its position is on what alternative low-carbon heating systems they are able to install.
Answered by Michael Matheson (20/08/2021)

Question S6W-01904: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/07/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to support owner-occupiers of off-gas grid homes to achieve EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) Band C by 2025.
Answered by Michael Matheson (20/08/2021)

Other Parliamentary Activity

The UK Parliament is in recess 22^nd July 2021 – 6^th September 2021

Affordable Housing: The Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee has published a letter from Shona Robison concerning funding for affordable and social housing. (15/07/21)

Session 6: The Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee has published a letter from the Scottish Government about priorities for Session 6 that are of interest to the committee, including the local governance review and local democracy bill, funding formula for local government, housing and planning. (30/07/21)

Events

Doors Open Days 2021
Date: Weekends in September
Scotland’s largest free festival of places, history and culture will return this September! Doors Open Days offers free access to hundreds of sites across Scotland, and aims to make the country’s built and cultural heritage accessible to all.

Scottish Geology Festival
Date: 1 September – 17 October
Online, Outdoor, and Indoor Events
A packed programme of activities from Stranraer to Shetland that will showcase and celebrate Scotland’s geology. Events range from coastal walks to fossil hunting to online talks and even boat trips.

An Introduction to the Heritage Trust Network
Date & Time: 2 September 09.30am – 10.30.am
Online
A webinar to introduce partners, funders, new members and other organisations to the work of Heritage Trust Network.

SoAoS: Orkney Brochs to Iron Age Villages, The Ness in Rock and Stone, and The Mathematics of the Neolithic.
Date & Time: 5 Sept 3:30pm – 6pm, 7 Sept 11:30am – 12:15pm.
Online: YouTube Live.
Three memorial lectures in collaboration with Orkney International Science Festival, to attribute three late Fellows, John Hedges, Raymond Lamb, and Euan MacKie. Several of the speakers are Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland who will be hosting and highlighting the session.

LIS: Countdown to COP – Sustainable Landscapes
Date & Time: 9 September, 12pm–1pm
Online: Zoom
In association with the GIA – the first of the Landscape Institute Scotland COP26 events around climate change & sustainability. Join Karen Esslemont of OPEN for ClimatEvolution: Place-based transition to climate resilience in East Lothian; Duncan Maclean of LUC on Claypits Park, Glasgow & Greg Meikle of LDA on Sighthill: Regeneration at Scale.

Why Do Historic Places Matter? Emotional Attachments to Urban Heritage
Date & Time: 17 September, 3:30pm – 5pm
Online
This event to launch the final report of the Why Does The Past Matter? research project brings together leading figures from the heritage and built environment sectors to discuss the reasons why historic places matter emotionally to a range of individuals including developers, investors, planners, campaigners and residents.

Edinburgh World Heritage: A Miracle in Stone – A lecture to celebrate 50 years of conservation
Date & Time: 9 September, 6pm
Location: St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, George Street, Edinburgh.
Or Online
In 1971, the New Town Conservation Committee, which subsequently became Edinburgh World Heritage, set out on its mission to ‘save the New Town.’ Fifty years later, EWH invite you to join them in celebrating what has been called the ‘greatest achievement of the conservation movement in post-War Britain.’

SPAB: Conservation on the Edge: The Northern Lighthouse Board
Date & Time: 22 September, 6pm
Online
The Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) has been providing Marine Aids to Navigation in Scottish and Manx waters for over two centuries, protecting lives, property and the environment. This talk aims to give an overview of the role and function of the modern service and, through a series of case studies, explore the considerable challenges associated with caring for historic buildings located on the edge of Scotland and the Isle of Man.

A&DS at V&A Dundee:  What if… /we lived in places of small distances?
Date & Time: 30 September, 6:15pm
Join an expert panel to explore the concept of the 20-minute neighbourhood: a way to radically reconsider space, with meeting the needs of citizens at its core. How might this work rurally, where communities are sparse and have different needs? How can this be applied to different socio-economic situations? And how can we continue to improve our urban spaces to better meet the needs of a constantly changing world?

RIAS: Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture 2021 – Dr Jos Boys
Date & Time: 23 September, 6pm–7pm
Online: Zoom
Join us for the Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture 2021 and to celebrate the A&DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards shortlist announcement. This year’s Andy MacMillan Memorial Lecture will be given by Dr Jos Boys, The Bartlett / Co-founder of The DisOrdinary Architecture Project.

RIAS Convention 2021: Draw Together
Date: 28 September – 1 October
Online
Join us for our virtual architecture and built environment conference – four days packed with talks from our international line up of over 20 speakers, CPD, debate, discussion, sustainability speed mentoring (delivered in partnership with RIBA) and more! Draw Together will bring architects, built environment professionals and the wider public together to show how change is already happening to tackle our climate goals and targets, with spotlight on work across Scotland as well as UK and international examples. View the full programme here.

Training

RTPI: Making NPF4 work for Scotland’s diverse regions
Date & Time: 2 September 4pm–5pm
Online
With Scotland’s widely varied geographical locations, how will NPF4 ensure diverse regions can benefit?
Main speaker: Fiona Simpson, Interim Chief Planner, Planning & Architecture, Scottish Government. Fiona will provide progress update on NPF and views on implications and highlights on H&I Region.
Regional Speakers from Dundee City Council, NatureScot, Community Land Scotland, and Highlands & Island Enterprise will provide a geographical and work-related perspective on their own urban and rural areas, including their specific interests – diverse areas and expertise.

