MEMBER NEWS
Scotland Director Gordon Nelson presents to the Scottish Parliament on the FMB’s campaign to license construction
SCOTLAND
Passivhaus, architects and contracts The final meeting of the FMB Scotland Board in 2024 in Edinburgh covered a range of issues and opportunities. Director Gordon Nelson updated members on the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce the Scottish Passivhaus equivalent standard for new- build homes. The regulations supporting the Scottish equivalent were presented to the Scottish Parliament on 12 December. Members shared feedback of their experiences when an architect also performs the role of contract administrator. There is a longer article about this on pages 32-35. Trading conditions, supply and commercial concerns, plus skills and training are some of the topics the board discusses at each quarterly meeting. This year, there will be vacancies on the board so if you’re interested keep an eye out for details on how to apply. If you are interested in joining the FMB Scotland Board, get in touch with Gordon using the contact details below. Key dates for your diaries in 2025 ● Friday 6 June – Scotland Master Builder Awards ceremony, The George Hotel, Edinburgh. ● Wednesday 12 November – FMB reception in the Scottish Parliament.
SCOTLAND
Licence to Build: Scottish Parliament debates FMB campaign
the construction or refurbishment of higher-risk buildings”. The time was right for the FMB to bring policymakers and representatives from our industry together for a discussion on licensing. On the day there was support for toughening things up. To bring a UK perspective, the FMB’s Chief Executive Brian Berry is working with the government in Westminster. There is more work to do. It will be interesting to see how the UK Government will collaborate with the FMB on licensing construction. In Scotland, the FMB is plugged into the relevant areas and working groups to strengthen the building standards system.
Late last year, FMB Scotland Director, Gordon Nelson,
presented to a group of MSPs and construction industry stakeholders in the Scottish Parliament on the need for a mandatory licensing scheme in construction. There remains strong support from FMB members in the UK for having a licensing system for construction, with more than 80 per cent supporting licensing. Since the FMB launched the campaign in 2018, a lot has changed. In England and Wales, the Building Safety Act came into force in 2023, and in Scotland work is ongoing to strengthen the building standards system. This September, the Grenfell phase two report was published with one of the recommendations
being: “a licensing scheme operated by the construction
CONTACT Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director Email: gordonnelson@fmb.org.uk | Call: 07769 687 232
FMB Scotland Board members at the final meeting of 2024
regulator be introduced for principal contractors wishing to undertake
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Master Builder
www.fmb.org.uk
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