Scotland's construction industry stands to benefit from unparalleled opportunities in the low carbon materials and technology market.

Overall sales in the sector are predicted to increase from £1.1bn to around £1.9bn by 2020.

As a world leader in low carbon technologies, such as renewable energy, Scotland is well placed to extend these opportunities into other sectors as well as exporting is low carbon products and services, according to Scottish Enterprise, the country's main economic development agency.

To support Construction Scotland's Building for the Future strategy (2013 - 2016), Scottish Enterprise has published an industry guide, Construction – Low Carbon Opportunities in Scotland, which outlines the challenges and opportunities for the sector and the resources available.


Alistair McKinnon, Head of Construction at Scottish Enterprise, said the potential for the 14,000 businesses currently working in the low carbon construction sector to increase their market share, and for Scotland to become a global player in this arena, is unprecedented.

He explained: "The Scottish Government's vision is to create a housing sector that helps to establish a successful low carbon economy across Scotland. Already the UK and global export markets offer significant potential for innovative timber-based products and ancillary building technology.

"But for Scotland to be globally competitive in this market, we must develop our domestic low carbon construction capabilities in both retrofit and new build markets."

Mr McKinnon added that the guide particularly outlines how the construction industry can benefit from developing innovative and sustainable building materials and systems.

"Scotland already leads the market in simulation software for building modeling, and it is innovations like this along with combined heat and power generation and heat exchange and recovery systems, the use of sustainable building materials and modern methods of construction that will drive the sector forward," he concluded.

(JP/CD)