Scotland Heat In Buildings Bill

I’ve recently posted about plans for new EPC targets in England and Wales from 2030 to improve the energy performance of our existing housing stock, but what’s happening in Scotland?

Property owners north of the border also need to start planning for how to renovate homes they both rent out, AND live in.

The proposals and timeframes differ from England and Wales, but the key objectives remain the same – to reduce energy use and carbon emissions generated by our homes.

Proposed legislation will force landlords and private homeowners to invest in the energy performance of their properties, and move away from gas and oil heating systems.

The Scottish Government consulted on creating Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) back in 2024, but they’ve only recently published a response on taking this forward.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/delivering-net-zero-scotlands-buildings-heat-buildings-bill-consultation-analysis/pages/1/

The final version of the Heat In Buildings Bill hasn’t been released yet, but this is what we’re expecting to see:

🟢 By the end of 2028, MEES Standards – where minimum EPC ratings are mandated – will be introduced for all residential privately rented properties.

🟡 By 2033, MEES standards will be extended to all owner occupied homes. If you live in your own home, it will need to comply with a minimum EPC rating.

Targeting this section of housing stock is unique to Scotland. Elsewhere, there's an assumption that people living in their own homes will naturally want to improve efficiency.

🟠 From 2038, all public buildings will have to transition to clean heating systems.

🟣 From 2045, the installation of polluting heating systems in existing homes – primarily gas and oil boilers – will be banned. If your boiler breaks after this date, you’ll have to switch to a clean heating system.

🔴 Heat In Buildings could give local authorities the power to force building owners to connect to District Heat Networks when/if a system starts to operate on their street.

⏰ There’s good reason for all these ambitious proposals. The clock is ticking louder for the Scottish Government, who set a net zero target of 2045. Latest data shows a fifth of the county’s carbon footprint comes from buildings.

At this stage, we don’t know what the EPC targets are going to be, but C ratings are being proposed elsewhere.

We’ll need to wait for EPC Reform and the roll-out of the Home Energy Model before we can build a picture of what compliance looks like.

And we also need to know about exemptions. Clearly these proposals aren’t going to be cheap. Landlords will need support through Government grants, and maximum cost caps will need to be confirmed.

Not sure when we'll get more news on this law change, but I'll keep an eye out.