The Adaptation Scotland programme is excited to share a new resource to help businesses in Scotland prepare for extreme weather and increase their business resilience.
The SME Resilience Checklist provides practical checklists for simple actions that businesses can take to protect their People, Products and Services, Premises, Processes and Place. It also includes prompts to encourage businesses to identify opportunities for innovations or new offerings in response to their climate risks and new customer needs.
The SME Resilience Checklist is accompanied by case studies of businesses in Scotland taking action to prepare for how climate change my affect their business, improving their business’ resilience to shocks, and identifying new growth opportunities.
DOWNLOAD CHECKLISTClimate ready construction
On their work to construct a new, flagship building at Dunfermline Learning Campus for Fife College, Balfour Beatty and the design team, including Reiach and Hall Architects, Woolgar Hunter, and Atelier Ten, worked with the Adaptation Scotland programme to consider the current and potential future climate hazards facing the campus and its users, and how to deliver a campus that will be more resilient to the long-term impacts of climate change.
The College campus spans over 20,000m², and is an innovative venture from Fife College, it is part of a state of the art, sustainable shared learning campus for Dunfermline (Dunfermline College Campus, St Columba’s RC High School, and Woodmill High School).
Dunfermline Learning Campus is also the largest pathfinder project for the Scottish Government’s Net Zero Public Sector Buildings Standard in Scotland, which has established to drive net zero outcomes for new buildings and major refurbishments within the public sector. Fife College is the first project to explicitly include adaptation planning as part of the Standard in its design and delivery.
Resilience to climate change was identified as an important but equally new, and complex consideration for Fife College and Balfour Beatty, given the campus would need to withstand the increasing frequency and intensity of climate hazards such as heat, increased rainfall and windstorms over its long lifetime.
“It was great to have the support of the Adaptation Scotland programme to run these workshops for the first time. Although an important topic, this is something relatively new for us to consider however the tools available on the Adaptation Scotland website and really useful. We look forward to working with Sniffer to make sure these tools are more widely known and used within the construction industry and with our designers.”
Angela Pllu, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Balfour Beatty
Climate risk assessment and adaptation planning
To best consider climate adaptation, Fife College and Balfour Beatty worked with the Adaptation Scotland programme, using the A Changing Climate for Development tool kit to assess the climate resilience of the new campus, and explored the climate-driven hazards during the construction phase, using the Adaptation Scotland programme’s Climate Hazards in the Workplace tool kit.
The workshop explored the recent and projected changes to the climate in the Fife area, and how these climate-driven hazards would likely impact the structure and use of the new campus. The Adaptation Scotland programme team also supported participants to jointly identify potential adaptation actions, illustrated by case studies, and to prioritise those that could be implemented at this stage of construction.
From this work Balfour Beatty and its partners were able to identify actions to improve resilience including:
- Considering landscape design with climate resilient planting in mind – for instance, drought resistant plants, and more green space to provide cool areas during heat extremes.
- Consider prevailing wind directions and storm directions when designing rotating/automatic doors.
- Strategies for working during extreme weather, at the college, in design offices and on a construction site. When would people not be expected to travel into the facility and when could offices offer more comfortable alternatives to homes.
- Positioning of critical infrastructure such as IT servers away from areas potentially more at risk from extreme weather conditions such as flooding.
- Considering where internal drainage downpipes are located and leak detection to prevent damage to buildings/IT equipment etc. in extreme wet weather.
Assessing climate risks and potential adaptation options is best done at an early stage of project development. The Adaptation Scotland programme team supported Balfour Beatty and partners to identify opportunities in the project development process to undertake a similar assessment in future work to ensure climate risks and adaptation options are identified earlier.
With the advice and support of the Adaptation Scotland programme, Balfour Beatty, its partners and Fife College have been able to identify and implement practical measures that will be critical to ensuring a safe learning environment at the new Dunfermline Campus as the climate evolves.
Lessons from this projected have provided the basis for Balfour Beatty and Fife College to integrate considerations of key climate risks across future infrastructure and construction projects, including a planned College-wide climate risk assessment of the whole Fife College estate, and at least two further climate risk and adaptation workshops for existing projects being delivered by Balfour Beatty.
“Fife College is taking action on the climate emergency, and we have ambitions to do more and more. Our new Dunfermline campus is a low carbon beacon project and part of the Net Zero Public Sector Building Standard. We want to provide inspirational learning spaces for our future students, and we know we have to adapt and be resilient to the effects of climate change.”
Jim Metcalfe, Fife College Principal
Business Profile
Possilpark has experienced significant changes over recent years as is similar for many town centre areas throughout Scotland. It has a consistent, high-ranking position in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation which exacerbates day to day challenges for businesses. Litter, fly-tipping, crime, feelings of safety alongside access issues are a problem for many businesses.
