Transformation
The Scottish Building Standards Hub (SBSH) supports transformation by being the communications and strategy conduit between stakeholders and verifiers and also supports the work of Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS) Digital Delivery Group (DDG). The SBSH further supports the Scottish Government Building Standards Division Digital Transformation Team's transformation strategy and contributes to national digital transformational matters.
The SBSH, through an operational partnership arrangement can also assist building warrant delivery by facilitating workload sharing between local authority verifiers in the assessment of building warrant applications.
The SBSH also facilitates expanded operational partnerships through its wider engagement with industry.
Scottish Building Standards Mobile App
Launched at the end of April 2026, the Scottish Building Standards mobile app is a customer facing application that allows users to easily access guidance and other building standards related documents in one place. It also gives access to building standards related websites and allows users to track building projects by uploading Construction Compliance and Notification Plans (CCNP) issued with building warrants, to their mobile device.
In addition, the apps functionality allows users to contact local authorities for either general queries or in relation to a CCNP inspection stage. It also has a chatbot facility which can be used to converse with any of the documents held on the platform.
The app is free and anyone can use the apps basic functionality, however users that register an account, again for free, can use all the apps features.
Whilst primarily designed as an app for users of the building standards system, building standards practitioners may also find it useful due to the provision of many building standards related documents and websites being available in one place.
The development of the app was possible due to funding support given by Scottish Government Building Standards Division (BSD) to the Scottish Building Standards Hub (SBSH) to take their brief forward and develop a product. The final app specification and tender documentation was developed through a short-term working group consisting of the SBSH and local authority representation. After a tender process, development of the app was awarded to Skirr AI.
This app, unique to the Scottish Building Standards System, is available for both Android and Apple devices. It is expected that the app will be further enhanced through an ongoing maintenance and development programme.
Digital Transformation
The SBSH is the communications and strategy conduit between stakeholders and verifiers in relation to digital transformational matters, it supports the Building Standards Division’s Digital Transformation Team’s digital strategy and LABSS Digital Delivery Group (DDG). It interacts with key stakeholders and experts to promote a co-ordinated approach to transformational matters.
LABSS Digital Delivery Group (LABSS DDG) is the operational group delivering change within local authorities as well as the forum for local issues to be raised and considered nationally.
LABSS DDG brings together Consortia Group Leads who can represent the individual local authority leads who can consider, instruct, and influence change within their authority whilst representing that authority’s position.
LABSS DDG also includes members who are contributors to initiatives and tasks undertaken by the LABSS DDG and supported by the SBSH. Contributing members also provide subject matter expertise input to other working or research groups.
The LABSS DDG also provides a central verifier support role coordinated through the LABSS DDG Lead.
Operational Partnerships
Operational partnerships is the term used by the SBSH to indicate the necessary and valued relationships that exist to support an improved and more consistent building standards system and delivery model.
The SBSH primary role in supporting how building standards are delivered by local authority verifiers is through the interdependence we have with LABSS and their building standards network. Operationally, the two key 'operational partnerships' that exist to facilitate how we support the system are the:
- LABSS Consortia Technical Working Group (CTWG), and the
- LABSS Digital Delivery Group (DDG)
The SBSH also facilitates workload sharing between local authority verifiers in the assessment of building warrant applications, brokered by introducing a local authority who requires assistance with the assessment of building warrant applications with a local authority whose business model provides that service. The SBSH also produces guidance and template workload sharing agreements to help facilitate these relationships.
Stakeholder Engagement
The SBSH liaises and engages with numerous industry partners and stakeholders to promote the work of the hub and explore potential areas of collaboration and mutual benefit to improve building standards and related services/activities.
This engagement includes:
- Scottish Government via the Building Standards Division.
- Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS).
- All 32 Scottish local authorities.
- Professional bodies.
- Trade representative bodies.
- Developers.
- Commercial business.
- Research establishments.
- Education Providers.
- Etc.
If you feel that there may be areas of your area of work that may benefit the building standards system or delivery of it, please get in touch.