RTPI: Climate Ready Ken Project + Adaptation Issues in Planning
Date & Time: 9 September 4pm-5pm
Online 
In June 2020, the community around Loch Ken was selected to be part of the Climate Ready Localities programme, run by Adaptation Scotland.  The Climate Ready Ken project will look at the practical actions that individuals and communities need to take to understand and prepare for the inevitable impacts of a changing climate. This project forms part of the wider work of the Loch Ken Trust to build the Loch Ken Plan, a 10-year sustainable community plan, based around the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Under One Roof: Private Landlord Webinar Programme 2021-22
Date & Time: 14 Sept 6pm-7pm, then Monthly to June 2022
Online
Under One Roof, with generous support from SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust, is excited to release this year’s full webinar programme for private landlords and letting agents. Register now for the one-hour sessions, where you’ll be able to ask experts about general issues related to tenement buildings, and specific issues related to your flat. Future webinars will cover topics such as funding repairs, energy efficient tenement buildings, and how to set up an Owners’ Association. CPD certificates are also available to professionals who take part in the webinars.

Advertising Volunteer Opportunities with Mark Your Mark
Date & Time: 14 Sept 2pm–3pm or 15 Sept 6pm–7pm
Online
Scottish heritage organisations are invited to attend an informal information session to learn more about the Make Your Mark campaign and how you can use our free volunteer portal to recruit and manage your volunteers.

Traditional Building CPD – Modified Lime Mortars
Date & Time: 14 September, 12.00pm – 4.00pm
Location: Balnain Glen Urquhart, Inverness
Practical workshop for professionals and stonemasons to explore hot lime mixes with addition of linseed oil to modify durability and resistance to rain penetration.

RIAS Lunchtime CPD: Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals
Date & Time: 16 September, 12pm-1pm
Online: Zoom
In March 2021, ICOMOS published a new policy document on Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to advocate and localize the UN 2030 Agenda and SDGs from the perspective of heritage. In this presentation, Linda will briefly discuss the Policy Guidance and the SDGs, before focusing on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and the relevant Case Study: Lauriston Place in Edinburgh, to then explore SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) as examples on how the PG might be localised here in Scotland considering recent policy developments.

RTPI: Meeting our targets in a time of climate crisis
Date & Time: 28 September 4pm-5pm
Online
The need to meet Scotland’s climate change targets is ever more apparent. To achieve this, a mix of new renewable technologies and expansion of existing technologies will play a vital role. Scottish Renewables will discuss the form these new technologies will take – from battery storage to hydrogen, and re-powering – and the extent of the land use challenges these present. Neil Collar (Brodies) will then provide a critical reflection on how the planning system has managed planning for renewables so far and how well equipped it is to meet these challenges and opportunities in future.

RTPI: The role of women in placemaking
Date & Time: 30 September, 4pm-5pm
Online
This event looks at the representation of women in the planning profession, current issues and views on the design of the public realm. It discusses influencing placemaking in UK and international contexts. There will also be an undergraduate student dissertation discussion.

Arts & Business Scotland: Introduction to being a Board Member
Date & Time: 16 & 23 November, 4pm-7pm
Online: Zoom
Designed for new Trustees, the essential Introduction to being a Board Member online course runs over two sessions to cover duties of charitable trustees/board members, roles and responsibilities of board members and staff, meeting management and decision making, advocacy and fundraising, strategic planning, and finances.

Vacancies

Edinburgh World Heritage: Communications Officer
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint an ambitious and creative Communications professional who is looking to further develop a wide range of key communication skills, from classical PR/media management, to extending the reach and impact of EWH’s large digital footprint, as well as helping design and promote heritage-themed events and other city-wide initiatives.
Closing Date: 17 September 2021

BEFS News

BEFS are delighted to introduce our new Communications and Membership Manager, Jess Burrows. Jess joins us fresh from handing in her dissertation in the Architectural Conservation MSc at Edinburgh University and having previously worked for both the Soil Association Scotland and the Churches Conservation Trust in Communications roles. Jess’s role and title reflect not only the importance of BEFS Communications as part of our work, but now rightly reflect the importance of BEFS Members as essential to all our activity. We’ve welcomed her into the team over the past week, and Members can all be assured she’ll be contacting you all to introduce herself.

This week BEFS Director met with the Convenor and Vice Convenor of the Scottish Parliament, Local Government, Planning and Housing Committee. BEFS had been asked to provide a briefing in relation to priorities for the Committee’s work in the coming Parliamentary Session. BEFS had also been asked to reach out to relevant Members in relation to their working practises during the pandemic. BEFS thanks all those who contributed time and information as well as to the Committee for their invitation. BEFS Briefing can be found here.

We’ve already released the news on Twitter, but BEFS are thrilled to be partnering with NTS to support their Portfolio Review. BEFS are now seeking a Research Manager for a 6-month contract to aid delivery of the project. Applications close: 23 August.

Skills have been on our mind as we worked with the Scottish Traditional Building Forum on a film taking a walk down the Royal Mile and providing a new take around sustainability to this more traditional tourist location. Thanks to all those involved! The film will be launched on Monday at the Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival – full details for the festival (running 23 – 27 August) can be found here.  We also know that North East Scotland Preservation Trust are keen to know about skills training in the North East – brief survey here.

BEFS also formally welcome our most recent Associate Member, Stirling City Heritage Trust who provide a Blog of introduction to their work, and the work of the Traditional Building Health Check Scheme.

Glasgow City Heritage Trust have also launched a new podcast If Glasgow’s Walls Could Talk – we look forward to exploring the series.

HES are currently reviewing and updating their grant funding programmes. This consultation is seeking feedback on these proposals to help to ensure that the new grant funding programmes and grants priorities meet the needs of applicants and align with current policy and priorities regarding the historic environment and the wider outcomes it can deliver for society, the economy and the environment. Closing Date: 6 September 2021.

HES also want to know about individual experiences of using HEPS over the last two years. As many responses as possible are needed to give a true reflection of how the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland is used. Consultation here. Closes 30 August.

The A&DS and RIAS Scottish Student Awards for Architecture 2021 are open for entries! The awards are an annual highlight – recognising emerging talent from our student members and the Scottish architecture schools. Full details and submission form can be accessed here. Submission deadline: Monday 23 August 2021.

