New Build Heat Standard: factsheet

Overview 

The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS), introduced in April 2024, affects the type of heating system that new-build homes and properties are allowed to use. 

Homes and buildings are not allowed to use polluting oil and gas boilers. Instead, they must use climate-friendly alternatives like heat pumps and heat networks. 

Scottish Ministers have issued a temporary direction to allow wood burning stoves and other bioenergy (and peat) heating systems to be installed in new homes. The direction does not apply to non-domestic buildings.

We are developing separate proposals for heating existing buildings. These are not yet law.

Where the NBHS applies 

The NBHS applies to: 

• all new buildings and some conversions where a building warrant was applied for from 1 April 2024 

• systems used for heating and cooling 

Where the NBHS does not apply

The NBHS does not apply to: 

• wood burners and other bioenergy (and peat) heating systems (under the temporary direction) 

• heating systems used in industrial processes 

• emergency heating systems 

• heating the sole purpose of frost protection

• alterations or extensions to buildings built under a warrant applied for before 1 April 2024

Bioenergy (including wood burning stoves) and peat

When the NBHS was introduced in April 2024 some people in rural and island communities raised concerns about the use of wood burning stoves and bioenergy. We’ve taken this on board and are reviewing the Standard. 

In the meantime, we have introduced a temporary direction allowing the installation of wood burners and other bioenergy (and peat) heating systems in new-build homes. This direction will remain in place until the review is complete. This is expected to be by December 2024. 

This does not change the position on oil and gas boilers which are not allowed.

Conversions to existing buildings 

The NBHS applies to some building conversions.  

A conversion is a particular change in occupation or use of a building, for example changing an office to a hotel or an attic into a bedroom. Building regulations define and treat conversions differently to alterations and extensions. 

If you are converting a building, the NBHS will apply if: 

• you have a direct emissions heating system in the building or area of the building you are converting, and  

• it is ‘reasonably practicable’ to install a clean heating system 

For more detail see the Building Standards Technical Handbooks.

Local Authorities Building Standards are responsible for considering all building warrant applications.

Building warrants applied for before April 2024 

The NBHS applies to building warrants applied for from 1 April 2024. A building warrant is legal permission to start building work or convert a property and lasts for 3 years.  

A building warrant can be extended for an initial period of 9 months. Further extensions are at the discretion of the building standards officer. This means not all new buildings completed after 1 April 2024 will meet the NBHS due to developments being at different stages in the building process. 

New developments that applied for a building warrant before 1 April 2024 may continue to install direct emission heating systems for as long as the issued building warrant remains valid. 

Why the NBHS was introduced  

Heating Scotland’s homes and buildings is one of the biggest contributors to our carbon emissions.  

The NBHS will help ensure new buildings will not contribute to emissions. People who buy new homes will know its future-proofed against the need to switch heating systems in the future.  

NBHS is part of our wider Heat in Buildings Strategy. 

How we developed our proposals  

We consulted on our proposals for the New Build Heat Standard in 2021 and again in 2022. We also carried out a series of impact assessments. 

See documents relating to the development of the New Build Heat Standard. 

More information 

You can read the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 and an accompanying policy note at the legislation.gov.uk website.  

Find out more about our work to transform the way we heat Scotland's buildings. 

Contact 

Email: 2024heatstandard@gov.scot