Priority 1: Delivering the transition to net zero

Scotland will achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Find out how the historic environment will contribute to this target.

Where we are

Our approach to achieving our outcomes is to facilitate and coordinate a wide range of actions, development, and dissemination activities that move us forward. You can find more information on our current work underway to achieve each outcome on these pages.

All our progress will be reported against our original baseline assessment of the sector’s performance.

Outcome 1

Reduced emissions from the historic environment

Our initial approach includes establishing a baseline reporting method in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG protocol) and exploring mechanisms to broaden the reported data and its level of detail. There are also short-term and long-term actions identified to expand sector confidence, knowledge and data.

Solar panels on the rooftop of Edinburgh Castle. In the background the sun is rising over Arthur's Seat.

Short-term

  • Year 2 development: Net Zero Advisory Activities
  • Encourage use of GHG reporting or relatable methods
  • Generate case studies on historic environment carbon reduction/offsetting success
  • Disseminate successful approaches to carbon reduction, with a first focus on Responsible Tourism (also Priority 3)

Long-term

  • Produce a Historic Environment Route Map for Net Zero with a work package brief for reducing emissions.

Outcome 2

The historic environment is more climate resilient

There are short-term and long-term actions emerging for this area, including the important need for a phase of development work to inform a collective Historic Environment Route Map for Net Zero. This will include commissioning strategic advice/advisory groups in Year 2 to tackle critical need areas.

A man wearing a flatcap and holding a brolly in one hand and a flipboard under his arm talks to a group of people indoors by a set of windows. Two people wearing backpacks stand either side of the picture, facing towards the window and speaker

Short-term

  • Review on VAT on repair and maintenance
  • HES consultation on future ‘Managing Change’ guidance
  • Identify current funding available to support climate resilience and encourage funder alignment
  • Year 2 Development: Net Zero Advisory Activities

Long-term

  • Explore expansion of data sources to encourage greater climate reporting literacy e.g. data on pre-1919 dwellings, inclusion of data on embodied carbon
  • Produce a Historic Environment Route Map for Net Zero with work package briefs to further identified Skills, Guidance, Adaptation and Mitigation priorities.
  • Review and implement solutions to coordinate sector work in this area (previous OPiT Climate Change Group)
  • Work with stakeholders to demonstrate and improve the impact and adoption of climate mitigation and adaptation activities.

Outcome 3

Improved pathways for historic environment skills

The Skills Investment Plan (SIP) for the historic environment (2024) will produce detailed action plans.

A person with long blond hair stands with back to photographer weather a black t-shirt with 'skill build' written on the back. In front of them, apprentice stonemasons work while stood at rows of tables.

Short-term

  • Development of the SIP pillar and pathway action plans
  • Heritage Careers Week 2024

Long-term

  • New and increased SIP pillar and pathway activities and programmes
  • Targeted programmes for trainees/apprentices

Net Zero Advisory Activities

From August 2024 onwards we will commission advice to tackle the following questions and inform work packages/briefs for a future Historic Environment Route Map for Net Zero.

  1. Identify critical actions required to harness better and more widespread recognition of the specific support/impact the historic environment provides and can contribute towards the transition to net zero.  
  2. Identify what actions will quickly or most effectively influence wide roll out, promotion and adoption of adaptation and retrofit measures (including skills).
  3. Identify work packages to further Adaptation, Retrofit, Skills and related Guidance, Policy and Data Monitoring updates.
  4. Agree the best approach to harness collaboration and maximise impact in Historic Environment Climate Change and Climate Resilience over the long-term.
Seven people are in a field moving bales of hay and are surrounded by tools

Case study: Grassroots Building

Building positive climate action from turf

At Comrie Croft, an eco-farm in Perthshire, a team of researchers, building professionals and community members have been assessing the sustainability of using turf as a building material today.

The project, funded by HES and a UK Economic and Social Research Council Impact Accelerator Grant, trialled building modern turf structures and investigated how prehistoric circular economies relying on turf regeneration could be translated into the present.

The project provided valuable insights beyond turf-building including reseeding strategies to maximise biodiversity and accounting of carbon balances including natural and social gains.

Designed and built by Daniel Postma of Archaeo Build, these structures and the wider project scope were developed from research by Tanja Romankiewicz of University of Edinburgh.

UK Research and Innovation

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