BEFS Bulletin 403: Sector Priorities in Programme for Government

Culture Counts response to the Scottish Parliament Public Service Reform Committee’s inquiry, Public Service Reform: Pre-budget Scrutiny 2027-28 (Culture Counts 06/08/2026)

Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system: government response (UK Gov 17/08/2026)

Museums Galleries Scotland response to the Scottish Parliament Public Service Reform Committee’s inquiry, Public Service Reform: Pre-budget Scrutiny 2027-28 (MGS 19/08/2026)

Accelerating home-building in Scotland: Summary of consultation responses (Scot Gov 20/08/2026)

Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 – EPC reform consultations: SG response – update (Scot Gov 24/08/2026)

Compulsory Purchase Reform: Consultation Responses Summary (Scot Gov 26/08/2026)

Compulsory sale and lease orders – Consultation analysis report (Scot Gov 26/08/2026)

Consultation on proposals to Update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967: Analysis of Responses (Scot Gov 28/08/2026)

Culture in climate action: Integrating culture into 20-minute neighbourhoods (Culture for Climate Scotland July 2026)

Commercial-to-residential conversion as a strategy for climate resilient city building (Urban Retrofit 27/07/2026)

World Heritage UK 2025–26 review (WHUK August 2026)

Urban Retrofit: A Pathway to Net Zero Planning (Taylor & Francis 06/08/2026)

Resilience and ambition: Museums Galleries Scotland publishes 2025-26 Annual Review and Climate Report (MGS 19/08/2026)

Dr Jocelyne Fleming – Improving Canada’s housing policy outcomes: considering lessons from the National Housing Strategy as government develops NHS 2.0 (CaCHE 24/08/2026)

For further listings, please see BEFS events calendar

Scottish Archaeology Month – Events 2026
Dates: On now until Wednesday 30 September 2026
Locations: Across Scotland
The Scottish Archaeology Month 2026 Events Programme helps you to plan a fun-filled September exploring the best of Scotland’s Archaeology and Heritage. From the East Lothian Archaeology and Heritage Fortnight to the Orkney Archaeology Festival, this year’s Programme is one of the best yet with events taking place in every region of Scotland.

Doors Open Days Weekends for 2026
Dates: On now until Sunday 27 September 2026
Locations: Regional variations
Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates places, history and culture. It offers free access to hundreds of venues and events across the country throughout September, every year. The festival is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and is part of European Heritage Days alongside Scottish Archaeology Month. European Heritage Days is a pan-European project that brings citizens together and highlights the European dimensions of our shared cultural heritage.

National Lottery Good Causes – What Matters to You?
Date & Time: Monday 7 September 2026; 2-3pm
Location: Online
The UK Government has created a survey on the future of National Lottery good causes funding – and they want to hear from you. You are invited to join an online meeting with Scotland Directors of The National Lottery Community Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and sportscotland to hear more about this opportunity to have your say. They will provide a helpful overview of the questions being asked and why. They will explore how The National Lottery Good Causes funding works in Scotland and the impact that it has. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould for landlords with Glasgow City Council
Date & Time: Monday 7 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
If you are a landlord in Glasgow, join this free lunchtime webinar with Glasgow City Council, on damp and mould. There will be discussion on the causes and treatment options of damp and mould, and an update on Awaab’s Law, a crucial piece of legislation which will change how landlords across Scotland respond to damp and mould complaints.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould for landlords with Argyll and Bute Council
Date & Time: Tuesday 8 September 2026; 10-11am
Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams
Damp and mould are serious problems affecting Scotland’s tenements, damaging buildings and harming human health. If you are a landlord in Argyll and Bute, find out how you can tackle the problem of damp and mould at this free morning webinar. Under One Roof will be discussing updates to legislation, and sharing expertise on how to deal with damp and mould in common areas of your building. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A, where you will have the chance to ask an expert about your own damp and mould issues.

C&BS – Spotlight | Effective Approaches
Date & Time: Wednesday 9 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Cold emails are one of the most effective ways to start conversations with potential sponsors, but only when they land well. In this practical webinar, fundraising consultant Alice Samtoy will share proven techniques for writing emails that cut through crowded inboxes and lead to productive conversations. You’ll learn how to craft targeted and personalised approaches and how and when to follow up, all while avoiding the common mistakes that cause sponsorship emails to be ignored.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould for landlords with Scottish Borders Council
Date and Time: Thursday 10 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
If you are a landlord in the Scottish Borders, find out how you can tackle the problem of damp and mould at this free lunchtime webinar. It will cover key updates to legislation, and Under One Roof will share expertise on how to deal with damp and mould.

