Transformation

The Scottish Building Standards Hub (SBSH) supports digital transformation through its Digital Transformation Unit (DTU). This 'digital hub', being the communications and strategy conduit between stakeholders and verifiers, also supports the work of Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS) Digital Delivery Group (DDG). The DTU further supports the Scottish Government Building Standards Division Digital Transformation Team's transformation strategy and contributes to national digital transformational matters.

The SBSH, through its Operational Partnership Unit (OPU) assists building warrant delivery by facilitating workload sharing between local authority verifiers in the assessment of building warrant applications.

The OPU expands the idea, and facilitates expanded operational partnerships through its wider engagement with industry.

Digital Transformation Unit

The Digital Transformation Unit (DTU) within the SBSH is the communications and strategy conduit between stakeholders and verifiers, 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 DTU. 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 Partnership Unit

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)

Under the OPU, 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.