Applications are now open for the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. Community groups and organisations can apply for funding of between £500 and £5,000 to support public facing activities and events taking place in Scotland during 2022, either in person, virtual or hybrid. Full details here – the application deadline for the first funding round is 5pm on 1 October 2021.

The Heritage Alliance have also now started the search for a new Head of Policy and Communications to lead their small advocacy and comms team. BEFS wishes Hannah Shimko all the best for the future, it’s been a pleasure working with you!

Consultations

Historic Environment Policy for Scotland Consultation
Closes 30 August 2021

HES Grants Refresh Consultation
Closes 6 September 2021

Funding for Culture – Call for Views
Closes 8 September 2021

Domestic Energy Performance Certificates Reform Consultation
Closes 8 October 2021

Home Energy Efficiency: Equity Loan Pilot – Call for Evidence
Closes 8 October 2021

Scottish Building Regulations: Proposed changes to Energy Standards and associated topics, including Ventilation, Overheating and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Closes 15 October 2021

Publications

Rome Declaration of the G20 Ministers of Culture (G20 07/2021)

Levelling up through circular economy jobs (Green Alliance 08/2021)

IPCC 6the Assessment Report (IPCC 09/08/2021)

Heritage Volunteering Group Creating Capacity (08/2021)

RTPI Scotland’s response to consultation on Short Term Lets draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment(12/08/21)

Learning how to live well together: our strategy for change (Carnegie UK 08/21)

New Briefing: Delivering multi-year budgeting in Scotland (The David Hume Institute 08/2021)

Land for Housing: Towards a Public Interest Led Approach to Development(Scottish Land Commission 18/08/2021)

Scottish Government News Releases

The Scottish Government has moved to appoint Dr Fiona Simpson as Interim Chief Planner until the position is filled on a permanent basis. Fiona has taken on that interim role with immediate effect.

Realising Scotland’s full potential in a digital world – a digital strategy for Scotland: progress report 2017 to 2021(SG 30/07/2021)

Developing Net Zero Technical Solutions for Scotland’s Future Mass Retrofit Housing Programme (SG 03/08/2021)

Scottish Advice Note: Determining the fire risk posed by external wall systems in existing multi-storey residential buildings (SG 04/08/2021)

News Releases

Scotland Loves Local Fund II – Open until 1 October
A total £2 million-worth of grants will be available this financial year from the Scottish Government Scotland Loves Local Fund, a multi-year support scheme that aims to encourage people to support businesses and enterprises in their local community.

Opinion & Comment

How do we make homes fit for net zero (BBC 04/08/2021)

Major retrofit proposed for ‘greener’ Glasgow (SHN 09/08/2021)

Scotland’s Heritage sites under attack by thieves and vandals (Herald 01/08/21)

Holiday Accommodation Representatives withdraw from short-term lets working group (Holyrood 08/2021)

Let Kinloch Castle fall into curated decay – and become the ruin that Scotland needs (The Guardian 17/08/2021)

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S6W-01904 Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/07/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to support owner-occupiers of off-gas grid homes to achieve EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) Band C by 2025.

S6W-01909 Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/07/2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many off-gas grid homes it estimates are not suitable for the installation of heat pumps, and what its position is on what alternative low-carbon heating systems they are able to install.

S6W-02067 Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 04/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to date in introducing a Housing First approach.

S6W-02069 Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 04/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for reducing the number of empty homes.

S6W-02088 Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 05/08/2021 R
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish an update to the report, Housing statistics: Empty properties and second homes.

S6W-02125 Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 09/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on carrying out inspections of the historic sites cited as being closed as a precautionary measure by Historic Environment Scotland on 7 June 2021.

S6W-02126 Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 09/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to Historic Environment Scotland to enable historic sites to be made safe for reopening to members of the public, and what the timescales are for the reopening of these sites.

S6W-02159 Ariane Burgess, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party, Date lodged: 11 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with community councils to inform its proposals for the National Planning Framework 4.

S6W-02217: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the funding in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-2026 has been allocated to projects related to a) utility networks, b) transport and c) digital communications.

S6W-02158: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 11/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its response to the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance, and when it will publish the programme for delivery of the actions identified in its response.

S6W-02179: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 11/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to introduce Compulsory Sale Order (CSO) powers for local authorities.

S6W-02188: Sharon Dowey, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/08/2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the planned review of the home report, due in 2021, whether the review will include a consultation and, if so, by what date that consultation will open.

Parliamentary Questions and Answers

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament. Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S6W-00967 Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 22 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that increasing the Scottish Land Fund significantly in the early years of the current parliamentary session will be the most effective way of ensuring that communities can compete for the ownership of land, given that there is an increasing number of wealthy private owners expressing interest in buying land.
Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 July 2021

Other Parliamentary Activity

The Scottish Parliament is in recess from 26^th June 2021 – 29^th August 2021
The UK Parliament is in recess 22^nd July 2021 – 6^th September 2021

Events

Pathways to Traditional Skills; A European Perspective
Date: Tuesday 24 August 2021 – one day conference
Online
Historic Environment Scotland has led a research outcome of the Erasmusplus Traditional Building Skills project working with Scottish and EU partners comparing educational routes into building craft skills and developing new courses in schools and colleges. This conference will report the findings from this work, assess how we can learn from other models and consider the future of building craft skills and how they can be passed on to the next generation.

SURF Annual Conference – Partners in Place
Dates: 24, 25, 26 August 2021
Booking now open for a series of three 90min virtual sessions focusing on: Post-Covid Recovery; Place-based Regeneration and Climate Change.

HTN & HCS At the Heart of the Community – A Future for Your Church
Session Three: Finding New Uses (you do not need to have attended the previous sessions)
Date: Wednesday 1 September 2021, 10-11.30am
Online
In this event we will hear from Harriet English from the Plunkett Foundation, who will introduce the new Community Businesses in Places of Worship project and the support available. We will then go on to have an informal discussion with attendees on the topic of finding new uses, challenges and successes.