C&BS – Midday Spotlight | The Soft Opt-In
Date & Time: Wednesday 16 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Are you interested in exploring the fundraising and engagement opportunities offered by the changes introduced to data protection laws and the “soft opt-in”? Join C&BS for this lunchtime webinar with Laura Irvine, Managing Partner of Davidson Chalmers Stewart and experienced data protection and information law specialist. Laura will help you understand these changes to make sure you understand what you can and cannot do in order to reach a wider audience with confidence.

Under One Roof – Managing common repairs with Dundee City Council
Date & Time: Thursday 17 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Join this free lunchtime webinar on managing common repairs. Under One Roof and Dundee City Council will explore different maintenance and repair issues which can occur in tenement buildings, and how to organise a repair to a common area. They will talk about how to work with your neighbours to arrange and pay for works. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with a tenement expert, when you will have the chance to ask questions about your own building.

SEDA Conference 2026: Common Ground
Dates: Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September 2026
Location: Falkland Estate, Falkland, Cupar KY15 7AF
This conference in Fife will focus on common ground in land, buildings, stories and the care we share. On Friday there will be workshops including earth building, hemp building, drystone dyking and willow weaving. On Saturday there will be Common Ground talks, KJJ student Award and participatory workshops on circularity, textiles, women, regenerative storytelling, hutting, Council of all Beings and tree seed collecting. There will be an additional evening film screening and discussion on the Big Conversation and just transition in construction. On Sunday there will be talks on food networks, land, a tasting session with Highland Boundary and a guided tour of the Estate.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould for landlords with Inverclyde Council
Date & Time: Tuesday 22 September 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
If you rent out a flat, join this free lunchtime webinar with Inverclyde Council, to understand damp and mould. Under One Roof will share expertise on how to identify and treat damp and mould, both in your own flat and in common areas of your building. They will explain about Awaab’s Law, and the new obligations landlords need to be aware of. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with their Education and Training Officer.

SPAB – Maintaining Scotland’s Historic Places of Worship: Forfar
Date & Time: Tuesday 22 September 2026; 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Guthrie Parish Church, Guthrie, Forfar DD8 2TP
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland? In this introductory one-day course, you will learn how your historic faith building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it. You’ll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your building with the course tutors and others attending. Armed with a new understanding of how traditional buildings were constructed, how they work, and how they decay, you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to spot and tackle common problems that put your old building at risk.

SPAB – Introduction to Community Ownership of Rural Church Buildings
Date & Time: Wednesday 23 September 2026; 11am-3pm
Location: Bedrule Church, Hawick TD9 8TE
Is your community group considering taking on – or already managing – a rural place of worship? Caring for a historic building is a significant responsibility, and this introductory course will help you understand the practical steps needed to keep your building in good condition and support the long-term success of your project. Through a mixture of talks, workshop sessions, and practical activities, participants will gain a clearer understanding of both building care and day-to-day operations management. Expert speakers and workshop leaders will cover topics including fire safety, health and safety, building maintenance, safeguarding, keyholder responsibilities, facilities and operations management, and planning for long-term sustainability. Contributors will include representatives from Development Trusts Association Scotland, Bedrule Church Future, and SPAB Scotland.

DHET – Felt Experiences of Place Workshop
Date & Time: Saturday 26 September 2026; 2-4pm
Location: Dundee Historic Environment Trust, 29 Exchange Street, Dundee DD1 1DJ
Join Dundee Historic Environment Trust as part of Doors Open Days for a relaxed and accessible workshop about Dundee’s historic buildings and how people feel about them. Using the Felt Experiences of Place resource kit, Dundee Historic Environment Trust invites you to explore your feelings and experiences of Dundee and Dundee’s historic buildings. Look together at photos of local buildings and use emojis to show responses to these places. There will also be an opportunity to create a plaque to show your feelings about a place of your choice. All materials will be provided.

Heritage Network – Conference 2026
Date & Time: Sunday 27-Tuesday 29 September 2026
Locations: Belfast & Armagh
The conference emphasis is on the impact of community-led heritage on people and places, explored through the experience of heritage regeneration in the host towns and cities and beyond. As well as a day of compelling presentations, lively discussions and networking, Conference includes tours and visits to fascinating historic sites and ground-breaking projects.

Museums Galleries Scotland – Getting to grips with Heat Pumps
Date & Time: Monday 28 September 2026; 2-3:30pm
Location: Online
Hear from sector colleagues about their years of experience in the world of heat pumps from the well-known air and ground source to experimental river heat exchange systems and even how heat pumps can work on a historic ship. Speakers include: Mark Drysdale (NMS), Kate Linsell (Museum of Lead Mining), Fiona Greer (Tall Ship Glenlee).

