Retrofit Scotland
Retrofit Scotland is accelerating retrofit action.
Around 30% of housing in Scotland does not meet quality standards, compounded by poor energy efficiency.
Inefficient homes not only generate higher carbon emissions but also cause health problems, from respiratory diseases to stress and anxiety.
This creates a cycle where the impacts of poor housing costs the NHS millions each year, and contribute to the global climate emergency.
Retrofit Scotland is a platform to enable those working in construction, retrofit, energy efficiency and public health to scale engagement, action and delivery across communities.
We support the transformation of existing buildings to create healthy buildings, people and planet through four key areas:
Retrofit Practical Training
Hands-on retrofit training and theory.
Equip yourself and your team with a fundamental understanding of retrofit theory and practical approaches to scale impact across Scotland - delivered in partnership with universities, colleges and training providers.
The Low Carbon Passport is a first-of-its-kind, accredited course designed to equip construction professionals with the critical skills and competencies needed to deliver low carbon, energy-efficient buildings across Scotland. 
These interactive sessions will explore the core principles of thermal performance, insulation, airtightness, and sequencing. Participants will gain practical experience and insights into testing and understanding building envelope performance.
The International Retrofit Conference will focus on what is currently happening and how we can do more. It asks not whether we need to retrofit, but how we do it, at scale, at speed, and in a way that is affordable and accessible. By aligning policy, finance and delivery, retrofit can become a cornerstone of net-zero progress.
Hands-on Passivhaus Practical Training accredited by the Passivhaus Trust. One-day course for contractors, architects and trades delivering high-performance buildings at scale.
Hands-on Passivhaus Practical Training accredited by the Passivhaus Trust. One-day course for contractors, architects and trades delivering high-performance buildings at scale.
Knowledge hub
A space to share the successes and lessons learned from live retrofit projects.
In partnership with The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB), Retrofit Scotland will be relaunching a case study library and knowledge hub, building on the rich work already done and looking ahead to the next phase of innovation.
Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre
Hire space to turn ideas into action.
We’re growing a ‘hub-and-spoke' network of flexible co-working, workshop, training, prototyping and events spaces across Scotland – including Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre in Hamilton and Civic House in Glasgow.
Convening Communities
Let’s retrofit together.
Take part in an annual programme of events, workshops and coworking days to support a community of retrofit practitioners.
The Retrofit Scotland Together Day brought experts, practitioners, and community members together to share knowledge, best practices, and future plans for scaling retrofit efforts across Scotland.
The Retrofit Scotland: Action Planning Workshop at BE-ST Fest 2024 brought together key stakeholders from education, community organisations, and businesses for a dynamic and engaging session on the future of retrofit in Scotland.
The Retrofit Scotland: Action Planning Workshop at BE-ST Fest 2024 brought together key stakeholders from education, community organisations, and businesses for a dynamic and engaging session on the future of retrofit in Scotland.
Today, Retrofit Scotland was relaunched at the International Retrofit Conference. Delivered by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), the programme aims to tackle two urgent challenges: reducing carbon emissions and improving the quality of housing across Scotland to make neighbourhoods warmer, healthier, and more energy-efficient.
The Low Carbon Passport is a first-of-its-kind, accredited course designed to equip construction professionals with the critical skills and competencies needed to deliver low carbon, energy-efficient buildings across Scotland. 
These interactive sessions will explore the core principles of thermal performance, insulation, airtightness, and sequencing. Participants will gain practical experience and insights into testing and understanding building envelope performance.
The International Retrofit Conference will focus on what is currently happening and how we can do more. It asks not whether we need to retrofit, but how we do it, at scale, at speed, and in a way that is affordable and accessible. By aligning policy, finance and delivery, retrofit can become a cornerstone of net-zero progress.
Hands-on Passivhaus Practical Training accredited by the Passivhaus Trust. One-day course for contractors, architects and trades delivering high-performance buildings at scale.
Hands-on Passivhaus Practical Training accredited by the Passivhaus Trust. One-day course for contractors, architects and trades delivering high-performance buildings at scale.
Hands-on Passivhaus Practical Training accredited by the Passivhaus Trust. One-day course for contractors, architects and trades delivering high-performance buildings at scale.
Our latest blogs
Browse our collection of blogs and news features showcasing the people and projects transforming the retrofit landscape.
Healthy housing is a human right and a first call for disease prevention. This means that for the retrofit sector, understanding of the impact of mould in buildings is a requirement, not an option.
Thames Freeport’s Sustainable Construction Lab marks a major milestone as the first retrofit is completed on the Beacontree Estate.
Lothian Heat is a new regional organisation exploring how large-scale heat networks could be delivered differently in the East of Scotland.
In response to the climate emergency, Cheshire East Council commissioned Purcell to lead the retrofit of a series of Grade II listed railway cottages in Crewe.
IndiNature began eight years ago as a start-up aiming to insulate buildings with natural hemp insulation. Having already won awards and attracted praise, the Jedburgh-based company is now at a critical and exciting point in its business journey. IndiNature has been bolstering its credentials, increasing its staff and client base, with its eyes on making a significant dent in the UK construction materials market.
Geovation Scotland is the only support organisation specifically created for startups innovating in Land, Property and Location technology in Scotland.
In the face of mounting climate pressures and a rapidly evolving built environment, Geovation Scotland is supporting innovation from early stage to scaling, through building a vibrant community, facilitating connections and our annual accelerator programme.
Our collective goal is to find effective and scalable ways to improve comfort, efficiency, and carbon performance in these existing buildings.
Interested in the retrofit journey from the perspective of people who have decided to do it themselves? Discover lessons, insights, and surprises these UK homeowners encountered while retrofitting their houses, from series two of our Accelerate to Zero Podcast.
Airtightness is the foundation of a fabric-first approach and in creating high quality, low energy demand buildings.
But airtightness is not just about energy savings: good airtightness contributes to improved comfort, building durability, and better indoor air quality, provided it's paired with appropriate ventilation.
Yet despite its importance, airtightness products can be a rare sight on site.
Sean Smith, Professor of Future Construction and Director of the Centre for Future Infrastructure within the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, was awarded the BE-ST Beacon Award in 2024.
A retrofit one-stop shop, sometimes called a retrofit agency, is an approach to engaging communities around retrofit delivery. In Scotland, there is not yet a fully established one-stop shop, but there are several which are starting to emerge.
Today BE-ST officially relaunched its Innovation Campus by welcoming stakeholders to see the newly equipped Mass Timber Centre of Excellence and Scotland’s newly retrofitted National Retrofit Centre.
The first phase of work in the retrofit of Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre (SNRC) is now complete. But what has the project taught us, and what’s next?
