DECC-Energy Performance of Housing Stock Research

The Scottish Government has legally committed to reach net zero by 2045 for the benefit of our environment, people, and prosperity and is committed to taking the required action. We have confirmed in the 2024 to 2025 Programme for Government that tackling the climate emergency is a priority. To meet net zero, transformation will be required across all sectors of our economy and society, including from our homes and places of work. Heating Scotland’s buildings accounts for 20% of emissions – the third largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland – and therefore reducing emissions from this sector is vital to reaching the Government’s ambition. The Scottish Government published its Heat in Buildings Strategy in October 2021, which set out our vision for decarbonising Scotland’s buildings by 2045. We continue to lay the foundations to support the growth of clean heating and energy efficiency in Scotland. The objective of this work is to provide an analysis of the Scottish housing stock’s performance in each of the new EPC ratings set out above, using the Scottish EPC wrapper and HEM. This includes how homes would be rated in the new EPC ratings compared with how they are rated in the current EPC system, and then also how energy efficiency improvements might impact ratings across types of homes and in different sectors.