SG heat in buildings consultation

February 2024

Heat in Buildings consultation closes soon

2023-24 Heat in buildings consultation      closes 8 March 2024

To assist in responding to the consultation:

The Existing Homes Alliance has produced a briefing about the proposed bill and the consultation

WWF Scotland has information on its website about 'the future of heating our homes' and has produced a detailed response template for the consultation, which it invites responding individuals or groups to make use of.

TBI proposes to submit a response to the consultation, and encourages members and supporters to respond individually.  From an initial review, we are concerned that the availability of funding support is relegated to an afterthought. The cost and disruption required to bring some properties up to an adequate standard will be much more than suggested in the consultation, and there need to be adequate measures to safeguard the interests of people in these homes.
 

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December 2023

2023 changes to Scottish Government Heat in Buildings strategy, and consultation opens

In a statement to Parliament on 28 November 2023 Patrick Harvie, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' rights, introduced some changes to the Scottish Government's Heat in Buildings strategy introduced in 2021; and announced the intention to introduce a new bill to give effect to the changes and the opening of a consultation on the new strategy, to close on 8 March 2024.

The main changes can be summarised as follows

- New heating standards come into effect from April 2024,  with gas boilers banned from new-build homes and other buildings seeking a building warrant from that date.  The new standards do not seem to include any requirement for more efficient insulation.

- All privately rented homes will be required to conform to the new standards by 2028, and owner occupied homes by 2033.

- The installation of new or replacement fossil fuel boilers will be banned* from 2028 for all categories of housing (previously there were different dates according to whether a house was on or off the gas grid).

- Anyone buying a house before 2045 will be required to install zero-emissions heating within a specified time.

- The target for a million homes to be 'decarbonised' by 2030 has been scrapped as unachievable.  No new target has been set out for domestic buildings.

- Long term targets are for all public buildings to be zero carbon by 2038, and all buildings by 2045.

- There are separate provisions for social housing.

* Probably what is meant - the wording of this provision is unclear.

Patrick Harvie's statement

BBC News report        29 November 2023      Angus Cochrane