As an organisation with challenge engrained in our business culture, we are used to taking ourselves out of our comfort zones, however, 2020 still packed quite a punch.

The latest lockdown rollercoaster news presents numerous challenges, including how to communicate with employees, customers and stakeholder.

This year has taught us many things – most of them character-forming as my mother was fond of saying - but one genuinely good thing to have emerged from this pandemic is the curative power of communities to care for each other.

A recent report published by CBRE, shows that Grade A office supply in Glasgow has now reached a critically low level and, with just one more modest letting, the city could be left with nothing to offer potential tenants or investors.

Today marks Giving Tuesday, a day of global giving fuelled by the power of social media and collaboration. Last week hub West Scotland launched its annual Winter Warmer Appeal for new warm clothing for children living in poverty.

By 2050 the world’s population is expected to be close to 10 billion, and with it a serious demand for food. Feeding a growing population is a challenge but so too is doing it in a way that reduces the impact on our planet. So how can we sustainably ensure the world has enough to eat?

Conservation engineering is about repairing and preserving what is there. However it can also be about developing the future use and purpose of a building to ensure it remains viable.

The Shared Rural Network sees the four UK mobile network operators - with considerable financial support from the UK Government and backed by the regulatory heft of Ofcom - come together to make 4G mobile broadband available to 95% of the UK – by 2026. 

Buyers have a greater understanding about interiors and, spending more time at home, want the space to be functional as well as stylish. Home designers and interior specialists are taking note.

Communication is one of the few things we can control in this uncertain time. It has a massive impact on employees, customers and partners and can make or break an organisation.

For the past few months the Government have been focussed on COVID19 related issues. However, as we emerge from lockdown and move towards the Scottish election next year, manifestos are being considered and represent a great opportunity to engage and influence politicians and key stakeholders. But how do you do this successfully?

The responsibility of a landscape architect extends beyond creating spaces for today’s group of young learners, it is about sustainable design that will meet the needs of future generations.

We need a workforce with an overarching aim to protect the global environment to deliver a green economy. The pace of change is fast and the opportunities for an interesting and rewarding career in the IB sector are wide and diverse.

There are most definitely bright spots – certainly with respect to the construction and development sector in Scotland, which is showing remarkable resilience – and I include Aberdeenshire in that analysis.

As the house building industry begins to return to work, sites re-open, and companies re-examine their business strategies and models, it will become even more important to embrace new technologies and processes to ensure the restart and future development of the sector is done in a way that it can thrive long term.