Overview

Scotland’s iconic tenements house more than a third of the population but they’re some of the hardest buildings to upgrade for a low‑carbon future. This project set out to change that by supporting the people at the heart of tenement upkeep: property managers. By equipping them with practical tools, training and guidance, and providing flat owners with guidance on how to speak to their property managers about retrofit, the project aims to help unlock retrofit at scale, leading to warmer homes, healthier living and progress towards net zero.

The challenge

Tenements are often older, shared buildings with complex ownership and decision-making processes. Many suffer from poor maintenance, damp and heat loss. While domestic buildings contribute around 16% of UK emissions, tenements have fallen behind on energy improvements. Property managers are key to coordinating action, but until now have lacked clear guidance, resources and confidence to lead retrofit projects in these settings, while owners have been unclear about the role of property managers in retrofit.

What we did

Building on Net Zero Neighbourhoods research, we partnered with Under One Roof (Scotland’s tenement support charity) to co-create practical solutions. We hosted a collaborative workshop bringing together property managers, councils and retrofit experts which led to the development of the Factoring in Retrofit toolkit, tailored to real-world challenges. We then delivered training sessions and online resources for both managers and homeowners, and shared learning widely, including through national media coverage. These outputs are now feeding into Under One Roof’s growing training programme.

Impact

The project is already driving positive change and laying the groundwork for more.

Key impacts include:

• Over 40 property managers trained and equipped to support retrofit;
• Increased awareness and confidence among homeowners;
• Stronger connections across the retrofit sector;
• Practical tools now available to guide action across Scotland;
• Long-term potential for warmer, healthier homes and lower energy bills;
• Contribution to emissions reduction and Scotland’s climate goals.

By empowering those managing Scotland’s tenements, this project is helping turn a complex challenge into a real opportunity for change.