Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing: guidance for social landlords (revised December 2017)

2 Developing the EESSH

2.1 A working group was set up in 2011 to develop the EESSH, including representatives from the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, Registered Social Landlords, the Energy Saving Trust, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Building up from the case studies

2.2 Draft case studies were produced to profile the most common constructional types and age bands of the housing stock. The age bands represent typical levels of thermal performance for that period, where revisions to building regulations have increasingly improved these levels. The mix of bands also reflects the Scottish House Condition Survey ( SHCS) categories of housing stock. It was recognised that the built form of the dwelling also has a bearing. For a house, this is likely to be a semi-detached, end–terrace or mid-terrace. Detached houses were not modelled as they represent less than 1% of the stock. For flats, modelling was undertaken on top, middle and ground floors. Modelling for the draft case studies was undertaken for both gas central heating and electric storage heating. Further dwellings, for example non-traditional building typologies which can often be harder (or at least more expensive) to treat were also modelled. The modelling work has also been peer reviewed by external technical experts.

2.3 These modelled case study examples inform the EESSH, and it was therefore important that the original work was peer reviewed and in effect 'validated'. Alongside a stakeholder consultation on the proposed standard, this peer review was undertaken to ensure that information could be provided on what stakeholders regarded as these 'Harder-to-Treat' dwelling types, and what actions could be undertaken to improve the energy efficiency of these dwellings.

Reasonable measures methodology

2.4 The working group developed the proposed EESSH ratings by applying a set of "reasonable measures" to representative stock types, assuming that the dwellings were already compliant with Scottish Housing Quality Standard ( SHQS). These reasonable measures were chosen on the grounds that they offer reasonable improvements in energy efficiency relative to the cost of installing them. Most measures are also eligible for external funding.