Transforming Scotland’s Buildings for net zero: Gavin Johnston shares the vision behind BE-ST’s groundbreaking Living Lab
In Episode 49 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue, BE-ST associate director of collaborative and commercial partnerships Gavin Johnston discusses pioneering retrofit innovation, passive house principles and how Scotland can scale net-zero construction solutions
Scotland’s journey to net zero will depend heavily on how quickly and effectively its buildings can be transformed.
Few people understand that challenge better than Gavin Johnston, BE-ST associate director of collaborative and commercial partnerships, (Built Environment - Smarter Transformation). Gavin joins episode 49 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue podcast to discuss the groundbreaking work reshaping the future of construction and retrofit across the country.
With a background spanning architecture, project management, public sector asset management and social housing, Gavin has built a career around improving the performance and sustainability of buildings. Today, he is leading some of Scotland’s most innovative retrofit projects while helping bridge the gap between academia, industry and government through BE-ST, Scotland’s Construction Innovation Centre.
BE-ST is Scotland's national innovation centre for construction and the built environment. And at the heart of Gavin’ work is a commitment to demonstrating what is possible.
His most notable achievement has been leading the transformation of BE-ST’s Innovation Campus in Blantyre into a pioneering “living lab” for low-carbon construction.
The project retrofitted a circa-2000 industrial building using a fabric-first approach and zero-direct-emission heating technologies. It creates a real-world demonstration site where industry professionals can learn from both the successes and challenges of deep retrofit.
Gavin says: “We’re using the challenge of net zero as an opportunity to modernise how we design, build and operate buildings.
“The focus is on measurable outcomes - lower energy demand, reduced embodied carbon and verified building performance.”
We’re using the challenge of net zero as an opportunity to modernise how we design, build and operate buildings.
The focus is on measurable outcomes - lower energy demand, reduced embodied carbon and verified building performance.
How a living lab works
The living lab showcases multiple innovations under one roof. It combines modern methods of construction, advanced energy-efficiency measures and mass timber solutions developed through BE-ST’s Mass Timber Centre of Excellence. The centre is helping commercialise high-value Scottish timber products that offer a lower-carbon alternative to traditional steel and concrete construction.
Gavin believes one of the sector’s greatest opportunities lies in adopting fabric-first principles. Rather than focusing solely on replacing fossil-fuel heating systems, fabric-first retrofit prioritises reducing a building’s energy demand through improved insulation, airtightness and overall building performance.
In our podcast conversation we understand how this philosophy aligns closely with Gavin’s long-standing advocacy for Passive House standards. As a certified Passive House designer, he highlights the methodology’s ability to close the “performance gap” that often exists between how a building is designed to perform and how it actually performs in operation.
He says: “Passive House consistently gets right what mainstream construction often misses.
“The rigorous quality assurance process means buildings perform as intended, delivering lower energy use and greater comfort for occupants.”
Building better for people
Beyond technology and design, Gavin emphasises the importance of people. He argues that Scotland’s net-zero transition must be fair, practical and focused on tackling fuel poverty while improving health and wellbeing.
Retrofitting homes and public buildings should not simply reduce carbon emissions but also create healthier, more affordable places to live and work.
A significant challenge remains the industry’s skills gap. While Scotland has strong expertise across construction and retrofit, Gavin warns that demand for net-zero projects currently exceeds capacity.
BE-ST is working with industry and education providers to develop new training pathways, support workforce upskilling and accelerate adoption of innovative construction methods.
Despite the scale of the challenge, Gavin remains optimistic. He believes that by moving beyond pilot projects and scaling proven solutions, Scotland can create a future where comfortable, energy-efficient homes and workplaces become the norm rather than the exception.
Gavin’s vision is clear: a construction sector that delivers better buildings, stronger communities and lasting social value while driving the country towards a net-zero future.
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