The canal towpaths and redundant railway lines that pass through the hearts of our cities are a legacy of our industrial past. Built at a time when progress and pollution went hand in hand, many have lain unused since the 1960s when the road network was expanded and train travel declined.

Scotland plans to deliver 100,000 new homes by 2032 to meet strong demand for housing. However, creating great new places with their own identities, where people really want to live, requires more than houses. Successful large-scale residential developments also need a mix of local amenities, shops, workplaces, schools, public spaces and different housing types.

COP26 delegates will be welcomed upon arrival by People Make Glasgow Greener, and when they depart Scotland, it will mark the precise moment that regeneration organisations become even more pivotal in supporting efforts to halt the climate crisis.

Today, exam results are unveiled in Scotland after over a year of disruption to education in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those considering their career options, construction might not be the obvious choice. Historically the sector painted a low-paid, low- skilled picture. However, this is a sector that is thriving, innovating, highly rewarding and driving change.

Next week exam results will be revealed and career paths set, or will they? As shown with the #NoWrongPath campaign, are there more options for young people than they might think?

A golden key opens any door and 5G is the key to unlocking business efficiency and productivity as well as societal benefits to the stunningly beautiful and sparsely populated rural areas of Scotland. Smart cities is a recognised term, but we need to reference ‘clever countryside’ in any discussion about digital connectivity in Scotland and further afield.

As an ambassador for surfing in Scotland, and with a seat on the board at The Scottish Surfing Federation, I take every opportunity to spread the word internationally about the emerging scene in our country.

There is no greater proof that People Make Glasgow than to see the city without its crowds. The city centre has been dormant, feeling like a stage without a play. Now, the commuters and shoppers are returning from their Covid-enforced isolation and the redeveloped Glasgow Queen Street station is there to welcome them.

What if…?/Scotland is an exhibition that frames hopes and dreams for our communities through the people who live in them.

World Social Media Day falls on Wednesday 30th June. The global campaign aims to shine a light on the role of social media in connecting cultures, starting movements and bringing people together.

With Everest base camp now gaining 5G coverage - we can now recognise that 5G is on the world stage and its stock is high. There is a lot of talk about the benefits of 5G for economic growth and it being a key enabler for Scotland’s digital transformation. These conversations are now taking place at local and regional level as businesses are keen to learn exactly how 5G could supercharge their productivity.

As you would expect, the need for the specialist care provided to babies born prematurely or sick throughout Scotland has not been diminished by the pandemic. The demand is still there, but the way our charity raises funds and access for visiting these babies have changed considerably.

My digital agency turns five years old this month and I am proud of everything we have achieved in half a decade. Little did I think we would be faced with operating in a global pandemic, nor would I have predicted that we could significantly grow the business in such an unprecedented and challenging time.

The construction sector has been one of the last to adopt digitisation and for very understandable reasons. Poor WiFi and 4G accessibility on building sites has inhibited the use of data and the challenges of cost and skills in an industry operating on low margins has made digital collaboration somewhat overwhelming.

Later this year the delayed UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, will take place in Glasgow and it will come at a time when the pandemic has focused attention on the changing way we live.

As with any complex conservation project like this, research and understanding of the buildings are paramount. The research process commenced with historical alibi - a process of detailed research on the site and its history.

In the middle of the pandemic, October last year marked 20 years since the sequence of the human genome was published. This publicly funded project was established to determine the DNA sequence of the entire human genome. The bold claim made by Bill Clinton was that the human genome project would “revolutionise the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of most, if not all, human diseases” So how close have we come to those claims becoming a reality?

With the importance of ensuring everyone living in Scotland has a quality home that meets their needs never more apparent, I have been gratified to see the ambition shown by all parties on housing during this election campaign.

Voters will head to the polls next Thursday to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in what is expected to be a hugely significant and somewhat different election. The recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and Scottish independence are easily the two biggest issues of the campaign so far. This will be the sixth election in its history and probably the most significant since devolution in 1999.

On Thursday we mark World Earth Day, the annual call-to-action to take whatever steps we can to heal our planet. The theme this year is ‘restore our Earth’, an imperative that conveys both the urgency of the situation and the suggestion that it is not yet too late to make a difference and to stop squandering our natural capital – the ecosystems, soils, freshwater, air and oceans on which we depend.