Guidance for Capital funding and projects

Register with us

College Infrastructure Strategy

SFC’s approach to determining future investment in Scotland’s college estate and other college infrastructure is set out in the SFC’s College Infrastructure Strategy: The approach to delivering Scotland’s College Infrastructure Plan. The Strategy sets out the collective approach between SFC and colleges to develop an Infrastructure Investment Plan which will cover the period 2023-33. The Investment Plan will identify investment need, which includes investment for net zero, training equipment and digital needed for a sustainable college estate to deliver the desired outcomes for students, staff and communities.

Capital Committee

Chaidh gabhail ri an Capital Committee considers major capital projects at critical stages in their procurement and delivery to provide assurance to the Council that the project is consistent with the agreed initial aims and that it can progress successfully to the next stage in the decision point process.

For information about key stages, please consult the Capital Projects Decision Point Guidance [PDF].

Procedure notes for the Disposal of Property

The Disposal of Property: Procedures for Universities [PDF] notes should be followed by institutions seeking to dispose of surplus property (i.e. any land or building where Exchequer funds have been used in its purchase, upkeep or maintenance) and to retain the proceeds from such disposals.

Colleges who are looking to dispose of any property should contact Andrew Millar, email: amillar@sfc.ac.uk as soon as possible.

Post occupancy evaluation

Post occupancy evaluation guidance [PDF] provides a structured review of the process of delivering a capital project as well as a review of operational, functional and strategic performance of the building following occupation. This is a recognised way of providing feedback on the performance of the project throughout a building’s lifecycle from initial concept through to occupation.

Resources and information for capital funding and projects

Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) Construction Procurement Review

The Construction Procurement Review report was published in 2013 and the Scottish Procurement Construction Policy Notes provide advice on specific construction policy issues.

Building Information Modelling

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is “the process of designing, constructing or operating a building or infrastructure asset using electronic object-oriented information.”

The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) BIM Portal provides access to relevant information and BIM Processes to help you deliver your project.

Community Infrastructure Benchmarking Database

The Community Infrastructure Benchmarking Database shares best practice and construction related project data amongst Scotland’s public sector organisations Scotland.

Whole Life Appraisal Tool

SFT’s Whole Life Appraisal Tool helps public sector procurers make informed decisions to get the most out of built assets. It provides a consistent method to look at the costs and outcomes during the design, construction, operation and disposal stages for a built asset.

Strategic Approaches to Managing Estates Assets

What can we do with the office? provides generic best practice on space utilisation for the public sector.

Post Occupancy Evaluations

Post Occupancy Evaluations (POE) can help fine tune new buildings, improve designs for future projects, explore how users interact with their new environments and demonstrate best value.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) sets out its Pathways to POE agus Usable Buildings Trust promotes a Soft Landings Framework approach, which aims to soften the transition from construction to occupation and operation.

Government Soft Landings, the Cabinet Office’s version of Soft Landings caters for the procurement needs of UK central government departments.

District Heating

District Heating Scotland supports organisations looking to develop or connect to a heat network.

Scottish Capital Investment Manual

The Scottish Capital Investment Manual (SCIM) Business Case Guide was developed to assist NHS Scotland make the right investment choices and deliver value for money, and is relevant for other public bodies and those that co-invest in capital with NHS Scotland in particular, such as universities. It can be read in conjunction with the Treasury Green Book.