BE-ST Bits of May

Welcome to another issue of the BE-ST Bits where we explore this month's updates, publications and projects. BE-ST has launched Smarter Transformation, our new magazine. The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings has officially launched, and Prosper have published a new report which calls for a reset of Scotland’s housing strategy.

1. Smarter Transformation Magazine: Housing & Manufacturing Issue

We launched a new quarterly magazine, Smarter Transformation – a magazine dedicated to helping accelerate our smarter transformation to the better built environment we need.

To celebrate the launch of the UK’s Mass Timber Centre of Excellence, the first issue is themed on Mass Timber & Manufacturing. We explore Scotland’s innovation potential as the UK’s Mass Timber Centre of Excellence, which if enabled with policy alignment, could put Scotland at the forefront of a sustainable buildings revolution, bolster our local economies, create new workforces and supply chains, and deliver much needed public and private infrastructure at speed and scale, all the while impacting positively on the planet too.

Smarter Transformation will tackle key themes such as the housing emergency, retrofitting our existing buildings, creating a competent workforce of the future and much, much more.

Read more here.

2. Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB) launch

The Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB) officially launched at a sold-out event hosted at the Edinburgh Futures Institute.

The packed launch event showcased the breadth of the Centre’s ambition through a series of themed presentations and workshops, covering everything from building fabric performance and low-carbon heating systems to occupant needs, community-wide energy planning, and skills training for the green economy.

BE-ST is supporting the Centre for Net-Zero High Density Buildings through industry and stakeholder engagement. Working with the Centre we aim to accelerate retrofit action in Scotland.

Read more here.

3. Housing Supply for a Growing Economy

A new report from Prosper warns that Scotland’s growth is being held back by a chronic shortage of housing, and argues urgent action is needed to remove this barrier to investment and jobs.

Drawing on insights from over 100 stakeholders from across the housebuilding and construction sectors, local government, Registered Social Landlords, investors, academics and policy experts, Housing Supply for a Growing Economy reveals the current backlog of homes – estimated at over 100,000 since 2008 – risks derailing planned investment opportunities across Scotland.

The report calls for a reset of Scotland’s housing strategy to recognise the role that all tenures and types of housing will play in meeting the need for new homes.

Read more here.

4. Accelerate to Zero Beacon: Robert Hairstans

“Construction as a career has so many opportunities within it and shouldn’t be viewed as something you do if you can’t do something else. It should be up there with professions like medicine and law in terms of what you can achieve for society.” - Robert Hairstans, Director of the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology, NMITE.

Robert Hairstans is shaping the future of timber in the built environment by challenging outdated perceptions of the industry and driving real change through innovation, education, and collaboration.

Read how his work is transforming timber, training the next generation, and more here.

5. Value-add visits to BE-ST: Educator's Programme, Meetings & More

Bringing people together to connect, share and grow is a big part of what BE-ST does - and in May we continued hosting different events at our Innovation Campus.

We held a training day with young people from Barnardo's, the UK's children's charity. Our educators had the chance to create cross-laminated timber as part of BE-ST's Educator Programme. The GEM Programme visited as part of their annual visit to Scotland. We also hosted the Future Construction: Transdisciplinary Workshops & Research Network by Edinburgh Napier University in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University.

If you are interested in hosting your next event at BE-ST, get in touch here.

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