The Scottish Government commenced a review of energy standards at the start of 2023 to investigate what a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard might be1. The review followed a 2022 Bill Proposal by Alex Rowley MSP, and a Stage 1 consultation on determining the principles for a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard was published on 31 July 20241.
The consultation document states that changes to energy standards introduced in 2023 have resulted in a more than 80% reduction in emissions compared to standards in force in 19901. It attributes this to a focus on reducing energy demand through measures such as improved fabric insulation1. The introduction of the New Build Heat Standard in April 2024 brought about further change, meaning that new buildings must no longer use direct emission heating systems1.
The ministerial foreword describes the review as a response to the 2022 Bill Proposal and frames it as a comparison of national standards against a best practice voluntary standard, one that has been delivering very low energy buildings for over thirty years1. It states that improving targets is not enough and that a step change is needed in the way new buildings are designed and constructed so there can be greater assurance that compliance with standards is achieved in practice1.
"we commenced our review of energy standards at the start of 2023 to investigate what a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard might be"
The consultation document carries the ISBN 9781836015918 and lists a contact address of bsdenergystandardsreview@gov.scot1. It is published under the Local Government and Housing Directorate and covers the topics of building, planning and design, environment and climate change, and housing1. The foreword is signed by Paul McLennan MSP, Minister for Housing1.
Why it matters for households
Energy standards in building regulations set the fabric and performance requirements that new homes in Scotland must meet, so any change to those standards affects how much energy a newly built home needs to run and how well it holds heat. The document states that the 2023 changes delivered a more than 80% reduction in emissions against 1990 standards, achieved through measures such as improved fabric insulation1. The New Build Heat Standard, introduced in April 2024, means new buildings must no longer use direct emission heating systems1, which changes the heating options available in new homes.
The review concerns a possible Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard, a voluntary standard the document describes as having delivered very low energy buildings for over thirty years1. For a household, the practical question is whether a future Scottish standard would require new homes to be built to a level of airtightness and insulation that reduces the energy needed to keep them warm, and whether compliance with that standard can be demonstrated in practice rather than only on paper. The foreword states that improving targets alone is not enough and that greater assurance is needed that compliance is achieved in practice1. The document also notes that the government has acknowledged a housing emergency and that any changes must be deliverable at scale and balanced against broader needs1. The consultation does not set out rates, thresholds or eligible measures for a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard; those have not been reported.
What happens next
The Stage 1 consultation on determining the principles for a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard was published on 31 July 20241. The document invites responses and provides the contact address bsdenergystandardsreview@gov.scot1. No further dated steps beyond the publication of this Stage 1 consultation are set out in the document1.