The event comes at a pivotal time, just a year after the Scottish Parliament declared a national housing emergency. In her address to attendees, HFS chief executive Jane Wood will reflect on the sector’s achievements over the past quarter century and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Wood will highlight that more than half a million homes have been delivered in Scotland since 2000, enhancing countless lives. She will also commend the sector’s resilience in navigating major global disruptions such as the financial crash and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Looking to the future, Wood will unveil a new public ‘Homes Build Futures’ campaign, set to launch in September, aimed at reshaping how the public views housing and influencing political priorities in the lead-up to the next Scottish Parliament election. She will also announce the publication of a new evidence-led report, Scotland’s Homes, Housing and House Building Today, developed in partnership with NHBC.

Speaking ahead of the event, Wood said: “Twelve months on from a national housing emergency being declared, it is crystal clear that business as usual is not acceptable.  Things can and must change if we are to ensure Scotland’s social wellbeing and economic success. Delivering the homes that meet the needs of everyone that lives here and that they can afford is absolutely fundamental to this and in pursuing the First Minister’s ambition of eradicating child poverty.

“To achieve this, I strongly believe it is incumbent on HFS and the wider sector to inform, educate and, if you like, storytell from within and across civic society. That is why I am so excited about the public campaign called ‘Homes Build Futures’ that we will be launching in September. By utilising new voices and extending our reach more broadly than ever before, we can challenge public thinking and mobilise consumers to be advocates for more homes, demanding this of their politicians in the run up to next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

“Like all our work, this will be underpinned by data and evidence so I am also delighted to be publishing today’s new report on ‘Scotland’s homes, housing and house building today’. Developed in partnership with the NHBC Foundation, this includes facts on who we build for, the homes we need and the land we use, and the homes we live in.”

Key facts from the report include:

• Population Density: In 2023, Scotland had an average population density of 70 people per km²—far lower than England (438), Wales (151), and Northern Ireland (141).
• Land Use: EU data from 2018 showed that just 1.4% of Scotland’s land is used for homes and gardens, compared to 7.7% in England, 3.28% in Wales, and 5.2% in Northern Ireland.
• Sustainable Construction: Scotland leads in sustainable building, with 95% of new homes in 2024 constructed using timber frame.

Steve Wood, chief executive of NHBC, added: “At NHBC, we are passionate about the power of robust, relevant data to help shape a better housing future. To do this effectively, we must ensure the information we rely on is clear and current and that it reflects the real-world challenges facing house builders.

“In partnership with Homes for Scotland, our new report brings together a wide range of metrics and trends across demographic factors, public attitudes and housing characteristics. It is designed to serve as a useful reference point for policymakers, partners and anyone with an interest in tackling Scotland’s undersupply of housing.

“By presenting these insights in one accessible report, we hope to support better decision-making, spark new thinking and help drive forward the policies and actions needed to deliver more homes in Scotland.”