Biocultural Heritage in the UK – INHERIT Report Launch
Date: 2 September 4pm
Online
The research was undertaken by Zoe Russell, who will present the findings at the event. We’ll also hear from a panel with diverse perspectives on the topic: Peter Rawcliffe from NatureScot; Hannah Fluck from Historic England; Chris Higgins from Ecodyfi in Wales, and; Krystyna Swiderska from the International Institute for Environment & Development (IIED).

DTA Scotland Conference – Community Climate Action
Date: 5 – 7 September
Online
DTA are offering an engaging, thought-provoking and relevant programme. Immediately after every Conference session, we will also be hosting an informal networking space where people can come together and carry on the conversation – or strike up new ones with new contacts.

SPAB: Inverness Castle Pre-Works Visit
Date: 8 September 2pm
Location: Inverness Castle
This is a unique chance to take part in a tour of this fascinating group of buildings before major conservation and development works start. The buildings have been stripped out of previous modern fittings, and this will be an interesting moment to see the original shapes of the buildings.

PAS – Scotland’s Digital Planning Transformation
Date: 14 September
Online
This event is an ideal opportunity for planners, placemaking professionals, architects, local and national government officers, elected representatives at local and national level, communities, infrastructure providers, engineers and all other relevant stakeholders to engage with other thought leaders and potential partners.

Training

HES are now recruiting for an MSc in technical building conservation. Full details here.

Architectural Conservation CPD: Timber Decay and Repair in Traditional Buildings
Date & time: Wed. 25 August, 12:30-13:30 (from 12:15).
Online via Microsoft Teams, streamed live from Lower City Mills, Perth.
The more technical second half of the 2020 CPD programme opens with this session on timber decay and repair. Delivered by Historic Environment Scotland’s Technical Research Manager Roger Curtis, this CPD will look at the use of timber in traditional construction, decay processes, remedial measures and repair techniques to structural and finishing timber. Sessions are hosted online with Q&A and networking opportunities and delivered using live and recorded content by industry accredited professionals and are recognised CPD by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and Scottish Traditional Building Forum (STBF).

Arts & Business Scotland: Legacy giving. Now is the time – if you do it right. Learn how to!
Date & time: 16 September, 11:00 – 15:00
Online via Zoom
This course is focused on how to integrate legacies into your current fundraising at little or no cost at a time when more people are making Wills than we have witnessed in decades. The course will cover how to talk and write about legacies in an upbeat but sensitive way, using tone of voice and listening skills. The session will also look at the best messages to ensure no invasion of privacy during difficult sensitive times as well as where to put those messages to trigger interest and action.

SPAB: Duart Castle Visit & Lime Day
Date & time: Sat 18 & Sun 19 September, all day
Location: Duart Castle, Isle of Mull, accessd by ferry from Oban.
Duart Castle is an iconic Scottish Castle in a dramatic and sublime landscape. The Castle was brought back into use in the early C20th (around 1912) after being a ruin for 150 years.  Stonemason Andy Bradley and architect Martin Hadlington will run this weekend event.
DAY 1 (Saturday 18th September) – Visits & tours of castle, including lighting of the lime kiln.
Approx times: 11am – 3pm, including lunch.
DAY 2 (Sunday 19th September) – Practical day, opening up of the kiln and working with tutors to mix mortar and use it on the castle.
Approx times: 10am – 4pm, including lunch.

Scottish Lime Centre Trust: The Structural Repair of Historic buildings
Date & time: 24 September, 9:30 – 16:30
Location: Charlestown Workshop
This masterclass led by Ian Hume, aims to provide professionals with a sound understanding of the philosophy of conservation.  Suitable for: This masterclass is suitable for anyone involved in the structural repair of historic buildings. Conservation officers, architects, engineers, site managers and others would find this seminar helpful.

IHBC CPD – Conservation Engineering
Date & time: 28-29 September, 10.00-13.00 both days
Online
The sessions are intended to help conservation professionals understand some of the structural engineering problems and solutions which historic buildings might have.  The sessions will attempt to put conservation professionals in a position to hold informed discussions with project structural engineers, some of whom may not be particularly familiar with the constraints which conservation might put on their structural solutions.

COTAC Conference 2021 – Protecting our World, Protecting our Heritage
Date & time: 23-24 November, 10.00-13.00 both days
Online
Day 1 will explore the expected impact of climate change on the built heritage, and the potential impact of climate change mitigation on the built heritage. Day 2 will explore ways to support development of the training, skills, and expertise needed to protect the built heritage and reduce emission of greenhouse gases.

Vacancies

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: Publications Officer
SoAS are looking for a Publications Officer to join a small team producing diverse publications about Scotland’s past. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is a charity and an independent publisher of high-quality books and journals. This varied role will offer excellent experience in all aspects of academic publishing. Closing Date: 22 August 2021

Built Environment Forum Scotland – Research Manager
BEFS are delighted to be partnering with NTS to support their Portfolio Review. BEFS are now seeking a Research Manager for a 6-month contract to aid delivery of the project.The successful Research Manager will be working with both the BEFS team who are Project Co-ordinators and the NTS team who are leading the national scale review of their asset portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved with a strategic national project. Closing Date: 23 August 2021

Heritage Trust Network: Board of Directors
Heritage Trust Network is recruiting new members to its Board of Directors. This is a unique opportunity to join the leadership of one of the fastest growing organisations in community-led heritage regeneration. You could help steer their ambitious strategy to strengthen the organisation and help their members succeed. Closing Date: 23 August 2021

Director of Scotland’s Churches Trust
Due to the retirement of the present post holder at the end of 2021, it is looking to recruit a Director who will be responsible for the day to day running of the Trust and related activities, and who will report to the Board of Trustees. Closing Date: 1 September 2021

Volunteer with North Lanarkshire Doors Open Days – Coordinator 
This is a great opportunity to help people in your local area freely access heritage sites and events; network with professionals across Scotland’s heritage sectors; and develop skills in project management, communication and website management. You will be supported by a friendly national network of Doors
Closing date: applications accepted on a rolling basis.

