Heat network licensing: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

We are proposing to introduce an opt in licensing regime within the draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland Bill) (“the draft Heat in Buildings Bill”), which will grant rights and powers for things like roadworks, survey and compulsory purchase to those heat network organisations who choose to apply for a licence. This licensing regime will be detailed in our planned public consultation in early Spring of 2026.

This EQIA is assessing the impact of the public consultation and the introduction of this licence regime, and not all the proposals detailed within the draft Heat in Buildings Bill.

The installation and maintenance licence proposals do not have a direct immediate impact on people with protected characteristics (under the Equality Act 2010). Through our equality impact assessment, we have identified mitigating actions and considerations to be addressed that will ensure the promotion of equality and that meet the Public Sector Equality Duty.