Figures show 2.25 million homes in Scotland need to make the change, with 895,000 of those defined as tenements.
Skills are an essential part of that challenge, with training for a wide range of professionals required to meet targets.
Historic Environment Scotland offer training in energy efficiency measures for older and traditional buildings, aimed at a wide range of sectors with roles to play including contractors, installers, architects and surveyors.
According to Moses Jenkins, Sector Skills Manager at Historic Environment Scotland who teaches the course, Scotland won’t reach net zero without it.
He said: “The course covers the basic principles of making traditionally constructed buildings energy efficient with a focus on insulation, window improvement and how to bring in renewable technology, as well as an understanding of how to balance that work with the heritage of the building.
“Any measures that are introduced need to work for the building itself, or you could end up with mould and decay problems.
“Even something like insulating a loft, it may seem like an obvious way to improve heat retention, but if not planned and installed carefully it can risk condensation, causing moisture levels to rise in roof timbers potentially leading to rot and decay.”
The course takes 16 candidates at a time and is having a big impact on participants.
Jonathan Bourke, Director of Retrofit at Harvey Donaldson & Gibson chartered surveyors, completed the training in spring 2022.
Jonathan coordinates retrofit projects from colleagues across the country, checking the quality of submissions and ensuring best practice.
He said: “It drove home to me that you can’t prescribe one way to retrofit a building, every building and home is unique and used differently by its occupants, that’s especially true when you look at older housing stock.
“You have to look at the building’s overall heritage, setting and location, to ensure energy efficiency installations suit each building.”
Elaine Ellis, Skills Development Scotland Skills Planning Manager for Construction, said: “We will need a highly skilled workforce to make improvements to traditional buildings which includes many of our flats and houses, including our iconic tenements, to get them ready for net zero. Upskilling the existing workforce and bringing in a future workforce is equally important.
“There are many challenges given the nature of the construction industry but we continue to work closely with partners across the historic environment to support skills planning, including working with Historic Environment Scotland to update a skills action plan to support the built heritage sector through multiple areas including apprenticeships and career awareness.”
Moses added: “I think when we talk about heritage buildings or traditional building stock, people often think of castles and listed buildings. Nineteen percent of our domestic stock is traditionally constructed, that’s around one in five houses.
“These buildings are a tremendous resource that have lasted in excess of a hundred years, so there’s no reason why with energy efficiency improvements they can’t provide safe, warm homes for another century and beyond.”
