The future of heating our homes
Heating our homes
A warm home is important to our health and wellbeing, but the way we currently heat them is a big contributor towards climate change.
The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way.
We're calling for more help to be available so homeowners can switch from traditional fossil fuel heating to renewable, low-carbon alternatives. These include better insulation, electric heat pumps, and heat networks.
If you're a homeowner and you’d like your home to be as green as possible, we’ve collated handy links to resources, advice and grants.
What is a heat pump?
An ‘air-source’ heat pump takes heat from the air outside and uses it to warm your radiators and water. Most people already have one in their home. It's the same technology that keeps the inside of your fridge cold - it just operates in reverse.
The best thing about heat pumps is that they use electricity very efficiently. Here in Scotland, the majority of our electricity comes from renewable sources like wind power. This means that a heat pump will cut the carbon emissions coming from your home by up to 90%.
Heat pumps work best when homes are well insulated. This means good draught proofing, wall and loft insulation, and good glazing. Individual heat pumps can be fitted to houses. However, in homes like flats, where there may be limited space for equipment, heat networks could be more convenient. These connect multiple homes or buildings to a single large heat pump.
Switching to low-carbon heating can make the most of Scotland’s abundant renewable energy, help the fight against climate change and protect households from unstable fossil fuel prices in the future.
What needs to happen now?
Today, the Scottish Government is already encouraging people to install better insulation and fit heat pumps by offering grants.
But more homes need to make the switch to cleaner energy and so the Scottish Government has proposed new rules that would require all homes to be well insulated by 2033. They would also require heating changes at specific points, such as when purchasing a house.
To ensure more households can afford this, we’re calling on the Scottish Government to continue providing grants once the new rules start. Households in fuel poverty should continue to have all costs covered by the Scottish Government.
These proposals are a vital step, but they’re not ambitious enough to meet our climate targets.
We want the Scottish Government to:
- Set a clear date from when requirements to change boilers could comment (e.g. 2028).
- Improve existing grant schemes to make them more visible and simpler.
- Raise public awareness of the need to change heating systems.
In February 2023, we published new research. It explored the costs, practicalities, and carbon reductions from cleaning up heating in Scotland’s homes. Read our report summary to find out more.
What are the proposed rules?
The Scottish Government has proposed the following requirements. They aim to boost investment in insulation and low-carbon heating systems. These proposals are currently being consulted on. But, broadly, it is proposed that a new ‘Heat in Buildings Standard’ be created, which would require home owners and landlords to:
To improve energy efficiency:
- In private rented homes: landlords must meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by the end of 2028.
- In owner occupied homes: homes must meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by the end of 2033.
To fit clean heating:
- Within two to five years after completing a property purchase (potentially from 2028).
- Homes in a ‘heat network zone’ must connect to a suitable network when the local authority notifies them that it's available. By the end of 2045, when all building owners will be required to end their use of polluting heating.