BEFS News

BEFS would like to draw Members’ attention to two new funding streams. The first for nationally important heritage: The National Heritage Memorial Fund’s COVID-19 Response Fund is now open. This £40million fund will address the long-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic on nationally important heritage assets.

The second, is new funding from NLHF and is for Digital Volunteering. Previous research (DASH) found that the sector is calling out for digital innovation to help it move into a more resilient, creative future, and identified an opportunity to create new forms of volunteering to support this. Read all about the digital volunteering funding stream here.

This week UNESCO withdrew World Heritage Status from Liverpool. Edinburgh World Heritage have reflected on the warning this presents to Edinburgh.

BEFS team have had a busy time – and look forward to welcoming their new Communications and Membership Manager to the team in August. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for announcements of the programme for Edinburgh Traditional Building Festival, as BEFS are working with the Scottish Traditional Building Forum to highlight aspects of sustainability at this year’s festival.

As Covid restrictions are now lifting across Scotland there is a marked increase in events and organisational activity. Many of BEFS Members have got in touch to tell us what their plans are for the Summer – see below, as well as further details in both the Events and Training sections of the Bulletin.

The Scottish Civic Trust My Place Awards which celebrate community-led built environment projects that have transformed their locality, are now open for entries. The 2021 Awards have two categories: the general Award honours recently completed projects (2018-2020); and the Sustainability Award honours projects completed between 2001 and 2011 that demonstrate continued fitness for purpose, as well as having a robust approach to climate readiness.

More details are regularly being released about COP26 – with the high-level Presidency Programme now released. The final timetabled day focuses on Cities, Regions and the Built Environment. With much detail for the Green and Blue zones still to be finalised, and the hybrid nature of all events continually in flux, BEFS looks forward to the sustained focus that can be placed on the climate benefits which our existing environment can provide (environmentally, economically, and socially) – but, how to harness this global focus into meaningful outcomes remain unclear.

If your civic trust or local heritage society is making plans COP26 you can book rooms in the Scottish Civic Trust’s Glasgow City Centre offices free of charge to host exhibitions, events or meetings related to COP26.

NLHF are seeking Committee Members – including one for the Scotland Committee. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved with heritage grant making across Scotland. Full details – here.

After a successful Summer School for 2021 (clips are now available) IHBC would like to remind readers that the Gus Astley Student Awards submissions will close 31st July. Prizes include a place at IHBC’s 2022 Aberdeen School.

Nominations are closing soon for RTPI 2021 elections – including the Scottish Executive Committee vacancies for 2022. See more detailshere.

BEFS would also like to extend their congratulations to John Gerrard, on his recent IHBC Marsh award.

BEFS Bulletin is taking its own mini Summer Recess and will return on the 19th of August.

Consultations

Petition: To create a tax incentive to favour retrofit instead of demolition and new build
Closes 8 August 2021.

Consultation: Short term lets Regulation information
Closes 13th August 2021

Draft 2030 Climate Strategy – Edinburgh
Closes 12 Sep 2021.

Consultation – Building Standards Fire Safety, External Wall Systems
Opened 16th July 2021 – Closes 8th October 2021

Publications

Context – IHBC Journal – Applying Digital Technology (IHBC 07/2021)

Business Energy & Industrial Strategy Committee (UK) report on the steps required to tackle climate change. (UKPARL 08/07/2021)

Annual Report British Tourist Authority trading as VisitBritain and VisitEngland (UK HoC 14/07/2021)

ONS Economic Output and Productivity report (ONS 15/07/2021)

Centre for Policy Studies – Reshaping Spaces, Building back better (CPS 16/07/2021)

Principles of Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment IEMA, IHBC CIfA (IEAM 20/07/2021)

Sustainability Tools in Cultural Heritage STiCH

Scottish Government News Releases

Planning and Environmental Appeals: annual review 2020 to 2021

Planning Performance Statistics 2020/21: Quarterly (October 2020 To March 2021)

Impact of Developer Contributions in Scotland

Planning Circular – promotion and use of mediation, guidance.

News Releases

Scottish Futures Trust Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool 
The Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool provides a look forward as to the anticipated public sector spend within construction. The forecast tool has been developed by the Scottish Futures Trust in partnership with industry and public sector bodies.

Public Health Scotland Covid 19 Research Repository
Public Health Scotland (PHS) has collaborated with universities to create a comprehensive repository of pandemic-related data. The platform, which contains research about Covid-19 in Scotland in a range of formats, is a fully accessible and searchable digital resource. It reduces duplication of effort and makes research easier for policymakers, researchers and the public to find and use.

Art Fund – Museum of the Year 
Art Fund Museum of the Year, the world’s largest museum prize, returns. A celebration of the UK’s museums and galleries, the 2021 prize will reflect the resilience and imagination of museums throughout the pandemic.

Opinion & Comment

Adaptive Reuse of Fortified Churches in Transylvania – Challenges & Opportunities (07/2021)

CHARTER Brainstorm in Riga – joint venture in building a conceptual matrix for cultural heritage (07/2021)

Scotland’s travel sector looking to new tourism minister to help with recovery. (Holyrood 12/07/2021)

Murray Pittock: Culture is a huge part of the Glasgow economy – let’s not lose that (Herald 18/07/2021)

Funding cuts to go ahead for university arts courses in England (Guardian20/07/2021)

Liverpool loses Unesco World Heritage status over waterfront development (i 21/07/2021)

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

S6W-01482 Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date Lodged: 15 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what powers it will devolve to local authorities to help them meet climate change targets, in response to calls made at the International Net Zero Local Leadership Summit.
S6W-01470 Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date Lodged: 15 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has received regarding how material shortages and increased contractor prices in the construction sector are impacting householders redeeming Home Energy Scotland Loan offers.

