Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape (ESALA) has been selected as part of a team that will assess the net zero readiness of the physical infrastructure of Scotland’s creative and cultural sector.

The collaborative project team, led by Dr Kate Carter, also includes Collective Architecture, and was appointed via a competitive tender process. They will work with Creative Scotland staff, and stakeholders from across the arts, screen and creative industries, throughout the first half of 2024.

Creative Scotland has committed to a Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan, using its work to ensure that Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries make a meaningful contribution in addressing the climate emergency.  

Scotland has set a target to reach net zero emissions by 2045. 2021 data confirms that transport, agriculture, business, residential and energy remain the five largest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions - this includes the emissions generated by the operation, occupancy and access to built assets in the creative and cultural sectors.

Eighty per cent of the buildings that will exist in 2045 have already been built, so it is key that we understand more about the net zero readiness of the buildings that Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries organisations use.

The project aims to deliver:

• A comprehensive map of the physical infrastructure for Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries for production and exhibition.
• An understanding of the net zero readiness of that estate. 

The project team will review existing material, collect a significant amount of new data, and directly engage with those who own, work in and make use of the physical estate. 

They will seek the input of sector partners and others within Scotland’s creative ecology, to increase understanding and facilitate the creation of the first national mapping of Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries infrastructure.  

It is anticipated that a survey will be shared with the creative sector in the coming months to help the team learn more about the infrastructure of the arts, screen and creative industries across Scotland.