In 1996, a group composed mainly of representatives of amenity societies in Scotland met to try to advance areas of common interest by setting up a body called the Scottish Environment Amenity Link (SEAL). By 2000 it had become clear that further resources were required, mainly in order to be able to get more effectively involved with the Scottish Executive, and with the new Parliament, on emerging issues of policy. SEAL was renamed Built Environment Forum (BEF) and by 2001 the group had expanded to represent a broad range of non-professional interests in the historic built environment.

A key point in the evolution of BEFS was the joint working between professional institutes and voluntary organisations, in the production of a co-ordinated response to the Scottish Executive consultation on its Policy for Architecture. This highlighted the extensive common ground, at the strategic level, that existed amongst these various interests. BEF then became BEFS; a body to serve the common strategic interests of national Scottish bodies working with the nation's cultural environments; archaeological, historic and contemporary. BEFS was inaugurated at a general meeting of members on 29 August 2002, incorporated as a limited company on 11 June 2003 (registration number SC 250 970) and received charitable recognition on 23 July 2003 (Scottish Charity Number SC 03 44 88)