UK – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – World Heritage Sites

Other Parliamentary Activity

The Scottish Parliament is in recess from 26^th June 2021 – 29^th August 2021
The UK Parliament is in recess 22^nd July 2021 – 6^th September 2021

Statement by the UK Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – Building Beautiful Places 20th July 2021  – Related UK publications include: National Model Design Code  and an updated Planning Framework

The UK Government Community Ownership Fund Round 1 has opened. Deadline Mid-August

First evidence session of the Sustainability of the Built Environment inquiry,for the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC)

Parliamentary Motions

Motion: S6M-00615 That the Parliament congratulates The Ridge in Dunbar on its recent award of £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Motion S6M-00603 That the Parliament recognises that Dunbar Battery, which is based at the town’s harbour, was one of five finalists in the Exterior Spaces category of the European Award for Architectural Heritage Intervention

Events

AHSS – Principles are Principles, but Variety is the Spice of Life – James Simpson
Date: 29^th July – 5pm
Online
The joy of conservation practice, whether one is a textile conservator, a botanist or an architect lies in the range of tasks one has to face. Each project and each day are different: ‘variety is the spice of life’!
In this talk, work to three buildings will be described, the survival of which has taken massive effort, but each has proved to be far more valuable in the end than seemed likely at the beginning.

Pathways to Traditional Skills; A European Perspective
Date: Tuesday 24 August 2021 – one day conference
Online
Historic Environment Scotland has led a research outcome of the Erasmusplus Traditional Building Skills project working with Scottish and EU partners comparing educational routes into building craft skills and developing new courses in schools and colleges. This conference will report the findings from this work, assess how we can learn from other models and consider the future of building craft skills and how they can be passed on to the next generation.

SURF Annual Conference – Partners in Place
Dates: 24^th, 25^th, 26^th August 2021
Booking now open for a series of three 90min virtual sessions focusing on: Post-Covid Recovery; Place-based Regeneration and Climate Change.

HTN & HCS At the Heart of the Community – A Future for Your Church
Session Three: Finding New Uses (you do not need to have attended the previous sessions)
Date: Wednesday 1^st September 2021, 10-11.30am
Online
In this event we will hear from Harriet English from the Plunkett Foundation, who will introduce the new Community Businesses in Places of Worship project and the support available. We will then go on to have an informal discussion with attendees on the topic of finding new uses, challenges and successes.

SPAB: Inverness Castle Pre-Works Visit
Date: 18th September 2pm
Location: Inverness Castle
This is a unique chance to take part in a tour of this fascinating group of buildings before major conservation and development works start. The buildings have been stripped out of previous modern fittings, and this will be an interesting moment to see the original shapes of the buildings.

Training

HES are now recruiting for an MSc in technical building conservation. Full details here.

Architectural Conservation CPD: Timber Decay and Repair in Traditional Buildings
Date & time: Wed. 25 August, 12:30-13:30 (from 12:15).
Online via Microsoft Teams, streamed live from Lower City Mills, Perth.
The more technical second half of the 2020 CPD programme opens with this session on timber decay and repair. Delivered by Historic Environment Scotland’s Technical Research Manager Roger Curtis, this CPD will look at the use of timber in traditional construction, decay processes, remedial measures and repair techniques to structural and finishing timber. Sessions are hosted online with Q&A and networking opportunities and delivered using live and recorded content by industry accredited professionals and are recognised CPD by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and Scottish Traditional Building Forum (STBF).

Scottish Lime Centre Trust: The Structural Repair of Historic buildings
Date & time: 24^th September, 9:30 -16:30
Location: Charlestown Workshop
This masterclass led by Ian Hume, aims to provide professionals with a sound understanding of the philosophy of conservation.  Suitable for: This masterclass is suitable for anyone involved in the structural repair of historic buildings. Conservation officers, architects, engineers, site managers and others would find this seminar helpful.

IHBC CPD – Conservation Engineering
Date & time: 28-29 September, 10.00-13.00 both days
Online
The sessions are intended to help conservation professionals understand some of the structural engineering problems and solutions which historic buildings might have.  The sessions will attempt to put conservation professionals in a position to hold informed discussions with project structural engineers, some of whom may not be particularly familiar with the constraints which conservation might put on their structural solutions.

COTAC Conference 2021 – Protecting our World, Protecting our Heritage
Date & time: 23-24 November, 10.00-13.00 both days
Online
Day 1 will explore the expected impact of climate change on the built heritage, and the potential impact of climate change mitigation on the built heritage.  Day 2 will explore ways to support development of the training, skills, and expertise needed to protect the built heritage and reduce emission of greenhouse gases.

Vacancies

The Cockburn Association: New Treasurer for governing Council
The Cockburn Association is looking for a new Treasurer to join the governing Council of the Association.  Information and details available – contact Terry Levinthal.

Fife Historic Buildings Trust – Project Development Officer
A new full-time fixed term post, funded by Historic Environment Scotland, to work with the FHBT team to develop new historic environment regeneration projects in Fife, principally the restoration and re-use of historic buildings at risk. Closing Date: noon – Thursday 29th July 2021

Edinburgh World Heritage – Graveyards Engagement Officer
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint a Graveyards Engagement Officer to play in key role in engaging audiences in one of our five historic burial sites in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. Closing Date: Friday 30^th July at 12noon

Edinburgh World Heritage – Operations & Finance Manager
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint an Operations & Finance Manager who is responsible for managing the operation of the charity, leading on the delivery of finance, governance, HR and office objectives to enable the organisation to run smoothly and efficiently.
Closing Date: Monday 16th August at 5pm

Heritage Trust Network: Board of Directors
Heritage Trust Network is recruiting new members to its Board of Directors. This is a unique opportunity to join the leadership of one of the fastest growing organisations in community-led heritage regeneration. You could help steer their ambitious strategy to strengthen the organisation and help their members succeed.
Closing Date: 23rd August 2021

Director of Scotland’s Churches Trust
Due to the retirement of the present post holder at the end of 2021, it is looking to recruit a Director who will be responsible for the day to day running of the Trust and related activities, and who will report to the Board of Trustees. Closing Date: 1 September 2021

Volunteer with North Lanarkshire Doors Open Days – Coordinator 
This is a great opportunity to help people in your local area freely access heritage sites and events; network with professionals across Scotland’s heritage sectors; and develop skills in project management, communication and website management. You will be supported by a friendly national network of Doors
Closing date: applications accepted on a rolling basis.

