Transforming Construction: Digital Skills, Net Zero & Industry Change – Episode #15
No Fluff. Just Real Industry Conversations
How does an industry built on tradition keep pace with rapid technological, environmental, and social change? In this episode of The Hard Hat Talks, host Kenneth Martin sits down with Douglas Morrison, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), to unpack what’s really needed to future-proof the construction sector.
From the urgent digital skills gap to Scotland’s Net Zero pathway, Douglas explains why the built environment must rethink how it works, learns, and collaborates. Expect an honest look at culture, innovation, procurement, skills, and the barriers holding the industry back – along with the opportunities waiting for those ready to adapt. This episode is essential listening for architects, developers, educators, contractors, and anyone committed to building a smarter, greener future.
What you’ll discover from the podcast
- Why construction is facing a “perfect storm” of skills shortages, digital disruption, and climate pressures – and what it means for the sector’s future.
- The truth about digital skills in construction, why current training systems fall short, and the urgent need for a national skills alignment strategy.
- How Scotland can realistically meet Net Zero targets, and the gaps in regulation, culture, and capability that stand in the way.
- Why procurement remains one of the biggest barriers to innovation, and how rethinking value could unlock transformation across the sector.
- The role of BE-ST in supporting industry change, including their national hub, innovation programmes, and real-world demonstrators.
- How emerging technology – AI, automation, digital twins, robotics – is reshaping the built environment, and what professionals must do to stay relevant.
- Why culture change matters more than technology, and why leadership must shift from risk-averse to innovation-driven.
- Opportunities for young people in the built environment, and why construction must become a more attractive, technology-led career path.
- The importance of collaboration across academia, industry, and government, and why siloed thinking is slowing progress.
- Douglas’s challenge for the next generation of industry leaders – and what he believes must change in the next 12 months.
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