Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation analysis

Appendix B: Consultation Questions

Q1. To what extent do you support our proposal to prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in all buildings after 2045?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q2. To what extent do you agree that we should introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard to be met by private sector landlords by the end of 2028 (even if they are already using clean heating)?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q3. To what extent do you agree that we should introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard to be met in owner occupied homes (which still have a polluting heating system) by the end of 2033?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q4. Do you agree with our proposal to set a minimum energy efficiency standard that can be met by either installing a straightforward list of measures, or showing a good level of energy efficiency based on a reformed EPC fabric efficiency metric?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q5. What is your view on the initial proposed list of measures to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q6. Do you think that properties for which most or all of the measures on the initial proposed list are not relevant should be required to meet an equivalent minimum energy efficiency standard?

No – these properties should be considered compliant once they have installed all the measures that are appropriate for their building type, even if this is few or no measures.

Yes – they should be required to meet the standard and additional measures should be included on the list (such as solid wall insulation, solid floor insulation and flat roof insulation), and they should be required to install all of these where feasible

Yes – they should be required to meet the standard and additional measures should be included on the list (such as solid wall insulation, solid floor insulation and flat roof insulation), but they should only be required to install some of these where feasible and cost effective

Yes – they should be required to meet the standard and additional measures should be included on the list (such as solid wall insulation, solid floor insulation and flat roof insulation), but they should only be required to install some of these where feasible, and they should be allowed additional time to do so

Please include any additional comments below.

Q7. Do you think that an alternative approach to setting the minimum energy efficiency standard is required?

[Yes / No / Don’t know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q8. Do you agree that the use of bioenergy should continue to be permitted in certain circumstances?

No, it should be prohibited in all cases

Yes, it should be permitted for those buildings already using it

Yes, it should be permitted for those buildings who have no other clean heating system available.

Yes, it should be permitted for those buildings already using it and for those buildings who have no other clean heating system available.

Yes, it should be used in wider circumstances (please describe these). Please include any additional comments below.

Q9. To what extent do you support the requirement to end the use of polluting heating following a property purchase?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q10. We are proposing to give those purchasing a property a ‘grace period’ to end their use of polluting heating. Do you agree with this proposal?

Yes – the grace period should be two years

Yes – the grace period should be three years

Yes – the grace period should be four years

Yes – the grace period should be five years

No, please provide reasons for your view.

Q11. To what extent do you support our proposal to apply a cost-cap where people are required to end their use of polluting heating following a property purchase?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please provide reasons for your view.

Q12. Which of the following methods of applying a cost-cap do you support?

A flat cost-cap

A size-based cost-cap

A purchase price-based cost-cap

None

Another, please suggest below

Q13. To what extent do you support the proposal that the Scottish Ministers should be given powers to extend the circumstances in future (beyond a property purchase) in which people could be required to end their use of polluting heating?

This could be, for example, preventing the installation of new fossil fuel boilers when replacing the heating in your home or business premises.

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q14. To what extent do you support our proposal to provide local authorities (and Scottish Ministers) with powers to require buildings within a Heat Network Zone to end their use of polluting heating systems by a given date?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q15. To what extent do you support our proposal to provide powers to local authorities (or Scottish Ministers) that require developers to connect new buildings within Heat Network Zones to a heat network?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q16. To what extent do you support our proposal to require occupiers of non-domestic properties to provide information about unused heat on their premises?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q17. To what extent do you support our proposal to potentially require buildings with unused heat to provide this to a local heat network?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q18. We will need to have a way to monitor if people are meeting the Heat in Buildings Standard, and discussed two options for this. Which do you support?

Submitting EPCs alone

Sampling a percentage of buildings

A combination of the two

None, there should be no monitoring

Another method, please suggest below or explain your selected answer

Q19. We will need to have a way to enforce the Heat in Buildings Standard. We discussed possible options to help achieve compliance. What are your views on these ideas?

I support relying on market and financial product mechanisms such as mortgages or home/ building insurance

I support extra Council Tax and Non-domestic Rates charges, in future, for those who don’t comply

I support the introduction of civil penalties, in future, if compliance is not achieved

I support a mixture of the above options

I do not support any form of enforcement

Please explain your answer:

Q20. To what extent do you support our proposals to modify the Standard or exempt certain people from the need to meet the Heat in Buildings Standard?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q21. Which people, businesses, or types of buildings, if any, should be eligible for a modified standard or exemptions?

Q22. To what extent do you support our proposals to give certain people extra time to meet the Heat in Buildings Standard?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q23. Which people, businesses or types of buildings, if any, should be eligible for extra time?

Q24. To what extent do you support our proposal to require all buildings owned by a Scottish public authority to be using clean heating systems by 2038?

[Strongly support / Somewhat support / Neither support nor oppose / Somewhat oppose / Strongly oppose / Don’t Know]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q25. We are considering the following further duties on public sector organisations to support planning for the transition by 2038:

Placing a new duty on public sector organisations which would, from 2025, prevent them from replacing a polluting heating system with another (unless impractical)

Creating a new duty for each public body to develop and implement a plan to decarbonise their buildings

Placing a new statutory reporting duty on public sector organisations to demonstrate progress towards their 2038 objective (with the potential for the 2038 then to be non-statutory); and/or

Placing no further statutory requirements on public sector organisations (instead relying on their ability to plan alongside our delivery and funding programmes to meet the 2038 objective)

[Multiple choice boxes]

Please include any additional comments below.

Q26. Do you agree with our proposals to include powers in the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill to change the current requirement in legislation for a narrowly-defined renewable heat target?

[Yes / No / Don’t know]

Please include any additional comments below

Q27. Do you agree that the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 should be amended in light of the passage of the Energy Act 2023?

[Yes / No / Don’t know]

Please include any additional comments below

Q28. Are there any further amendments to the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 that the Scottish Government should consider?

1 Strongly support, Somewhat support, Neither, Somewhat oppose, Strongly oppose.

2 Although solar is not a clean heating system in the context of these proposals, respondents may have considered solar as an appropriate alternative to polluting heating-systems.

3 Three individuals who submitted a Citizen Space response also submitted this campaign response but are not included in the 156.

4 For more detail, readers are encouraged to read individual responses where permission was given for publication via the Scottish Government’s consultation website: https://consult.gov.scot/