BEFS News

At the end of May BEFS took part in a cross-sector Climate Vulnerability (CVI) workshop, assessing the Edinburgh World Heritage Site.  With facilitators from James Cook University Australia, Historic Environment Scotland, and Edinburgh World Heritage, participants were invited (over 5 sessions) to explore vulnerabilities caused by climate change, in relation to the world heritage site’s Outstanding Universal Value and the wider community.
BEFS was particularly interested in the application of the CVI process to an urban site and the wider aims to identify where capacity and opportunities for climate change adaptation and achieving net zero targets might lie. Applying a risk-matrix and rapid-assessment approach and considering the different aspects of the World Heritage property in detail was a valuable exercise. Just as valuable perhaps, was the chance to hear different perspectives and voices from a wide range of participants. BEFS looks forward to seeing how the CVI informs a draft climate action plan for the Old and New Towns!
In our guest blog you can read about the process from the perspective of those directly involved with managing the world heritage site. Read more here.

New funding for the sector – #COP26Conversations Fund
This fund has been designed to help cultural and heritage organisations begin to raise their profile as spaces for communities to engage with the climate challenge and explore positive actions. The fund is being delivered in partnership between Museums Galleries Scotland, the Scottish Library and Information Council and Historic Environment Scotland, it will offer small grants (up to £1,000) to museums, libraries and historic environment organisations to host small scale, community focused events and activities in the build up to and during COP26.

The most recent edition of the Scottish Planner, RTPI’s Journal contains articles by BEFS past and present Directors, as well as a review of regeneration from SURF’s past Chief Executive. Full access here.

BEFS was part of the audience for the well-attended Scotland’s Towns Partnership launch of the Town Toolkit. It’s clear that there are some fantastic examples and case studies – especially around turning empty spaces into business spaces and how to use vacant property. The toolkit is intended to be a resource of practical advice, and it links to a funding finder within the tool kit. Honest feedback is being sought – and the team welcome any useful information and case studies from users – feed back here.

The Managing Imperial Legacies group ran an informative webinar on Decolonising Heritage at the start of July. BEFS was there to understand the depth of organisational change that is necessary to provide more equitable narratives, narratives that address our links and legacies to the transatlantic slave trade, whilst embracing the discomfort of those changes. There was appreciation for all those furthering this progress, and adapting to discomfort, as part of our collective and individual stories. A conference is planned for 2022.

Equity and the climate crisis in on the mind of Scottish Civic Trust who are looking for speakers for their lecture series on Heritage, Equity and the Climate Crisis – full details here.

BEFS recently responded to the recent Local Place Plan Regulations consultation. BEFS response supports the Regulations as they stand, but notes that many of the concerns around LPPs remain unaddressed by the consultation. Guidance and further clarity is needed around a number of issues. Read BEFS and Member responses here.

Historic Environment Scotland are now seeking a new Chair – details can be found here Closes 16th August

BEFS corresponding organisation south of the border, The Heritage Alliance are also currently advertising for a new Chair, see details here Closes 31st July

Last, but very much not least – BEFS are delighted to welcome newest Associate Member Stirling City Heritage Trust. We’ll hear more from them directly in due course, but until there’s a full introduction, please see their website – and also note the opportunity to work with them in the vacancies section below.

Consultations

Petition: To create a tax incentive to favour retrofit instead of demolition and new build
Closes 8 August 2021.

Draft 2030 Climate Strategy – Edinburgh
Closes 12 Sep 2021.

Consultation Responses

Scotland’s Fourth National Planning Framework Position Statement – Analysis of responses to the consultation (SG 25/06/21)

Planning Performance and Fees Consultation – Analysis of Responses

Publications

Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk (CCC 16/06/2021)

Parks for People: why should we invest in parks? (NLHF 07/2021)

Green Heat in Greenspaces (GHiGs) project data (IS 07/2021)

ALVA Tourism Recovery Tracker (via STA 07/2021)

Briefing on Climate Change (SPICe 07/2021)

Building a Green Recovery (IfG 07/2021)

Healthy Homes Scotland (PHS via CaCHE 05/07/2021)

Scottish Government News Releases

Infrastructure Investment: Andrew Watson, director for budget & public spending at the Scottish Government, has written to the Public Audit Committee with the latest report on the progress of Major Capital Projects for the six months ending March 2021.

Building Standards Futures Board minutes: June 2021

Scottish Government Advice & Guidance on returning to offices (Covid 19) 

Environmental Standards: The instrument establishing Environmental Standards Scotland has been formally lodged by the UK Government.

News Releases

Europa Nostra – Call for Nominations – 7 Most Endangered Programme
Launched in 2013 and starting its 7th edition, the 7 Most Endangered Programme is a civil society campaign to save Europe’s endangered heritage. It raises awareness, makes independent expert assessments, proposes recommendations for action and seeks to rally support to save the selected endangered sites. Being on the 7 Most Endangered List often serves as a catalyst for positive change and as an incentive for mobilisation of the necessary public or private support.

CivTech Alliance Challenge 7 – School Building Use
We currently do not fully understand how the physical spaces in schools and educational buildings are utilised beyond timetabling and term-time considerations, and without full understanding, effective planning and management is not possible. This has the potential to detrimentally impact many aspects of the building’s performance – for example in terms of air quality, which if not optimal has the potential to spread diseases such as Covid 19.
However if we could understand how our educational buildings are being used, we could make informed decisions on how we plan, invest in, and utilise them to best effect. So we want to gain an understanding about how people travel through buildings, and how they occupy rooms, spaces and external facilities, and in doing so realise a number of benefits including increased pupil wellbeing, identifying new capacities within buildings for growth and expansion, and improving the learning environment through data driven building management decisions.

