Event Overview
Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference | Edinburgh | 2026
We are proud to present the 12th Annual Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference, a national delivery-focused forum driving public-private collaboration to accelerate net-zero project delivery across Scotland.
Hosted in Edinburgh, this conference is specifically designed to support strategic partnerships between public sector programme owners and private sector solution providers. With major policy reforms shaping Scotland’s delivery landscape, this event creates a unique window of opportunity for delegates to connect, collaborate and translate policy into funded, compliant and deliverable projects.
This is not a trade fair or a generic exhibition. It is a curated, delivery-driven programme built around real projects, real funding drivers, real policy shifts and real outcomes.
Why This Event Matters in 2026
Scotland is setting out a clear pathway to meet its carbon budgets between 2026 and 2040 and achieve net zero emissions by 2045. The Climate Change Plan 2026–2040 outlines over 150 policies and proposals across energy, buildings, transport, industry and communities, delivering an estimated £42.3 billion in economic benefits and cost savings over the plan period.
Scotland has already reduced emissions by over 51% since 1990, the largest reduction in the UK, with the focus now shifting firmly towards large-scale delivery across public-sector estates, infrastructure and communities.
The plan marks a decisive shift from strategy to implementation, with a clear emphasis on place-based delivery, private-sector collaboration and scalable infrastructure investment across Scotland.
A core part of this transition is unlocking private sector investment and delivery capability, recognising that public funding alone will not be sufficient to meet net-zero targets at the required pace and scale.
This is creating immediate demand for delivery-ready solutions across public-sector estates, including retrofit, low-carbon heat, energy systems, transport infrastructure and data-driven performance optimisation.
EPC Reform in Scotland
EPC Reform in Scotland is progressing; the introduction of the new regulations has been formally delayed, with implementation now expected to align with revised UK timelines beyond 2026.
The current Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 remain in place until further notice, while government and industry finalise the transition to a new methodology based on the Home Energy Model.
Proposed changes under the new regime include:
• A new multi-metric rating system, including Heat Retention Ratings (HRR)
• Greater focus on heating system performance, emissions and efficiency
• Enhanced emphasis on real-world building performance
• Shorter EPC validity periods (reduced from 10 years to 5)
• New Property Reports outlining upgrade pathways, costs and emissions
While timelines have shifted, the direction of travel is clear, and organisations are already planning and delivering projects now to prepare for more stringent, performance-based requirements.
This is driving increased focus on retrofit delivery, measured performance, compliance strategies and low-carbon system integration across public-sector estates.
Together, these reforms are reshaping demand for energy performance improvement, retrofit delivery, data-driven compliance, system optimisation and scalable decarbonisation solutions, making Scotland one of the most dynamic markets for practical net-zero deployment in the UK.
Transport & Infrastructure Acceleration
Alongside buildings, transport and infrastructure are a major focus of Scotland’s decarbonisation strategy.
The Scottish Government has committed £17.8 million of funding in 2026–27 to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and expand charging infrastructure across public, private and rural environments.
This includes:
• Up to 1,000 new public EV charge points in rural and island communities
• Support for households without off-street parking
• Funding for workplace and fleet charging infrastructure
• Investment in expanding access across public and third sector organisations
This is driving immediate project activity across fleets, infrastructure and estate-wide energy systems, creating further demand for scalable, real-world solutions.
A Market in Active Delivery
Together, these policies are reshaping demand across Scotland’s public sector, with organisations actively progressing projects across:
• Estate-wide retrofit and energy performance improvement
• Low-carbon heat and heat network deployment
• Transport and fleet decarbonisation
• EV infrastructure and energy system integration
• Data-led building performance and optimisation
The scale of delivery required over the next 0–18 months is significant, with public sector organisations actively seeking partners to support implementation.
Who Attends
Public Sector Delegates
Attendance is limited to pre-qualified, senior decision-makers responsible for delivering net-zero projects, including:
Local authorities and regional bodies
NHS estates and health infrastructure teams
Housing associations and social housing providers
Universities, colleges and education estates
Transport authorities and public infrastructure owners
Government departments and agencies managing estates
All delegates are accountable for live or imminent projects within a 0–18 month delivery window.
Private Sector Participants
Participation is curated and selective, limited to organisations offering deployable, scalable solutions including:
Retrofit and building performance specialists
Low-carbon heat, heat networks and decentralised energy system providers
Digital buildings, controls, monitoring and performance platforms
EV charging, transport and infrastructure solution providers
Finance, funding and delivery partners
This ensures relevance for delegates and meaningful engagement for partners.
Conference Programme Themes
Session 1
Decarbonising Cities, Regions and the Built Environment
A session focused on strategic estate-wide decarbonisation across domestic, commercial and industrial buildings. Areas explored include:
Large portfolio retrofit planning and delivery
Smart cities and estate-wide energy optimisation
Decentralised energy systems such as heat networks and local energy hubs
Fabric-first performance and measured energy outcomes
Compliance strategies aligned to evolving EPC Reform and emerging regulation
Session 2
Net Zero Transport, Infrastructure and Mobility
Transport accounts for a significant share of Scotland’s emissions and features prominently in the draft climate plan’s delivery pathways. This session explores:
Fleet electrification and HGV decarbonisation strategies
EV charging infrastructure deployment at scale
Integration of transport energy systems with wider estates and infrastructure
Operational optimisation, duty-cycle analysis and data-led planning
Funding alignment and procurement frameworks for transport decarbonisation
Speakers will share case studies and lessons learned from real transport and infrastructure programmes.
Session 3
Overcoming Design, Construction and Retrofit Challenges with Innovative Decarbonisation Technologies
Delivering net-zero outcomes requires overcoming practical design, construction and retrofit hurdles. This session focuses on:
Measured performance versus design intent
Alignment with evolving EPC Reform and data-driven retrofit delivery
Modern methods of construction for energy improvements
Low-carbon heat integration and system performance
Technologies that deliver repeatable, fundable outcomes at scale
These topics are directly relevant to the wide range of delegates responsible for operational estate performance.
Why Attend
1. Forge Strategic Public-Private Partnerships
Connect with senior public sector project owners actively seeking partners to help them deliver net-zero projects on the ground.
2. Discover Deployable, Scalable Solutions
Explore technologies, services and delivery models aligned with current Scottish policy and funding frameworks now shaping procurement.
3. Overcome Delivery Barriers
Engage with experts on procurement strategies, supply-chain capacity, performance compliance, retrofit complexity and financing.
4. Accelerate Project Delivery
Learn from real project case studies focused on reducing risk, cost and delivery time for public sector programmes.
5. Lead Scotland’s Net Zero Transition
Participate directly in the national effort to decarbonise public operations, buildings and infrastructure while meeting Scotland’s statutory climate obligations.
A Curated Event Model That Delivers Results
The Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference is curated, not crowded, ensuring:
A pre-qualified public sector audience
A limited, relevant group of private sector partners
Controlled speaking opportunities to maintain quality
High-value conversations with decision-makers accountable for delivery
Join Us
If you are responsible for delivering, funding or enabling net-zero projects across building estates, transport, infrastructure and public assets, the Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference is where policy becomes projects and projects become delivery.
We look forward to welcoming you to Edinburgh in 2026.
