Timetable Changes for Scotland’s Clean Heat in Homes Transition

The Scottish Government has conceded that its timeline for a transition to clean heat in homes and the scale of change required means that it “is not achievable” by the date originally set. The announcement was made in the Scottish Parliament on 28th of November by The Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights Patrick Harvie. The Minister also launched a consultation on the changes.

The announcement has been criticised by Orkney Constituency MSP, LibDem Liam McArthur who accused the government of rowing back on its aim to decarbonise one million homes by 2030.

Speaking afterwards, Liam McArthur said:

“Experts have been warning for years that without more action and funding, the Scottish Government would be forced to push back its home decarbonisation targets. Ministers have consistently ignored those warnings, preferring to grab headlines but duck the detailed work.

“As a result, rowing back on some of the key dates has become inevitable and necessary, which in turn means more emissions and higher fuel bills for consumers.

“Just pushing back the dates won’t help, however, unless Ministers also commit to stepping up action and funding. The Scottish Government was very critical, rightly so, when the Prime Minister recently diluted the UK Government’s climate commitments. There is a risk that SNP / Green Ministers may now be following suit.”

Patrick Harvie insisted that the key dates in the government’s 2021 “Heat in Buildings Strategy—Achieving Net Zero Emissions in Scotland’s Buildings” remained in place:

2028 for minimum energy standards for privately rented homes
2033 for minimum energy standards for other private homes
2038 for public buildings to be zero carbon
2045 for all buildings to be zero carbon.

By 2025 the main legislative foundation for the heat transition will be in place.

Patrick Harvie said:

” I have worked through stakeholder feedback, detailed evidence and the very significant changes in the cost pressures that households and businesses have faced in the past two years, and I can now set out a more detailed timescale for the current decade.”

“If Parliament has, by 2025, passed the bill that I intend to introduce, detailed secondary legislation will be required, and it will be the next parliamentary session before those regulations have an impact. To ensure that we are fair, just and proportionate, it might be 2028 at the earliest before the first home or building owners are required to act under those regulations.”

And he continued:

“The days of heating our homes and buildings with fossil fuel and polluting systems are numbered. However, during the consultation, I intend to take an open and constructive approach with any MSP or party that chooses to take the issue seriously.

“That approach extends beyond political parties to a wide range of stakeholders, from businesses investing in clean heat to fuel poverty campaigners, and from private landlords to funders. Bring forward positive ideas and I will listen. The consultation and our final proposal will be shaped by those views.

“However, those who wish to pretend that the heat transition is not necessary, who want to treat it as a shallow political game or who trade in vague promises with nothing to back them up will not only be abandoning the commitments that they made when they voted for the climate targets and betraying the clear majority of the public who want ambitious climate action; they will be undermining Scotland as we seek the maximum social, environmental and economic opportunity from this ambitious transition. That would serve no one.”

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights Patrick Harvie visits the Western Villages Heat in Buildings development.

Under legislation to be introduced in 2025, those buying new homes or buildings would be asked to move to a “clean” heating system, such as a heat pump or connection to a heat network, within a fixed period of time following that purchase.

It is intended that in Scotland clean heating systems will replace polluting heating systems in Scotland’s homes and buildings by 2045.

Consultation

The Scottish Government is asking for views on proposals to form part of a Heat in Buildings Bill as set out in the Programme for Government. The consultation closes on 8 March 2024.

Proposals include:

That private rented homes will be required to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard no later than 2028
That owner-occupied homes will be required to meet the same minimum energy efficiency standard by the end of 2033
That all homes and non-domestic buildings will be required to end their use of polluting heating by the end of 2045
Those purchasing a home or non-domestic property before 2045 would be required to end their use of polluting heating systems within a specific period following that purchase.

Also published today are proposals for a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard that would require social landlords to meet an energy efficiency standard between 2033 and 2040 and install clean heating across their stock by 2045 where it is technically feasible and cost-effective to do so.

Consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill

Social Housing Net Zero consultation