The Scottish Government has opened a consultation on proposals for a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard, which will replace EESSH2. The consultation represents an important step towards providing clarity on future targets for social landlords.

The new Standard aims to align with both net zero and fuel poverty targets. Significantly, the Standard will have two key components:

  • A fabric efficiency rating (focused on the amount of energy for heat consumed by a property), measured in kWh/m2/year
  • A requirement to replace ‘direct emissions heating’ systems with a clean heating alternative by a backstop date of 2045

The consultation sets out proposed options for the fabric efficiency rating and asks for views on whether this should be set out as a range, or as a two-stage target (for example with an initial 2033 target followed by a more demanding level to be met by 2040).

On the transition to clean heating, options include setting milestones requiring proportions of each landlords’ stock to have clean heating installed by target dates (working up to 100% in 2045), or introducing an interim target for properties which are off-gas.

The consultation additionally asks for views on how to ensue good air quality, alignment with the roll-out of heat networks, and on whether landlords should be prevented from re-letting properties which cannot meet the fabric efficiency requirements of the Standard.

Full consultation details can be viewed at: Social housing net zero standard: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The outcomes of this consultation will inform the final Social Housing Net Zero Standard, which will set out requirements for the social housing sector up until 2045. SFHA will be working with Scottish Government to provide opportunities for members to share feedback and ask questions in advance of the consultation deadline (Friday 8 March 2024). If you have any questions, or would like to feed into the SFHA response, please contact Eli Harji (eharji@sfha.co.uk)