C&BS – Culture & Business Scotland Forum26
Date & Time: Wednesday 30 September 2026; 10am-4pm
Location: The National Piping Centre, Glasgow G4 0HW
Hear from Carol Ferguson from HebCelt Festival and Darren Cuming from Lewis Wind Power as they share the story of their partnership and the collaborative sponsorship elements which helped to nurture young talent, increase community engagement, and advance the festival’s sustainability credentials. Enjoy a rehearsed reading by Braw Clan, an award-winning company dedicated to creating new plays in the Scots language. Complimentary to Members / £90 Non-Members.

Under One Roof – Damp and mould in flats with Aberdeen City Council
Date & Time: Tuesday 6 October 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online, via Microsoft Teams
If you rent out a flat in Aberdeen, join this free lunchtime webinar with Aberdeen City Council, to understand damp and mould. Under One Roof will be sharing expertise on how to identify and treat damp and mould, both in your own flat and in common areas of your building. They will also be explaining Awaab’s Law, and the new obligations landlords need to be aware of. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with the Education and Training Officer.

BE-ST Fest – 2026
For the past five years, industry leaders, policymakers, innovators and built environment professionals have travelled to Glasgow for BE-ST Fest. In 2026, the festival is coming to you. BE-ST is on the road, coming to communities across Scotland to focus on the real barriers and challenges you face.
BE-ST Fest North
Date: Tuesday 6 October 2026
Location: Eden Court, Bishops Road, Inverness IV3 5SA
BE-ST Fest West
Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Location: Sir Jim McDonald Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC), 99 George Sreet, Glasgow G1 1RD
BE-ST Fest South
Date: Wednesday 17 March 2027
Location: The Crichton Trust, Grierson House, Bankend Rd, Dumfries DG1 4ZE

Under One Roof – Mandatory owners’ associations with Dundee City Council
Date & Time: Wednesday 7 October 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
Earlier this year the Scottish Law Commission recommended that the Scottish Government make owners’ associations mandatory in Scotland, to make it easier for tenement owners to maintain their buildings. In this free lunchtime webinar, understand what these proposals could mean for tenement owners in Dundee. Find out about the benefits of joining an owners’ association, how to set one up in your own building, and how the Law Commission’s recommendations might work in practice. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with a tenement expert.

Heritage Network – North UK Mills Group – October Talk
Date & Time: Thursday 15 October 2026; 10-11:30am
Location: Online
The North UK Mills Working Group is formed of interested individuals and organisations (including SPAB Scotland) who have come together to connect and explore ways help to keep these buildings, skills and mill cultures alive and accessible. Join online for a talk by Mildred Cookson – former miller, founding trustee of the Mills Archive Trust, committee member and past Chair of the SPAB Mills Section – on the changes she has observed over the course of her career in milling and as a part of the organisations aiming to preserve and support its practice for the future.

SPAB – Practical Flour Milling
Date & Time: Tuesday 20 October 2026; 9:30am-4pm
Location: Blair Atholl Water Mill, Ford Road, Blair Atholl, Pitlochry PH18 5SH
Join SPAB for practical experience of traditional flour milling in a small, friendly group environment. Blair Atholl Watermill is Scotland’s oldest working watermill. This course is supported by the North UK Mills Group. This event is perfect for mill volunteers and trainee millers. It may also be of interest to more experienced millers who wish to develop their skills.

Under One Roof – Managing tenements with Dundee Historic Environment Trust
Date & Time: Tuesday 20 October 2026; 12-1pm
Location: Online
If you own a flat in Dundee, join this free lunchtime webinar with Dundee Historic Environment Trust on managing tenements. Learn about the basics of how to arrange a repair in the common areas of your building, how to co-operate with your neighbours to organise and repair for works, and how to set up an owners’ association. There will also be discussion about working with factors. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A, where you can ask an expert about issues in your own tenement building.

Scottish Episcopal Church Net Zero Team – Hope for Creation
Date & Time: Tuesday 20 & Wednesday 21 October
Location: Stirling Court Hotel, Airthrey Road, Stirling FK9 4LA
Join the Scottish Episcopal Church Net Zero Team to celebrate creation and grow in shared stewardship and mission. The Hope for Creation event will build on an encouraging series of Net Zero Roadshow events, continuing to share case studies, external expertise and connect further with other denominations. All conference ticket prices have been subsidised by 50% thanks to the Scottish Episcopal Church and Ecclesiastical Insurance sponsorship. If cost remains a barrier, please get in touch with your Diocese or the Net Zero Team.

