Scotland sets out plan to transform heating in one million homes by 2030

The Heat in Buildings strategy sets out the vision for homes and non-domestic buildings to use low and zero emission heating systems

The Scottish Government has unveiled a draft plan to upgrade the heating systems in more than one million homes and an estimated 50,000 non-domestic buildings.

The Heat in Buildings strategy sets out the vision for the buildings to use low and zero emission heating systems by 2030, in line with Scotland’s updated Climate Change Plan, to ensure the nation meets its 2045 net zero target.

The government has committed to an investment of £1.6 billion over the next five years to help transform the heating and energy efficiency performance of buildings, with the transformation of the building stock expected to support thousands of jobs across the sector and the wider supply chain.

The strategy also includes plans for engaging people and businesses to ensure everyone across Scotland “has an opportunity to shape the transformation”, together with proposals for a new regulatory framework that would require the majority of property owners to take action over time to install energy efficiency measures and zero emission heating systems.

The proposals follow the launch of a consultation in December 2020 on the New Build Heat Standard, which would require all new build homes in Scotland to install zero emission heating systems.

Scotland’s Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions arising from heating our homes and buildings is one of the most important things we can do to help end Scotland’s contribution to climate change, given that heating accounts for more than half the energy we consume as a society.

“We are therefore committed to rapidly scaling up action on decarbonising heating but doing so in a way that ensures that our fuel poverty objectives and our commitment to tackling climate change work together, ensuring a fair and just transition to net zero emissions. This strategy must play a part in helping everyone to have a warm home that supports their good health and wellbeing.

“The draft strategy sets out our vision to achieving this and actions that we will take using the Scottish Parliament’s powers, while also demonstrating just how critical it is that the UK Government takes further action and faster action, in areas of policy it controls if we are to achieve our respective net zero ambitions.”

The consultation on the draft strategy is open until 30th April 2021.

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