The Scottish Government is seeking your views on proposals for greener and warmer buildings in Scotland.

The Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation is open for responses until Friday 8 March 2024, and communities, citizens, workers and businesses across Scotland are invited to have their say.

Proposals in the bill 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
  • that 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.

The consultation also includes measures to encourage the development of heat networks – giving those constructing these vital systems the confidence they need to invest on the basis that there will be sufficient demand.

The proposals follow this year’s introduction of a new build heat standard which means that any buildings constructed under a new warrant from April 2024 must have a clean heating system.

The consultation is open until Friday 8 March 2024.

Read the Scottish Government’s full press release.