The Heat in Buildings Bill is a forthcoming piece of Scottish legislation aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of heating in homes and buildings to meet Scotland’s 2045 net zero target.
Main objectives
- Phase out polluting heating systems (e.g., gas, oil boilers).
- Improve energy efficiency of the building stock across Scotland.
- Support fair transition for households and businesses.
Key Proposals (Consultation Summary)
Introduce legal duties on building owners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties and switch to clean heat sources.
Require properties to meet minimum energy efficiency standards (likely linked to EPC ratings).
Ban the installation of new fossil fuel heating systems in off-gas areas from a specified date, with a later date for on-gas areas.
Establish enforcement mechanisms and support schemes to help property owners comply.
Minimum Standards – Scottish Government
Considerations
The Heat in Buildings Bill and related policies are expected to introduce minimum EPC-based standards, but at time of writing, the final details are still under review.
Here's what is being considered
Domestic buildings
A minimum Heat Retention Rating (fabric efficiency) may be required for owner-occupied and private rented homes, potentially equivalent to EPC Band C.
Clean heating systems (e.g., heat pumps) may be required to replace fossil fuel systems by certain deadlines.
Non-domestic buildings
Businesses and commercial property owners may be required to eliminate direct emissions from heating systems by specified target dates.
Clean heat adoption could become mandatory for buildings with high emissions.
Timing & transition
No firm dates yet, but government indicates:
Fossil fuel heating bans for new installations could begin in mid- to late-2020s.
Minimum standards could be phased in by tenure or building type, e.g. rented homes before owner-occupied.
Flexibility & exemptions
A new Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) is proposed to provide exemptions or alternative compliance routes for complex or hard-to-treat buildings (e.g. traditional buildings, tenements).
Support & enforcement
Financial support schemes and advice services will be key, especially for low-income households.
Local authorities may have enforcement roles if minimum standards become law.
What's Next?
The Scottish Government is currently analysing feedback from the 2023 consultation on the Heat in Buildings Bill.
A full Government Response and draft Bill are expected soon (likely during 2025), followed by Parliamentary scrutiny and implementation planning.