The rise in energy costs is putting more pressure on businesses and the impacts of climate change add even more pressure. The town centre requires a continued coordinated response from all businesses to address these problems.
Climate impacts
Possilpark is exposed to a number of climate risks which have affected businesses in recent years. These include:
- Flooding in the high street: Saracen Street forms the main high street in Possilpark, and the area has faced significant and repeated flooding in recent years. Even on dry days, there are often multiple areas of pooled water, often blocking access for disabled residents and customers, resulting in reduced customer footfall. This is also linked to litter issues, where wind has caused litter to spill into the street and clog up drains.
- Overheating in outdoor areas: While businesses haven’t faced significant issues with indoor heat stress, this has been an issue for the areas around Saracen Street, including Millennium Square where there is little shade nor green space available. This has made it less attractive for people to use take-away food outlets nearby, or to spend time in the area and continue to shop throughout the day.
- Extreme wind and storms: Residents described Saracen Street as a ‘wind tunnel’, making it a less pleasant place to spend time. The lack of trees and shelter has exacerbated this issue, and some damage to shop fronts and buildings has occurred.
Actions taken
In 2024 the Possilpark Business Improvement District took part in a pilot project as part of Glasgow City Council’s Green Business Support programme, which helps local companies transition to Net-Zero, reduce their energy costs and become more resilient to climate change. As part of this project, the sustainability charity Sniffer supported the Business Improvement District to understand its climate risks and prioritise the resilience actions the business can take.
This included a collaborative climate risk and opportunities mapping event. This brought together members of the Business Improvement District, customers, and local residents associations to collectively map key hazards, and identify potential actions to improve business resilience and make Saracen Street and the surrounding area a more pleasant, inviting, and thriving place. A graphic illustrating the hazards and opportunities was produced, and is being used to inform the next stage of plans for the Possilpark Business Improvement District.
Business Profile
Film City Glasgow is a vital production base for much of the feature film and television industry within Scotland.
The facilities comprise of production office space, studio/build space, workshop areas, rehearsal/meeting rooms, a café and creative business officers. It is home to over 25 permanent tenants from the screen and wider creative industries. It also has flexible low-cost short-term space hire. Users of the space include Film City Glasgow workers, tenants, short term production teams, freelancers, interns, and occasionally members of the public.
The core of the site is the Victoria-era former Govan Town Hall, a Category B listed building. The redevelopment of the site has retained many of the original features of the building. A new extension was added in 2008.
Climate impacts
Film City Glasgow is exposed to a number of climate risks which have affected the businesses operations in recent years . These include:
- Disruption for freelancers and lone workers: Production company teams often include a high proportion of freelancers whose job security may be precarious, for example when schedules are interrupted or delayed because of extreme weather events. Reducing the likelihood and or extent of delays is financially beneficial to production companies and their freelancers. Out of hours lone working is common, especially in post-production. Lone workers can be at risk on large complex multi-use sites from extreme weather events because their whereabouts may be unknown.
- Flooding to basement and outdoor areas: The boiler plant, main electricity supply to the building and the switch gear are in the basement, which has experienced flooding. More significant flooding is possible, as building is in a medium flood risk area, which could cause significant damage to both the building and critical infrastructure.
- Storm and freeze/thaw damage to external masonry: The building has ornate sandstone features and details. Several elements of the building require maintenance or reinstatement works to maintain their structural integrity to be resilient to extreme weather conditions.
Actions taken
In 2023 Film City Glasgow took part in a pilot project as part of Glasgow City Council’s Green Business Support programme, which helps local companies transition to Net-Zero, reduce their energy costs and become more resilient to climate change.
As part of this project, the sustainability charity Sniffer supported Film City Glasgow to understand its climate risks and prioritise the resilience actions the business can take. These included:
- Wellbeing, and health and safety policies: climate change risks and resilience actions have been integrated into the organisation’s health and safety policies and plans. This has included input from the individuals working in the facility and their support and health and safety requirements from the risks posed by climate change impacts.
- Business risk assessment: The potential risks associated with the climate change hazards identified in the work with Sniffer has helped to strengthen Film City Glasgow’s approach to business risk assessments, and identified a number of actions they can take immediately to ensure all relevant risk are considered. This has included more comfortable temperatures in all areas of the building for all users.
- Flood risk management: Critical items are raised on a 30cm concrete plinth to minimise flood damage. Film City Glasgow are also exploring further flood prevention measures, and have signed up to the SEPA flood alert system.
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but the holistic approach to climate resilience was a breath of fresh air. We’ve been looking at building fabric, retrofit, and undertaken net zero training recently. But the resilience approach brought in other experiential considerations including the individuals working in the facility and their support and health and safety requirements. Also, illuminating on how the wider area interfaces with our building and thinking on climate resilience should be beyond our four walls.”
