Retrofit Scotland: Origins and future
Retrofit Scotland was first launched in 2013 as a collaboration of organisations actively involved in the research and implementation of retrofit projects throughout Scotland.
Last year BE-ST relaunched Retrofit Scotland create a platform to accelerate retrofit action across Scotland. Having been building the platform for a few months now, it felt right to take stock of where Retrofit Scotland has come from, and where we are going to go next.
What's the vision for Retrofit Scotland?
Our vision is for Scotland's retrofit sector to thrive, addressing the urgent need to improve the energy performance of homes, workplaces, and community spaces.
Retrofit Scotland exists to enable the agents of retrofit action. We are creating the physical and digital infrastructure needed to spark collaboration, training, and sharing best practices.
Origins: A Legacy of collaboration
Retrofit Scotland was first established in 2013 by the 2020 Built Environment Group, with the aim of supporting Scotland’s National Retrofit Programme and provide information on refurbishment projects, best practice, modelling and assessment tools, and finance mechanisms. The main organisations involved included BRE Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, Architecture and Design Scotland, and Historic Environment Scotland
In 2013 it was clear that coordinated knowledge sharing was crucial. The initiative offered early momentum by convening stakeholders and elevating retrofit on the policy agenda.
Fast forward a decade, and the need is even greater. The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy has set ambitious decarbonisation goals, and local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES). Industry is scaling up, but with diverse technologies, building types, and stakeholder interests in play, it’s easy to duplicate efforts or worse, repeat mistakes.
What stakeholders have told us
At BE-ST Fest 2024 following the relaunch of Retrofit Scotland, this need was clearly articulated by stakeholders. A workshop hosted by BE-ST brought together public and private sector partners to discuss how to accelerate retrofit across the country. The feedback was clear: Scotland lacks a centralised place to learn from real projects, whether that be from successes or failures.
Workshop participants identified a critical need for:
Robust, detailed case studies of real-world retrofit projects.
Insights into both successes and challenges including cost overruns, user feedback, and post-occupancy performance.
A central hub for learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Better categorisation of case studies by building archetype, geography, and strategy.
This was a call to action. The feedback from the retrofit community and experience of the original partners on the Retrofit Scotland project informed an updated brief to create this new interation. This reimagined Retrofit Scotland focuses on four areas: delivering retrofit training; convening communities; creating a National Retrofit Network; and building a national knowledge-sharing platform for retrofit learning.
The future of Retrofit Scotland
In partnership with the Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ HighDB), Retrofit Scotland aims to create a foundational knowledge sharing tool for the sector through collating and providing access to wealth of digital retrofit resources. This includes:
Case study library
A curated, searchable database of retrofit projects across Scotland, categorised by building type, location, retrofit approach, and performance outcomes. Initial content includes 100-140 existing case studies that will be reviewed, updated, and standardised.
Retrofit pattern books
Visual, accessible guides showcasing retrofit strategies and design patterns for common Scottish housing archetypes. These pattern books provide clarity on insulation methods, fabric-first approaches, heat pump integration, and more.
Standardised submission process
A clear, easy-to-use method for professionals and researchers to submit new case studies to the platform. All entries will follow a standard reporting format, ensuring consistency and comparability across projects.
Partner integration
The platform is designed to integrate with key retrofit partners including Architecture & Design Scotland, Changeworks, the Existing Homes Alliance, and local authorities delivering LHEES.
Open access and public value
The platform is fully open and freely accessible, creating value for policymakers, housing associations, retrofit contractors, architects, researchers, and homeowners alike.
How do we move from case studies to system change
Although these resources are rich, sharing case studies will only go so far to supporting the journey to creating real system change which supports retrofit delivery. To make sure this programme of works generates a feedback loop between retrofit delivery, policy, and innovation, each case study will be evaluated for energy performance, cost-effectiveness, carbon impact, and user experience. The aim is for these insights to support:
Local authority planning and procurement.
Policy decisions on grant mechanisms and incentives.
Development of one-stop shops across Scotland.
Research into building performance, occupant comfort, and whole-life cost.
And because the case studies will include both quantitative data and qualitative insights, the platform will provide a holistic view of retrofit in practice.
Laying the groundwork for the future
The long-term vision for Retrofit Scotland includes integration with a national map of retrofit and energy-efficiency providers. We are also building partnerships with training providers, to turn insights from case studies into curriculum content, alongside facilitating live feedback loops so that retrofit practitioners can learn from each other in real time, not just retrospectively.
Together, these elements will help build the evidence base, capacity, and coordination needed to scale retrofit not just in Scotland, but as a model for other regions.
In a sector moving as fast as retrofit needs to, we can’t afford to work in silos or start from scratch every time. The answers to many of our challenges already exist but they’re buried in PDFs, lost in consultancy reports, or stuck in people’s heads.
Retrofit Scotland aims to fix that. By turning experience into evidence, it will help us move faster, smarter, and more collaboratively toward a low carbon future.
Stay up to date and subscribe to the Retrofit Scotland newsletter are www.retrofit-scotland.org