Skills gap risks climate change ambitions, MSPs told

MSPs on the committee meet today to take evidence from Dr Richard Atkins, a chartered architect at the RIAS, and a range of other experts, on the Scottish Government's draft climate change plan.

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Ahead of the session, the submission by RIAS to the committee told the MSPs that its members contribute "design certification schemes which promote high energy efficiency buildings".

It said that to meet Scotland’s commitment to a 2045 net zero target will "require further and profound changes" in how the housing and wider building sector operates.

The submission warned: "Committee members may recall our previous evidence regarding the difficulties recruiting, training, and retaining enough skilled workers to deliver the infrastructure and built environment needed for a thriving, sustainable future.

"It is not just a numbers problem, but also a skills problem. Whilst organisations such as Skills Development Scotland have started to address these, the overall outputs are currently modest."

It added: "If the market is left to provide without sufficient support, there will inevitably be delays and cost increases. With a co-ordinated, government-led cross-sector approach we can do so but employers, developers, industry stakeholders, and public sector partners all need to increase their efforts."

Most Scottish homes are heated using fossil fuels

The submission called for more investment in colleges and universities to boost the number of people with skills and training in decarbonising buildings.

It also called for new building regulations to be brought in to help improve the energy performance performance standards for new domestic and non-domestic buildings.

"In contrast to other parts of the Scottish regulatory framework such as fire safety, the thermal and environmental requirements of the building regulations have lagged behind other European countries," it said.

On planning issues, it praised the dense nature of the design of Scottish tenements over types of housing that are more spread out.

"Traditional tenement housing is remarkably efficient in creating cohesive walkable neighbourhoods. If well insulated, the “form factor” of tenements are intrinsically energy efficient," it said.

"Planning policy and its implementation should favour such solutions... over dispersed suburban development."

The RIAS submission said more work needed to be done to reduce the number of empty homes.

MSPs will hear of concerns over a lack of skills (Image: Matt Cardy)

"Put in place measures to tackle the 92,5365 vacant homes in Scotland. For example, by supporting community wealth building, through the opportunity to buyout underused or vacant properties, bringing them into new ownership models and back in to use," it said.

It added: "An important part of that can be achieved through improved building regulations however we must also focus on retrofit. The most sustainable building is generally the one you already have.

"The continued use of a building is a prime example of a circular economy.  As the Climate Change Plan acknowledges the improvements needed to Scotland’s built environment represents a significant economic opportunity.

"The majority of construction spend goes on labour costs. This is particularly true when applied to existing buildings, where the skills required tend to be greater and the material requirements much lower.

"In the view of the RIAS, these changes must happen. The only limiting factors are political will  and industry capacity. Now is the time for us to invest and build for a sustainable future."

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The Scottish Government’s draft Climate Change Plan 2026-2040 was published on the November 6 this year and outlines how ministers aim to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy.

The Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens signed in 2021 had committed the Scottish Government to publish a draft by the end of November 2023.

However, this was postponed, with the Scottish Government citing changes to the UK Government’s net zero policies and uncertain economic conditions.

Plans to lay a draft CPP in autumn 2024 were also postponed, in the light of the Scottish Government accepting the Climate Change Committee’s verdict that achieving the 2030 interim target to reduce emissions by 75% was no longer credible.

The Scottish Government’s ambition is that Scotland will be “net zero” in carbon emissions by 2045. Net Zero is the point when emissions entering the atmosphere are balanced by removals out of the atmosphere.

In doing so, it will seek to meet reduction targets for this period, based, on advice from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) published in May 2025.

Emissions from residential buildings are 12% of the Scottish total. They have fallen 39% since 1990, driven by improvements in boiler efficiency, energy efficiency, retrofit improvements to existing buildings and higher efficiency standards for new buildings and milder winters.  Nearly 90% of Scottish homes, still however, use fossil fuels.

Non-residential buildings emissions accounted for 6% of emissions in 2022, down by 31% since 1990. Public buildings have reduced emissions by 53% in this period, while commercial buildings have increased by 15%.

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.