Published September 2023
National Targets
- By 2038 all publicly owned buildings must meet zero direct emission heating requirements (Bute House Agreement commitment).
- By 2026, all new homes delivered by Registered Social Landlords and Local Authorities will be zero direct emissions. (Heat in Buildings Strategy) This will involve fitting zero emissions heating systems ahead of the 2024 New Build Heat Standard regulations coming into force.
Key Legislation and Policies
Legislation
- The New Build Heat Standard will prohibit the use of direct emissions heating systems in new domestic and non-domestic buildings warranted from April 2024.
- Provisions within Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 on energy efficiency that came into force on 1 February 2023, are summarised here.
- Table 1 on page 12 of the Net Zero: Local Authority Powers report summarises the duties (and supporting legislation) of local authorities regarding energy efficiency.
Policies
- The voluntary Net Zero Public Sector Buildings Standard (launched 2021).
- The National Planning Framework 4 (Feb 2023) is Scotland’s national spatial strategy. Planning authorities can draw on NPF4 (and associated LDPs) which place considerable emphasis on net zero comprise as material considerations in decision-making.
- Changes to the regulations, standards and supporting guidance were published in revised technical Domestic and Non-Domestic handbooks (Feb 2023). The most relevant sections are 6 (energy) and 7 (sustainability).
Looking Ahead
- The incoming New Build (Zero Direct Emissions) Heat Standard (NBHS) (due to be laid in parliament in 2023) will mandate the use of zero direct emissions heat technologies and high levels of fabric energy efficiency in all new residential and non-residential buildings - as well as conversions to existing buildings - consented from 1st April 2024. See here consultation documents part 1 (Oct 2021) and part two (Jul 2022). This will be achieved through amendments to the building (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
- The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is being currently developed, will set out metrics by which net zero carbon performance is evaluated, as well as performance targets and limits that need to be met. These are likely to include energy use, upfront embodied carbon, and lifecycle embodied carbon, with other metrics – such as space heating/cooling demand and peak load – also to be considered. It will also cover the approach to carbon accounting, procuring renewable energy, and the treatment of residual emissions, including carbon offsetting.