What will it take for the construction industry to modernise at the pace the world now demands? In this episode of The Hard Hat Talks, Kenneth Martin speaks with Douglas Morrison, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Built Environment - Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), to explore the skills, technologies and cultural changes required to build a smarter, greener future.

Douglas offers a clear and honest picture of where the sector is falling behind - and where the biggest opportunities lie. They discuss the widening digital skills gap, the need for a national skills alignment strategy, the hard realities of Net Zero, and why outdated procurement practices continue to hold back innovation.

The conversation also dives into the future of the workforce, from the role of AI, automation and robotics to the need to reshape construction into an appealing, future-focused career path. For architects, developers, educators, contractors and policymakers, this episode offers a roadmap of the changes needed to keep the sector competitive, resilient and sustainable.

In this episode you’ll discover:

• Why digital skills must become a national priority

• The systemic challenges slowing Scotland’s Net Zero progress

• The gap between innovation and real-world adoption

• Why procurement reform could unlock sector-wide transformation

• The role BE-ST plays in enabling cultural and behavioural change

• How technological innovation is reshaping the built environment

• The actions required from industry, government and education

• Douglas’s challenge for the next generation of built environment leaders

A powerful, forward-looking conversation about the transformations required to build a future-ready industry.

Timeline

00:00 - Welcome & Episode Overview00:55 - Douglas’s background and role at BE-ST03:12 - Why construction must accelerate its digital transformation06:45 - The digital skills gap: where Scotland is falling behind10:20 - Net Zero and the reality of meeting national targets
14:05 - Structural barriers: procurement, regulation & culture
18:32 - Why collaboration is essential for meaningful change
22:10 - The future workforce: attracting young people into construction
26:15 - AI, automation & emerging technologies
30:48 - The role of BE-ST’s demonstrator hub
33:55 - What the next 12 months must focus on
36:10 - Douglas’s question for the next guest