That was the spirit of the inaugural joint CPD and networking breakfast hosted by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Scotland on Tuesday 3 February 2026.

Designed to strengthen collaboration between two professions that often meet at pressure points, the event brought together practitioners from across Scotland for a morning of candid discussion, legal insight, and shared ambition for better project outcomes.

FMB Scotland director Gordon Nelson said the idea for the event emerged after members raised concerns about recurring contractual challenges with architects. Recognising that both accredited builders and chartered architects ultimately share the same goal, delivering successful projects for clients, Nelson approached RIAS to explore a joint forum.

“Last year I reached out to the RIAS as some of our members across Scotland had shared challenges they were experiencing with architects on contractual matters,” Nelson said. “Knowing that both accredited builders (FMB members) and Chartered architects (RIAS members) ultimately care about delivering for the client, it was time we set up a joint networking and CPD event to connect our respective members’.

“My thanks to everyone in the RIAS team for hosting and to Sarah Alexander from Dentons for providing a valuable legal insight.”

RIAS head of practice Zoe Black said the organisation was “delighted” to accept the proposal, emphasising the natural alignment between the two professions.

“When Gordon raised the suggestion of a joint CPD event with The Federation of Master Builders and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, we were delighted to take him up on the offer and the result was a fantastic morning of presentations and networking” she said. “We consider that RIAS Architects and FMB contractors share a common mission: To deliver exceptional buildings that meet client expectations. We value craftsmanship, innovation, safety, and sustainability and can collaborate to ensure these goals are achieved seamlessly.

“The result was a fantastic morning of presentations and networking. Our thanks to Gordon, Sarah Alexander and everyone who joined us.”

A highlight of the morning was a presentation from Dentons legal counsel, Sarah Alexander, who urged both architects and contractors to treat construction contracts as active tools rather than documents forgotten after signing.

Her session explored principles such as good faith, early warning mechanisms, clear risk allocation, pain/gain share models and tiered dispute resolution — all of which can reduce disputes and improve project outcomes.

“Dentons was pleased to accept the invitation by RIAS to talk about collaborative working between employers, contractors and architects, focusing on how your construction contract should be used as a tool rather than something that is forgotten about after signing,” Alexander said.

“Shared principles of good faith, early warning mechanisms, clear risk allocation, pain/gain share models and tiered dispute resolution can reduce disputes, improve project outcomes and save cost. Although sometimes disputes in construction contracts can be inevitable, the core message I was keen to share with the room was simple: read the contract, use it actively, address issues early, and adopt a commercial, collaborative approach rather than an adversarial one.”

Sarah Alexander added: “A big thank you to the attendees and both the RIAS and the FMB for the engaging Q&A session.”