KJ Tait

Building Decarbonisation Scotland

Net zero retrofit support for non domestic estates, offices and complex environments.

KJ Tait supports non domestic clients across Scotland to plan and deliver retrofit programmes that reduce operational carbon and enable low carbon heat.

We provide M&E led options appraisal, staged decarbonisation planning and design support with clear commissioning and verification requirements, focused on buildability, operational continuity and performance risk.

Project enquiries and tenders

Provide a short outline of your building or estate, constraints and the decision you need to make. We will respond with the appropriate next step, which may be a request for further information prior to a proposal.

Building energy modelling used to compare heat decarbonisation options for a non-domestic building

Sector pathways

Choose the pathway that best matches your building or estate. Each route is structured to reduce risk, protect operations and improve decision clarity.

Public sector and higher education estates

You often need a deliverable plan that supports governance and procurement and that stands up to scrutiny. We help you define a staged route that works with budget cycles and live operations.

Typical outputs

  • Heat decarbonisation plan including enabling works and phasing
  • Options appraisal with clear decision points and dependencies
  • Employer’s Requirements input for tender documentation
  • Handover and verification requirements that support performance in use

If you are preparing an ITT, we can provide a capability statement and relevant project experience on request.

Commercial offices and landlords

You need practical interventions that protect asset value and can be delivered with minimal disruption. We focus on buildable packages with clear operational implications.

Typical outputs

  • Plant replacement strategy and low temperature distribution review
  • Controls optimisation and metering strategy
  • Ventilation and comfort risk appraisal
  • Phasing approach to manage disruption and access constraints

Where relevant, we set out enabling electrical requirements early so your programme remains credible.

Life sciences and complex environments

You need decarbonisation without compromising resilience, compliance or critical environments. We test scenarios against operational constraints and define a route that protects uptime.

Typical outputs

  • Decarbonisation scenarios aligned to resilience and operational risk
  • Electrical capacity and infrastructure enabling strategy
  • Phasing plan to protect uptime and safe access
  • Commissioning and verification requirements proportionate to the risk

We prioritise clarity on what changes operationally and what will be verified after implementation.

Our approach

Decarbonisation programmes fail when measures are selected in isolation or when assumptions are not tested against how your building is used. Our approach is structured to manage risk and clarify decisions.

  1. Understand the building and its operation

    We review available information, carry out targeted surveys where required and establish the operational constraints that will shape the solution.

  2. Test options and prioritise intervention packages

    We compare viable pathways and set out practical packages of measures with clear dependencies, indicative cost ranges and disruption implications.

  3. Define a heat decarbonisation route and enabling works

    We identify the enabling works that make low carbon heat deliverable, including electrical capacity, distribution temperatures, controls and plant space constraints.

  4. Provide M&E-led design support and delivery input

    We support coordination across the team, align design intent with buildability and maintainability and help manage interfaces between fabric and services.

  5. Set commissioning and verification requirements

    We define proportionate commissioning and verification requirements so performance can be checked against intent and handed over with clarity.

Where a process anchor is helpful, we can align deliverables to recognised non-domestic retrofit frameworks to support clear roles, evidence and review points.

Scotland funding and procurement context

If you are delivering work across Scotland, your programme may be shaped by funding criteria and established procurement routes. We structure outputs so they are clear, auditable and suitable for decision making.

Funding readiness

For public bodies, applications often require a whole building approach, a clear delivery plan and evidence that enabling works have been considered. We can support the technical narrative and evidence pack and define scope that can be delivered within programme constraints.

  • Defined baseline and assumptions
  • Clear options appraisal and recommended route
  • Phasing and enabling works strategy
  • Commissioning and handover requirements

Procurement routes

Many organisations structure retrofit and decarbonisation programmes through consultancy and works workstreams. We can support you with Employer’s Requirements, scope definition, tender clarifications and technical review during delivery.

  • Scope and deliverables definition
  • Employer’s Requirements and technical schedules
  • Tender support and evaluation input
  • Design review and delivery support

We will not state or imply framework appointment unless it is confirmed. This section is intended to reflect how many programmes are commonly structured.

Evidence

Retrofit and decarbonisation decisions carry operational risk. We document constraints, define responsibilities and set verification requirements so you can act with confidence.

Holland & Sherry distribution warehouse

Industrial and warehouse, Peebles, Scotland | Energy audit, modelling and decarbonisation options

Brief

A Category B listed warehouse required a practical plan to reduce energy demand and utility spend, with fabric upgrades considered alongside future heating decarbonisation.

Our input

  • Worked with cb3 Design Architects to review fabric improvement options
  • Assessed heating system upgrades and solar PV feasibility
  • Built an IES model to test packages and provide savings and payback estimates

Outcome

The study identified window upgrades or secondary glazing as the strongest demand reduction opportunity due to heat loss and infiltration. We also highlighted distribution and control issues within the existing heating and set out a PV recommendation based on payback under prevailing electricity costs.

Verification

Findings were supported by dynamic modelling and a clear record of assumptions, including utility rates and capital cost inputs provided by the project team.

TotalEnergies House

Office, Westhill, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Energy audit, controls review and modelling

Brief

The client required an energy audit aligned to recognised procedures to benchmark performance, review automatic controls and identify operational and capital opportunities to reduce energy demand and support ESOS compliance.

Our input

  • Reviewed operational profile through the BMS, including ventilation, humidification and heating set points
  • Undertook advanced modelling, including IES Apache HVAC analysis, to test energy saving strategies
  • Developed recommendations covering operational optimisation, heat recovery options and longer term heat decarbonisation

Outcome

The study identified opportunities to reduce gas consumption through operational adjustments and targeted upgrades. It also set out a structured pathway to support future decarbonisation measures, including electrification and on site generation where appropriate.

Verification

Recommendations were based on benchmarking, controls review and detailed modelling, with assumptions recorded to support informed decision making.

FAQs

Short answers to common questions from estates teams, asset managers and project leaders.

What is a heat decarbonisation plan and what should it include

A heat decarbonisation plan sets out how a building or estate will transition away from fossil fuel heating. It typically includes baseline performance, viable options, enabling works, phasing, key risks and the evidence required for approvals.

Can decarbonisation be delivered in phases across multiple years

Yes. Phasing is often the most practical route for live estates. The key is to prioritise enabling measures early, avoid rework and define dependencies between fabric performance, system temperatures, distribution changes and controls.

What enabling works are commonly required for electrification and heat pumps

Enabling works vary by site, but often include electrical capacity assessment, distribution temperature review, plant space planning, controls strategy and metering suitable for verification.

How do you reduce performance risk after retrofit

We reduce risk by defining performance intent early, coordinating fabric and services, setting clear commissioning and handover requirements and planning verification through proportionate metering and monitoring.

What information do you need to provide a fee proposal

Building type and location, approximate size, current heat source, known constraints, key stakeholders and what decision you need to make within the next 8 to 12 weeks. We may request energy data and existing O&M information to confirm assumptions.

Scotland Projects

Scotland 
news

5 November 2025
KJ Tait are delighted to have had a significant role as BREEAM Assessor in helping CBRE Investment Management’s Edinburgh office development at 30 Semple Street achieve an OUTSTANDING BREEAM rating.
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1 September 2025
The Scottish Government’s response to the EPC Reform Consultation signals a major shift in how energy performance will be assessed.
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