Building standards - Futures Board Programme: workstream information

Verification delivery model workstream

The verification delivery model workstream is strengthening the delivery of the building standards system. The overall aim is to:

• drive efficiencies
• ensure investment in skills and new technology
• improve compliance
• increase capacity within the building standards service to deliver across all types of construction work
• increase consistency
• provide stronger resilience

Following a successful 2-year pilot phase the Scottish Building Standards Hub (SBSH) was launched on 24 May 2024. Working, in partnership with LABSS and Fife Council, the Scottish Government established a pilot hub to test the proposals and effectiveness for a national building standards hub.

The aim of the SBSH is to strengthen the building standards system in Scotland by playing a key role in supporting the transformation and quality of building standards services and the delivery of compliant buildings through the building warrant process. The hub, hosted by Fife Council, will deliver its remit through the following units:

• business unit
• operational partnership unit
• learning and development unit
• technical and procedural unit
• Scottish Type Approval Scheme (STAS)
• digital transformation unit

Building warrant fees have been increased from 1 April 2024. This is the first increase since 2017. The increase will support the changes being introduced to strengthen the system through the work of the Futures Board.

The fee changes are part of a 3-year model to increase fees annually, dependent on monitoring and reporting. They include an inflation uplift from 2017 and funding to support the building standards hub, from 24 May 2024. The increase will provide additional resources for verifiers to support a strengthened compliance process. The strengthened compliance process will see the introduction of the new compliance plan and increased checks and inspections, especially for high-risk buildings. Increased fees will also support the additional auditing and monitoring of verifiers and certifiers.

We are working on introducing high level reporting measures to demonstrate the investment of increased building warrant fees. This evidence will be used to support Ministerial decisions on the planned yearly future fee changes. We will use reporting to inform a review of key performance indicators as part of this workstream. We will also take forward a capacity monitoring tool and business planning for verifiers.

As part of our review of key performance indicators, we will set up a working group to consider the potential for several research projects to support and identify requirements for reporting measurable and meaningful indicators.