Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment: consultation analysis
Analysis report for the Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA) consultation. The HEETSA consultation sought views from self-identifying organisations, industry and individuals on developing a framework for the retrofit of buildings, both domestic and non-domestic.
Q11 HEETSA resulting in a Standardised Certificate or Report
The 77 respondents that answered the question were mostly united in their response. 65 (84%) agreed that a HEETSA should result in a standardised certificate or report. Whereas eight (10%) respondents indicated disagreement with this question. Finally, four (5%) respondents stated they neither agreed nor disagreed.
Organisations were more likely to support the HEETSA being a standardised certificate or report. 54 (89%) organisations said they agreed. In comparison, 11 out of 16 individuals (69%) agreed.
Most organisation sectors were very supportive, with each sector indicating 75% or higher agreement. The only exception being ‘consultancy organisation’ which had 60% in agreement.
| Response | Number | Percent | Valid Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 41 | 47 | 53 |
| Mostly agree | 24 | 27 | 31 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Mostly disagree | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Strongly disagree | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Don’t know | 3 | 3 | - |
| Not Answered | 8 | 9 | - |
| Total | n=88 | n=88 | n=77 |
The main themes that emerged from the free text comments to this question are presented below.
Reasons for supporting
A number of benefits were highlighted in relation to the production of a standardised certificate or report. Those most frequently suggested are listed first.
- Consistency, transparency and comparability: It would improve the consistency of assessments, the transparency of results (for consumers or other stakeholders), and the comparability between properties.
- Standardisation: There are benefits of having standard assessment, standard input data, and/or standard format of output data and presentation.
- Government support: The collected information would be useful to support government interventions, funding streams, legislation etc.
- Private sector support: The information would support the private sector. For example, to support innovative private funding streams, provide market knowledge to support supply chain growth, and to inform mortgages and property valuations.
Reasons for opposing
The main concern raised was the need for flexibility. Standardised reporting could result in the loss of a flexible approach to HEETSA assessment. This aspect was considered important for the Scottish housing stock as it is so varied. This was also a concern raised by a few respondents that supported standardised reporting.
Information to be included in a HEETSA report or certificate
The following summarises the recommendations for the content of a HEETSA report or certificate. They are presented in terms of the frequency of responses, with those most common presented first.
- Technical: Technical findings, both of measures and any risks and mitigations e.g. related to mould and condensation.
- Benefits and costs of measures: Show the impact of measures on, for example, cost/carbon savings, payback, installation costs, and running costs. Include comparisons between alternative retrofit options to enable informed decision making.
- Property overview data: Provide details of the property, such as its current condition, location, context, current systems and past interventions.
- Demonstration of compliance: Show that it meets relevant requirement and standards, such as building regulations, planning requirements, and building services standards. It should also include any verification of performance.
- Occupancy data: Include relevant occupancy information such as behaviour, disruption, accessibility and health considerations.
- Funding opportunities: Highlight potential funding opportunities for the retrofit works.
- Overview of the assessment: Include assessment details such as the details of the assessor, their accreditations, the software used, what is and is not covered by the assessment.
- The strategic context: Provide any relevant strategic context. For example, this may include how it aligns with local heat network zoning, local or regional retrofit strategies, or electrical infrastructure constraints.
Additional comments from Workshops
The workshops identified the following additional points.
- Impact on running costs: The report should include an assessment of how the proposed measures will affect running costs.
- Provision of educational materials: The HEETSA report would be an opportunity to educate the public about the retrofit measures. Examples provided included the following:
- Links to available information to further assist in weighing the advantages and disadvantages of measures.
- Links to further considerations if undertaking DIY.
- Information on the occupant’s role regarding maintenance.
Contact
Email: EPCenquiries@gov.scot