homes that don’t cost the earth a consultation on scotland’s sustainable housing strategy
TRANSCRIPT
Homes that don’t cost the earth
A consultation on Scotland’s sustainable housing strategy
Why a Sustainable Housing Strategy?
• Climate change, Energy Efficiency Action Plan, fuel poverty targets
• Warm homes, lower energy bills, low carbon jobs
• Homes Fit for the 21st Century
• New funding opportunities
Where we are in 2012
• Significant improvements in energy efficiency since 2007
• More than six out of ten homes rated ‘good’ by 2010 – up from 55% in 2009
• 327,400 + free/subsidised loft or cavity wall measures since 2008 (CERT figures)
• More than 700,000 households offered advice and assistance since 2009 (U/HIS)
Our vision for 2030
‘Warm, high quality, affordable, low carbon homes and a housing sector that will help to establish a successful low carbon economy across Scotland’
Sustainable Housing Strategy - themes
• A national retrofit programme
• Standards• Financial market
transformation• New build market
transformation• Skills and training
A national retrofit programme
• A plan to upgrade Scotland’s housing stock, tackle fuel poverty and cut carbon
• An area-based approach to cover all of Scotland in 10 years
• Delivery role for local councils, building on Universal Home Insulation Scheme and making the most of Green Deal and ECO
• Potential investment c.£200m per annum
The role of Standards
• New homes – energy standards, sustainability labelling
• Existing homes (social housing) – new energy efficiency standard
• Existing homes (private sector) – do we need an energy efficiency standard?
• If so what, when and how?
Improving housing quality
• Links between house condition, energy efficiency and fuel poverty
• Do we need a new housing quality standard – beyond the tolerable standard?
• Do the powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 need strengthened?
Energy efficiency standard for social housing (EESSH)
• Going beyond the EE element of the SHQS
• Social landlords can lead the way, drive down costs and demonstrate good practice
• In many cases, shouldn’t need significant financial investment beyond that expected for SHQS
Financial market transformation
• We want to see a market premium on warm, high quality, low carbon homes
• Greener homes save money, but the market doesn’t value the income saved or generated
• This in turn affects consumer perceptions
• How we perceive, value and behave in our homes needs to change
New build market transformation
• Growing demand from increasing household numbers = opportunities for investment and innovation
• Projections suggest 450,000 new homes needed by 2033
• Scotland could lead market in new design and construction techniques
• Opening up export opportunities in Europe and beyond
Skills and training
• New jobs in construction and retrofit
• New skill requirements – a flexible and adaptable workforce
• Need to retain specialist, traditional skills for historic properties
Next steps
• Further consultation events
• Consultation closes – 28 September
• Independent analysis of responses
• Further discussion at Sustainable Housing Strategy Group
• Final strategy - around end 2012
