Social Housing Net Zero Standard in Scotland

Closed 8 Mar 2024

Opened 28 Nov 2023

Contact

Social Housing Heat Decarbonisation Team

socialhousingheatdecarb@gov.scot

Overview

This consultation seeks views on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) in Scotland. This new standard will replace the second Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2).

The Scottish Government wants all of our homes to be warmer, greener and more efficient, and is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland, no matter their financial situation, has access to good quality housing that they can afford to heat.

The social housing sector  has led the way on energy efficiency in recent years and is well placed to build on this further while building in longer term ambition to transition to clean heating. These actions will see the sector make a vital contribution to achieving our ambitious climate change emissions reductions targets.

The Scottish Government committed in the Heat in Buildings Strategy to reviewing EESSH2 in 2023 with a view to aligning it with its net zero targets. The independently chaired Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce (ZEST) recommended the EESSH2 review be accelerated to ensure alignment with net zero and provide clarity for social landlords. 

The review of EESSH2 also takes account of the Scottish Government’s proposals for the reform of Energy Performance Certificates, the consultation on a domestic heat standard in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, and the recommendations of the Scottish Parliament Climate Change Committee.

This consultation document is structured as follows:

  • Section 2 sets out the principles of a new SHNZS, and what is intended to be achieved by the new standard.
  • Section 3 outlines the proposals of the new SHNZS. This includes feedback from stakeholders and working groups which helped form the proposals within the consultation.
  • Section 4 outlines how the proposals apply to mixed tenure housing
  • Section 5 outlines how the proposals apply to Gypsy/Traveller sites
  • Section 6 outlines the cost and funding associated with the proposals
  • Section 7 outlines the timetable for the new SHNZS

Read the consultation paper. 

Useful information about responding to this consultation

As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and return to the consultation at any time before it closes. If you don't use this feature and leave the consultation midway through, your response will be lost.

Once you have submitted your response, you can enter your email address to get a pdf copy of your answers sent to you.

On the 'About You' page at the end of this consultation, organisations will have the opportunity to tell us more about their work and/or how their response was informed.

After the consultation has closed there will be a few months delay before any responses are published. This is because we must check any responses to be published abide by our Terms of Use.

A analysis report will usually be published some months after the consultation has closed. This report will summarise the findings based on all responses submitted. It will be published on the Scottish Government website and you may be notified about it if you choose to share your email address with us. You can also join our consulation mailing list where we regularly list newly published analysis reports (as well as new consultations).

 

Why your views matter

Following this consultation, the Scottish Government will commission an independent analysis of the responses to this consultation to help inform its decision making. The EESSH2 Review Group will also be asked to consider the design of the new SHNZS which is arrived at following this consultation.

When a final decision has been reached and the new SHNZS is published, the Scottish Housing Regulator will engage with social landlords on the Charter indicators which will be needed for reporting performance against the target. The Scottish Government will also publish guidance for landlords on how to comply with the SHNZS.

What happens next

Once the consultation has closed, responses will be collated and analysed. Once all views and impacts have been considered, we shall publish our response.

Interests

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