Icon – Conserving LGBT+ History Webinar: Anne Lister’s Journals
Date & Time: Thursday 22 October 2026; 4-5:15pm
Location: Online
Anne Lister was a 19th century diarist and landowner from Halifax, Yorkshire. Considered the “first modern lesbian”, Anne’s diaries were, in part, written in a secret code that she used to write about her romantic relationships with other women. In this online lecture, West Yorkshire Archive Service conservators will talk about the conservation work undertaken to preserve Anne’s diaries and prepare them for digitisation and access as source material for the TV drama Gentleman Jack, based on Anne’s life. All proceeds from this event will be donated to Lavender Menace, an Edinburgh archive of queer books and community space.

Heritage Network – Heritage-Led Regeneration in Perth
Date & Time: Wednesday 28 October 2026; 9:30am-4:30pm
Location: YMCA Tayside, 19 Atholl Street, Perth PH1 5HN
In 2021 Perth was inscribed as UNESCO City of Craft & Folk Art and since then has taken on a £35 million investment prospectus (2025-2040). This event will celebrate the incredible work happening across Perth and Kinross whilst also touching on the challenges which have arisen since 2025. This event will explore how sustainable regeneration supports successful placemaking through a range of perspectives, including: heritage-led regeneration and the reuse of historic buildings; community engagement, volunteering and developing local skills; commercial sustainability, town centre renewal and supporting local businesses; culture, tourism and hospitality as drivers of economic growth; environmental sustainability; and partnership working and innovative approaches to delivering long-term change.

Scottish Landscape Alliance – Annual Event
Date & Time: Wednesday 28 October 2026; 10:30am-3pm
Location: Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, 10 High School Yards, Edinburgh EH1 1LZ
Scotland’s Landscape Alliance invites you to a day of updates, case studies, discussion and engaging workshops exploring how Scotland’s Landscape Charter and their 5-Year Action Plan can continue to shape the future of Scotland’s landscapes. Valuing and taking responsibility for Scotland’s landscapes requires a collaborative approach amongst all organisations and people involved in matters that impact on them. This event will bring together people from across the landscape community to share progress, gather new ideas, showcase inspiring work and build energy and support for future action in embedding the Charter into everyday action. Come ready to share your experience, challenge ideas, make connections and help shape the next chapter of landscape action.

SPAB – Maintaining Scotland’s Historic Places of Worship: Glasgow
Date & Time: Thursday 29 October 2026; 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Garnethill Synagogue, 129 Hill Street, Glasgow G3 6UB
Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland? Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line. In this introductory one-day course, you will learn how your historic faith building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it. You’ll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your building with the course tutors and others attending. Armed with a new understanding of how traditional buildings were constructed, how they work, and how they decay, you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to spot and tackle common problems that put your old building at risk.

AHSS – The David Bryce Symposium
Date & Time: Friday 30 October 2026; 9:30am – 4:30pm
Location: Edinburgh Futures Institute, 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9EF
The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS), in partnership with the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (University of Edinburgh), is organising a symposium to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the death of the great Scots Baronial architect, David Bryce (1803-1876). The symposium will be held in one of Bryce’s own buildings, the former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, recently conserved and repurposed as the Edinburgh Futures Institute.  It will showcase the latest research on Bryce’s life and work, celebrating him as a key figure in the history of Scottish architecture.

RIAS Live – Renewal by Design
Date & Time: Friday 30 October 2026; 9am – 4:30pm
Location: Glasgow City Chambers, 82 George Square, Glasgow G2 1DU
RIAS Live is a one-day conference, bringing together architects and industry professionals from across Scotland and beyond for a dynamic programme of discussion, networking, and learning. This year held in Glasgow, Renewal by Design will explore how an open, thriving architectural profession is key to building a fairer Scotland that works for all. As commercial realities take hold, how can the industry evolve to be more representative and inclusive to the people it serves?

Save the date/Early booking open now/Applications invited

We are truly grateful for your continued support and engagement.

Thank you for the trust you have placed in us to deliver relevant and timely information about the built environment sector.

Please consider forwarding this newsletter on to colleagues, friends and family who are part of the sector, so they know where to go for staying informed about built environment sector news, vacancies, insights, policies.

If you would like to receive the bulletin as a bi-monthly email, you can subscribe here.

Your support helps us grow and improve our service to the existing Scottish built environment community. Thank you for being part of our journey!