Slow and sure wins the race

Hamish Paterson, Director and Head of Building Surveying at Thomas & Adamson, part of Egis Group, discusses progress in Scotland’s cladding remediation programme.

January 2026 marked one year since the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 came into force, giving ministers the power to assess and remediate high-risk external wall systems on residential buildings where fire dangers have been identified.

The legislation applies to flatted properties over 11m in height, built or refurbished between 1992 and 2002, and underpins a national programme designed to strengthen fire safety across Scotland’s high-rise housing stock. For thousands of residents who have lived with uncertainty about cladding risks since the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, this represents a long-awaited step towards clarity and, ultimately, safer homes. 

In 2025, much of the focus had been on preparing for delivery. Developing the Single Building Assessment (SBA) framework, confirming which buildings fall within scope and releasing early funding to landlords and local authorities all helped the sector prepare for the scale of work ahead. While questions have been raised about the pace of progress, the steady, methodical approach has established a more reliable foundation for the next phase.

SBAs are now beginning to provide a clearer picture of where risks exist. Carried out by authorised organisations, including Thomas & Adamson, these assessments combine precise building measurements with thorough inspections of façades and internal fire-safety features. The aim is to replace assumptions with evidence, giving building owners and residents a factual basis for understanding their properties.

Completing the groundwork

Opening-up investigations, where sections of an external wall are temporarily exposed, allow assessors to examine the construction and build-up of insulation, fire barriers and compartmentation systems in ways that drawings alone cannot. Desktop reviews of historical plans, design documents and building manuals complement these inspections, helping confirm how each building was originally constructed and where discrepancies may exist.

The assessments identify fire-safety issues ranging from combustible materials to missing fire-stopping or failing fire doors. Crucially, SBAs do not prescribe the repairs themselves – that responsibility lies with a design team, which may be funded by developers or, where no active developer exists, with the Scottish government.

Lessons from England and Wales have helped refine the process. Methodologies such as PAS 9980 offer a useful starting point for assessing risks in external walls, while still allowing the Scottish programme to adapt to local building standards and industry commitments.

As the programme moves into its second year, the focus has shifted towards delivery. Completing SBAs across Scotland will reveal the scale of remediation required and enable detailed planning for how and when work will proceed. With demand for specialist contractors, skilled consultants and compliant materials expected to increase significantly, early co-ordination between building owners, consultants, local authorities and suppliers will be critical.

The goal is not only to identify risk, but also to build long-term public confidence in the safety of Scotland’s high-rise housing stock. If delivered successfully, the programme has the potential to set a benchmark for managing building safety improvements, demonstrating how careful planning, clear accountability and evidence-led action can provide a clearer path to safer homes. 

For more, visit thomasandadamson.com

Image credit | iStock