SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT DITCHES HEAT PUMP PLANS – BUT INTENDS TO PROGRESS MINIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD FOR THE PRIVATE RENTAL SECTOR

In our Land & Property Spring update last year, we reported on the Scottish Government’s proposals to make new laws around heating systems and energy efficiency improvements.

Had these proposals been brought forward into legislation, purchasers of domestic properties would have to replace polluting heating systems (i.e. those which burn fossil fuels) within a certain timeframe after purchase and found alternatives, such as heat pumps and heat networks. All other buildings would have to end their use of polluting heating systems by 2045.

These heating systems proposals are no longer being taken forward. Instead, the Scottish Government intends to introduce a heat in buildings bill later this year setting out a target for decarbonising heating systems by 2045.

This follows on from the much publicised scrapping of the ban on the installation of wood burning stoves in new builds earlier this year. The amendment to the building regulations means that a bioenergy heating system (such as a wood burning stove) or a peat heating system – and any kind of secondary heating system – is now permitted in new builds.

Under the previous proposals, owners of domestic properties may have found themselves under a duty to take measures to comply with a “minimum energy efficiency standard” by 2033 (or 2028 for private landlords). It had been proposed that this standard could alternatively be met by energy performance certificate (EPC) category C. Yesterday, the Acting Minister for Climate Action confirmed that regulations would be introduced requiring all privately rented properties to meet this standard “as far as possible”. The proposed timescale for compliance awaits to be seen.

For owner-occupier and non-domestic properties, the Scottish Government did not indicate any intention to take immediate action imposing minimum energy efficiency standards but said that powers to introduce these would be included in the proposed heat in buildings bill.