Opinion & Comment

How we measure energy efficiency in our homes isn’t working (01/07/2021)

Architecture & Design Scotland – Whole Place Approach 29/06/2021 

National Trust for Scotland – Shaking Off the Past (National 04/07/2021)

Carbon cost of demolishing Derby Assembly Rooms (AJ 06/2021)

Construction groups unite with proposed new carbon reporting rules (RICS 05/06/2021) 

Parliamentary Questions

Questions marked with a triangle (?) are initiated by the Scottish Government in order to facilitate the provision of information to the Parliament.Questions in which a member has indicated a declarable interest are marked with an “R”.

Parliamentary Questions & Answers

Question ref. S6W-00749 Craig Hoy, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: 15 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes in each local authority area in the South Scotland parliamentary region have been returned to use with support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, in each year since 2011.
Answered by Shona Robison (29/06/2021)

Other Parliamentary Activity

The Scottish Parliament is in recess from 26^th June 2021 – 29^th August 2021
The UK Parliament will be in recess 22^nd July 2021 – 6^th September 2021

UK Renewable Energy: The Scottish Affairs Committee has published its notes from its visit to Orkney from Sunday 27 – Monday 28 June as part of its renewable energy in Scotland inquiry.

UK Withdrawal Agreement: The first UK-EU annual report on the functioning of the Withdrawal Agreement has been published.

UK Building Safety: The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has published the Building Safety Bill. The legislation aims to ensure there are people responsible for safety during the design, build and occupation of high-rise buildings.

Events

For the latest information about BEFS Members’ events see our events calendar.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: In Conversation with David Walker
Date & time: Wednesday 14th July 2021 | 7.30pm BST
Online.
In GCHT evening lecture series ‘Transforming Glasgow’, we are looking to the past for inspiration and possible solutions. The series focuses on how Glasgow has changed and reinvented itself in a variety of ways from the latter half of the 20th century onwards to today. How have these changes come about and what has the impact been? What lessons can be learned?
Join us for a screening of our interview with Professor David Walker, a leading figure from the early days of conservation in Glasgow & Scotland, as we explore the huge amount of work that was done in the 1960s and since to protect Glasgow’s heritage and impress upon the people in power how significant it is to the city.

CIfA Ethics workshop
Date & time: July 21st, 2021 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Online
Using case studies developed from real-life experiences in archaeological practice, participants will use ethical guidance and experience to formulate and discuss their reactions and solutions to these ethical quandaries. This represents a valuable opportunity for participants to undertake Continuing Professional Development/Education and it can help professional archaeologists to gain facility in setting about and responding everyday ethical situations.

Pathways to Traditional Skills; A European Perspective
Date: Tuesday 24 August 2021 – one day conference
Online
Historic Environment Scotland has led a research outcome of the Erasmusplus Traditional Building Skills project working with Scottish and EU partners comparing educational routes into building craft skills and developing new courses in schools and colleges. This conference will report the findings from this work, assess how we can learn from other models and consider the future of building craft skills and how they can be passed on to the next generation.

SURF Annual Conference – Partners in Place
Dates: 24^th, 25^th, 26^th August 2021
Booking now open for a series of three 90min virtual sessions focusing on: Post-Covid Recovery; Place-based Regeneration and Climate Change.

Training

CPD: Heritage Impact Assessments with Georgina Allison
Date & time: Tues.13th July, 12:30-1:30pm
Online: GCHT Zoom Meeting
Join GCHT for this CPD lecture delivered by conservation accredited architect Georgina Allison, covering the process, expertise and importance involved in a Heritage impact assessment, along with some case studies, to gain knowledge pertinent to all architects and conservation professionals undertaking work on historic buildings.
This CPD is being delivered as part of GCHT’s “THE GREENEST BUILDING HAS ALREADY BEEN BUILT” programme, in line with COP26 2021.

Architectural Conservation CPD: Timber Decay and Repair in Traditional Buildings
Date & time: Wed. 25 August, 12:30-13:30 (from 12:15).
Online via Microsoft Teams, streamed live from Lower City Mills, Perth.
The more technical second half of the 2020 CPD programme opens with this session on timber decay and repair. Delivered by Historic Environment Scotland’s Technical Research Manager Roger Curtis, this CPD will look at the use of timber in traditional construction, decay processes, remedial measures and repair techniques to structural and finishing timber. Sessions are hosted online with Q&A and networking opportunities and delivered using live and recorded content by industry accredited professionals and are recognised CPD by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) and Scottish Traditional Building Forum (STBF).

Vacancies

Tender Opportunity – Stirling City Heritage Trust
Stirling City Heritage Trust is seeking a suitably qualified consultancy to help develop a 5 year Strategic Plan. Closing Date: Wednesday 13 July 2021, 12 noon

Fife Historic Buildings Trust – Project Development Officer
A new full-time fixed term post, funded by Historic Environment Scotland, to work with the FHBT team to develop new historic environment regeneration projects in Fife, principally the restoration and re-use of historic buildings at risk. Closing Date: noon – Thursday 29th 2021

Edinburgh World Heritage – Graveyards Engagement Officer
Edinburgh World Heritage is looking to appoint a Graveyards Engagement Officer to play in key role in engaging audiences in one of our five historic burial sites in the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh World Heritage Site. Closing Date: Friday 30^th July at 12noon

Director of Scotland’s Churches Trust
Due to the retirement of the present post holder at the end of 2021, it is looking to recruit a Director who will be responsible for the day to day running of the Trust and related activities, and who will report to the Board of Trustees.
Closing Date: 1 September 2021

Volunteer with ?Glasgow Doors Open Days
Become a part of one of Glasgow’s largest annual cultural events, by volunteering with Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival! Meet new people, boost your CV, get involved in our city’s heritage and help others enjoy their time at the festival.