Jocelyne Fleming

Throughout discussions this year, the CIOB in Scotland has tried to make one point clear: none of the issues we face sit neatly on their own. Retrofit, housing quality, skills, energy and climate targets all overlap. You cannot pull one thread without tugging on several others.

As the year draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on what 2025 has brought for the CIOB in Scotland.

Policy and politics

CIOB’s work has been picked up across both Holyrood and Westminster. MSPs and MPs have raised questions, submitted motions, and quoted CIOB research in debates. Topics raised ranged from skills and building safety through to retrofit and fuel poverty.

We also provided oral and written evidence to committees looking at the draft Climate Change Plan, damp and mould, cladding, and wider building safety issues. It is encouraging to see our perspective being sought out more often. For me, that shows a growing recognition of the expertise professional bodies and their members bring to the table.

Engaging beyond Holyrood

It has also been important to share these issues with a wider audience. I spoke on BBC Scotland’s Reporting Scotland about our recent research with the Federation of Master Builders. CIOB analysis featured in national publications following an industry skills roundtable. The CIOB in Scotland also contributed to the Built Environment Forum Scotland’s ‘Joining the Dots’ series and recorded an episode of the Steminist Podcast to highlight the value of careers in construction.

These opportunities help us explain why construction policy matters. They take what can sometimes feel like technical issues and show how they affect our homes, communities, and everyday life in Scotland.

Collaborative conversations

This year brought a wide range of invitations to speak at conferences, workshops, and sector events. I see this as a positive sign that CIOB is helping to lead constructive conversations across the industry. From social housing and net zero to academic housing policy conferences and international festivals, I have been fortunate to share insights from our research and hear directly from those delivering projects on the ground.

We also co-hosted Building Connections with other professional institutes and Historic Environment Scotland. The event focused on how we can all work together more effectively. Collaboration remains essential if we want long lasting and realistic solutions to the challenges facing our sector.

One of the more exciting events I was privileged to attend this year was, of course, our very own CIOB Awards in Scotland, where we had the opportunity to celebrate some of the best and brightest talent our industry has to offer.

A special shout-out: The Retrofit Roundtable

The Retrofit Roundtable continues to be a key part of the CIOB in Scotland’s work. It remains a distinct privilege to chair this group - and I owe a huge thanks to my colleagues from across the sector who continue to give their time and expertise to its work.

This year the group published a joint response to the Scottish Government’s HEETSA proposals, wrote to Cabinet Secretaries to set out shared concerns, and requested a meeting on the future of the Heat in Buildings Strategy. The positive coverage across sector publications highlighted the value of having a unified, industry-wide voice on retrofit.

Looking Ahead

The year ahead is already shaping up to be a significant one. With the Holyrood elections in May 2026, there will be a great deal of activity, new commitments and no doubt, plenty of debate about the future direction of Scotland’s housing, skills, and built environment policy.

For CIOB Scotland, our focus will remain steady. We will continue to advocate for the same core principles we have pressed throughout the year: system-wide, joined-up policymaking that gives the construction industry the clarity and support it needs to meet Scotland’s ambitions.
 
In the meantime, as the year winds down, we wish everyone across the sector a restful and enjoyable festive break before we begin what promises to be an important year for Scotland’s built environment.