HPAG (11/12) 09
HOUSING POLICY ADVISORY GROUP
Briefing paper - Sustainable Housing Strategy & Greener Homes
Summit
Background
1. The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Mr Neil, has
set up a high level strategic group to co-ordinate stakeholder input into the
delivery of Scottish Government commitments on sustainable housing and to
develop a Sustainable Housing Strategy for Scotland.
2. The Greener Homes Summit was a Scottish Government event, chaired by
Mr Neil on 23 November and jointly hosted with South Lanarkshire College,
whose campus includes the award winning, low carbon Aurora House. The
summit explored with representatives of the house construction and financing
sectors how best to exploit opportunities for investment in both new greener
homes and retrofit of existing homes. The Summit help to identify many of the
themes that are likely to form part of the Sustainable Housing Strategy.
Sustainable Housing Strategy Group (SHSG)
3.
The SHSG has been meeting since October. Its remit is :
To advise the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment
on the development of a Sustainable Housing Strategy in Scotland in order
to meet commitments under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act and Homes
Fit for the 21st Century; and to provide for warm, high quality, low carbon
homes and contribute to the establishment of a successful, low carbon
economy.
4.
The SHSG brings together a mix of housing, built environment, fuel
poverty, consumer and environmental interests and there is considerable overlap with organisations represented on HPAG. The SHSG consists of : COSLA,
Fuel Poverty Forum, Energy Action Scotland, Shelter, SFHA, Homes for
Scotland, Existing Homes Alliance Scotland, 2020 Built Environment Group,
RICS, Consumer Focus Scotland, Architecture & Design Scotland, Scottish
Property Federation and the Scottish Association of Landlords. The work of the
SHSG will complement that of other stakeholder groups including the Fuel
Poverty Forum, HPAG and Energy Advisory Board.
5.
The papers considered by SHSG are available via the Scottish
Government
website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/BuiltEnvironment/Housing/sustainable/Strategygroup
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HPAG (11/12) 09
Sustainable Housing Strategy – timeline and key issues
6. The Strategy is expected to put forward for public consultation over the
Summer with the final Strategy launched by the end of 2012. The Strategy will
cover a range of issues affecting both new and existing housing, including :
 retrofitting Scotland’s existing housing stock to make it more energy
efficient, tackle fuel poverty and contribute to emission targets
 home owner awareness and support on housing quality
 setting standards for both social and private sector housing
7.
The Scottish Government will spend around £1/4 bn on fuel poverty and
energy efficiency over the Spending Review period. In developing the strategy
we seek to maximise leverage from a range of sources including the EU and the
UK Government. The new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation will be
crucial. We have recently announced £10 million for a new Greener Housing
Innovation Scheme aimed at encouraging councils and housing associations to
build greener homes using modern, more efficient and, environmentally friendly
technology. A further £5m will support connecting fuel poor communities to the
gas grid.
Why is the strategy needed ?
8.
The development of a Sustainable Housing Strategy was a commitment in
Homes for the 21st Century and will set out our vision to 2020 and beyond for
high quality, warm, low carbon homes. Scotland has challenging targets for
reducing carbon emissions - a 42 per cent reduction by 2020 and 80 per cent by
2050. We need to act now to encourage the housing industry to adopt energy
efficient measures in new build and retrofit. For households this means that, by
2020, all homes in Scotland must be fully insulated (where practical), boilers
upgraded, and tens of thousands of homes will benefit from domestic renewable
energy. This will create new jobs and stop households falling into fuel poverty in
the future. Households can play their part by taking up these measures to help
them cut down their energy use – and cut fuel bills at the same time. Ending fuel
poverty, improving housing quality and continually improving energy efficiency
are all essential to meet the challenge of climate change.
Points for discussion
9.
Points for discussion include : What are the key issues the strategy should
address ? How can we ensure maximum participation during the consultation
period ?
David Fotheringham – 0131 244 7342
Scottish Government
Housing : Sustainability Strategy Unit
February 2012
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