New homes will have to be built with heating systems that produce no carbon emissions from 2024 under Scottish Government plans.
It has launched a consultation on the proposed measures that would only give planning consent to new buildings if their heating produces zero direct greenhouse gas emissions.
Views are also being sought about other ways to make new homes and non-residential buildings more affordable to heat and how to create opportunities for retraining workers to install zero-emission heating systems.
The proposals follow a recommendation from the UK Committee on Climate Change that new properties produce no carbon emissions from 2025 at the latest.
Scotland’s housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “The pace of decarbonising Scotland’s domestic and non-domestic buildings has to increase significantly to achieve our targets on climate change.
“The New Build Heat Standard will be an important contribution to this to ensure emissions from heating and cooling our buildings fall close to zero.
“We want to combine the action we need to meet the challenge of the climate emergency with our ambition to provide affordable, warm homes.
“We are seeking views from stakeholders on the most effective way to introduce this standard to ensure it is deliverable and fit for purpose.”
Professor Lynne Sullivan from the Good Homes Alliance, who co-chaired the New Build Heat Standard working group, said: “We recognised the priority for new buildings to achieve higher efficiency and be ready for zero-emissions heating sources, in line with Scotland’s world-leading climate commitments.
“We welcome the consultation on new homes, and believe the targets are achievable with existing technologies at scale.
“Delivery will unlock long-term economic benefits as well as future-proof Scottish homes.”
