Building standards

Scotland's building standards system is administered and enforced by local authorities. We create the regulations that make up the system and oversee its implementation.

We have created The Customer Journey which explains the building standards system to anyone making home improvements or starting building work. It sets out the role of the building warrant and the completion certificate.

We have provided the eBuildingStandards.scot web portal for online submission of applications and other related forms to local authorities.

Actions

We protect the public interest by:

• monitoring and improving building regulations by publishing legislation, technical handbooks and supporting guidance
• overseeing the building approval process
• implementing European requirements for building standards
• monitoring the performance of verifiers
• improving the building stock

We created the building and fire safety working group following the Grenfell Tower fire. This will review building and fire safety regulatory frameworks to help ensure that people are safe in Scotland's buildings.

Background

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force in 2005. The Act focuses on the health and safety of buildings, the conservation of fuel and power within buildings and sustainable development.

Bills and legislation

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 is the primary legislation under which Scotland's building standards system operates.

One of its functions is to give ministers power to make secondary legislation to support the Act. You can find this on the UK legislation website.

We ensure Scotland's building standards comply with EU legislation. These include the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), Article 8 of the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive (BCRD) and the Construction Products Regulation.

We create legislation for dangerous and defective buildings, and for the energy performance of non-domestic buildings to improve the existing building stock, under section 63 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

We have provided a list of Scottish building standards legislation. 

Contact

Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot

Telephone: 0300 244 4000

Post:
Scottish Government
Building Standards Division
Almondvale Business Park
Denholm House
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 6GA