Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings
This guidance provides a technical insight into the conversion of Scotland’s traditional buildings, balancing building regulation compliance with conservation. It promotes a holistic, risk-based approach to technical compliance in the performance of traditional buildings.
Document prepared by:
Building Standards Division Directorate for Building Safety and Standards
Scottish Government
Denholm House Almondvale Business Park
Livingston
EH54 6GA
Tel: 0300 244 4000
Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot
Web: www.gov.scot/policies/building-standards
Historic Environment Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH
Tel: 0131 668 8600
Email: technicalresearch@hes.scot
Web: www.historicenvironment.scot
Note: This document applies to Scotland only. Any reference to the Building Regulations in this guide is to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (as amended). In respect of building regulations, this guidance is issued under Section 4(1) of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, and is applicable to work that is subject to a building warrant submitted on or after 10 August 2026 and to works not requiring a building warrant from that date, subject to the transitional provisions in the cited amending regulations (see Building Standards Technical Handbooks - Clause 0.2.1 in Section 0 – General).
© Crown Copyright 2026
Produced by Building Standards Division, Scottish Government and Historic Environment Scotland
First published: August 2026
Version 1.0 (August 2026)
Document Version Control
Title: Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings
Purpose: To provide guidance on compliance with building regulations for applications for building works on or after 10 August 2026, as noted above
Version
1.0
Date
10 Aug 2026
Notes
Full publication of version 1.0
Contact
Email: buildingstandards@gov.scot