The Scottish Cities Alliance recently co-hosted the successful “Delivering Retrofit at Scale in Scotland” roundtable in partnership with Arup at the Dundee in V&A. The event brought together City Leaders and key partners, including 3Ci, SNIB, the National Wealth Fund, SOLACE, BE-ST, and the Scottish Futures Trust.
This event brought together key stakeholders for a dynamic evening of collaboration, shared learning, and actionable insights. Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, joined as the guest of honour, offering valuable perspectives and best practices from London.
The Importance of Retrofitting Scotland at Scale
Investing in the transition to net zero is vital for building a thriving economy in Scotland, positioning the country in new markets, creating quality jobs, and ensuring long-term business viability. The challenges lie in designing scalable decarbonisation initiatives that enhance neighbourhoods and provide compelling opportunities for investors.
Key Outputs and Actions from the Roundtable
The roundtable discussion produced four key action steps which policymakers and private sector organisations must collaborate on to deliver meaningful change.
- Creation of practical models – Housing retrofit models must be practical for residents and investors alike. The need for community involvement is clear, especially in multi-occupancy developments.
- Funding & skills development – Achieving retrofit goals requires significant financial investment with private sector involvement being critical. As well as addressing the financial burden of retrofitting for homeowners, the skills gap between current capabilities and future needs must be tackled to meet retrofit demands.
- Clarity on policy & regulation – Clarity around policy direction and regulation is essential to fostering an attractive retrofit investment environment, alongside developing robust, repeatable decision-making frameworks to bring greater predictability to high profile projects.
- Creating trust within communities – Building trust within communities, to articulate the broader positive social outcomes on offer, as well as identifying tangible, practical solutions that will garner support.
Ultimately, delivering retrofit at scale in Scotland requires a multifaceted approach and a coherent, collective communications approach to showcase the opportunities on offer to investors and communities.
Through our collaborative approach and strategic initiatives, the Scottish Cities Alliance leverages its convening power to unite key stakeholders in addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities of the transition to a net-zero economy. Together, we are working to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all.
Looking Ahead to Scottish Cities Week
Scottish Cities Week in January 2025 in London, promises to continue these vital conversations. City Leaders will tour Somers Town in Camden, hosted by 3Ci, to experience a net-zero neighbourhood. This visit will showcase environmental and social projects, including retrofitting and climate resilience infrastructure.
The Scottish Cities Alliance partners are pleased to continue playing a valuable role in uniting city leaders, policymakers, businesses, and grassroots organisations to address critical issues like housing retrofits and place-based regeneration. By fostering public-private collaboration, the Alliance is paving the way for a sustainable, net-zero Scotland
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