Tiernan Kelly, Director, Film City Glasgow
Business Profile
Sprigg is a food takeaway found in the heart of Glasgow, serving fresh salads, snacks and coffee. The business has three premises: two shop units and a warehouse. Sustainability is at the heart of the company’s ethos and brand, as well as to save costs.
The majority of company’s sales are takeaway, with some sit-in and some external catering. Distribution is a critical aspect of the business, particularly in relation to their day-to-day operations; moving goods from the preparation kitchen to the two stores, and from cafés to individuals via delivery services.
Climate impacts
Sprigg is exposed to a number of climate risks which have affected the businesses operations in recent years. These include:
- Overheating risk to food and staff. Both shops have experienced overheating during particularly high temperatures in recent summers. This has impacted on staff welfare, customer comfort, and could post a risk to food safety, particularly for open-display fridge units.
- Adverse weather has affected customer footfall. Periods of stormy or wet weather have had a considerable impact on footfall to the shops. There have been observed drops of 40% during adverse weather days, mostly due to trains not running and/or people choosing not to travel into the city and working from home instead.
- Disruption to supply chain. The business relies on daily deliveries between preparation kitchen and shop units. Deliveries and collections have been impacted by major roads disruption due to flooding. There is some storage at preparation kitchen, however the business relies on the flow of regular deliveries for fresh goods.
- Increased costs of goods (e.g. climate shocks causing food price spikes). The business prides itself on its fresh produce and range of ingredients customers can choose from. Some ingredients have been impacted by unexpected climate shocks to food production, locally and globally. The business has had to take certain items off the menu and replace them, such as during the shortage of salad from Spain due to extreme drought. The business’ custom bowls provide more flexibility to substitute ingredients than the fixed bowls, which would require changes to menu boards.
“The temperature in the shop was chronically bad … and it wasn’t when we opened it. I mean it’s always been warm, but it’s never been as bad as it was last year and even this year.”
Tom McDermott, Owner of Sprigg
Actions taken
In 2023 Sprigg took part in a pilot project as part of Glasgow City Council’s Green Business Support programme, which helps local companies transition to Net-Zero, reduce their energy costs and become more resilient to climate change.
As part of this project, the sustainability charity Sniffer supported Sprigg to understand its climate risks and prioritise the resilience actions the business can take. These included:
- Responding to heat stress. Overheating during summer months was identified as a critical issue. Sprigg decided to install heat reducing film after a recommendation and visit to a nearby shoe shop that also use the film. It is claimed to reduce heat penetration through the glass by 66%. This has been combined with installation of an air-con unit.
- Externalised machinery in the warehouse production unit. To address overheating issues at the warehouse unit where the business prepares the fresh food, Sprigg decided to move some machinery outside. Workers noticed the walk-in chiller was giving off a lot of heat, so decided to site that outside. Since then they have noted a positive impact on working temperatures.
- Exploring installing solar panels on the production unit. Power supply to the production unit was highlighted as a risk, and vulnerable to extreme weather impacting local energy supply. Sprigg are currently investigating funding to install solar panels at the production unit, both to reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption and provide a more resilient energy supply that would not be impacted by wider network outages.
“My advice would be do what you can. Try and see sustainability as a commercial benefit rather than a cost. It can feel overwhelming but get started and explore the support that is out there. It’s our role as SMEs to lead by example and encourage the big businesses to change too, and deliver positive impact at scale.”
Tom McDermott, Owner of Sprigg
All workers whether they work indoors, outdoors, offshore, or travel for a living could be increasingly vulnerable to disruption, damage, and potential injury from climate change impacts such as windstorms, flooding, and heatwaves.
The Adaptation Scotland programme and the Scottish Trade Union movement (Unison and STUC) worked together to create resources to help identify the hazards that climate change could bring to a range of different workplaces and to develop adaptation solutions.
The resources are designed to be used by any organisation, not just by trade union representatives. The resources address the human consequences of a changing climate and help workers have a central voice in building resilience to climate risks and championing climate change adaptation solutions which also tackle inequality and social justice as part of a Just Transition in Scotland.
These tools combine the latest climate change science and the lived experience of trade union representatives from across Scotland, which suggests that climate change impacts, without adaptation, threaten health and safety. Conversely, well planned adaptation action can transform our poorest communities and present opportunities for Scotland’s workers and industries.
The resource include:
- A handbook which makes the case for adaptation from a Trade Union (and broader just transition) perspective including examples of how climate impacts are already impacting schools, offices, shops, depots, warehousing, care homes, hospitals, and outdoor workplace settings.
- A workbook which takes users on a step-by-step journey in identifying potential climate change hazards in their workplace and provides information to help union officers and reps in Scotland take action to build resilience and protect workers from the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
- Checklists that can be downloaded and used by individuals and organisations to identify potential climate-related hazards and possible adaptation responses.
- Webinars introducing the tools and guidance, and explaining the process behind their development.