Heat in buildings strategy: strategic environmental assessment

7. Conclusions, Mitigation and Enhancement

7.1 Conclusions

7.1.1 The assessment concludes that the draft Strategy is likely to have significant positive effects on climatic factors, air, population and human health and material assets. This is considered likely from the introduction of a proposed new 2045 vision and wide supporting energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation outcomes that draw together existing Scottish Government policies and proposals, and from the setting of a new heat target in a final Strategy.

7.1.2 The potential for effects in combination with other plans, programmes and strategies has also been considered. The draft Strategy has the potential to positively and cumulatively contribute across a wide range of Scottish Government policy areas within the context in which it sits.

7.1.3 Taking into account the high-level nature of the draft Strategy there is however an inherent degree of uncertainty regarding the environmental impacts that may arise as a result of upscaling of strategically important energy efficiency measures and heat technologies now and in the future.

7.1.4 The assessment identifies the potential for mixed/uncertain secondary effects on a range of SEA topics as a result of the deployment of strategically important energy efficiency measures and heat technologies ready for deployment (including energy efficiency measures, heat pumps and heat networks) at the local level. Existing mitigation measures can help to address these.

7.1.5 The assessment further recognises that any future upscaling of heat technologies has the potential for mixed/uncertain environmental effects across SEA topics but precise effects would be dependent on a range of factors including the scale of development and deployment of individual technologies as well as location with respect to sensitive human, natural and cultural receptors. Existing mitigation at the local level can help to address these and relevant emerging PPS also has the potential to provide mitigation at the strategic level.

7.2 Mitigation

Local mitigation measures

7.2.1 Where future development and deployment of strategically important energy efficiency measures and heat technologies have the potential to result in secondary mixed/uncertain effects consideration should be given to opportunities to mitigate any such effects at lower tiers of plan-making and at the project level.

7.2.2 There are a range of existing mitigation measures in place which may apply including EIA, environmental management plans, European protected species licencing, and through the planning system as well as best practice guidance such as that with a focus on landscape^[97] and the historic environment^[98] Sustainability management tools such as those under the Renewable Heat Incentive, which includes requirements for biomass used in renewable heat installations to meet a set of sustainability criteria that aim to guarantee that it was sustainably produced, are also relevant.

Strategic Mitigation

7.2.3 The assessment further recognises that any future upscaling of heat technologies has the potential for mixed/uncertain environmental effects across SEA topics but precise effects would be dependent on a range of factors including the scale of development and deployment of individual technologies as well as location with respect to sensitive human, natural and cultural receptors. Emerging and future PPS at the lower-tier can potentially provide for more detailed consideration of environmental effects and set out the potential for future strategic level mitigation, taking into account the findings of this SEA.

7.2.4 In addition to local mitigation measures identified above, the development of emerging and future PPS with a focus on specific technologies (such as national action plans), place-based approaches to energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation (such as lower tier plans) and national PPS that focus on planning and land use (such as NPF4, and the third Land Use Strategy) are particularly relevant as they could potentially provide mitigation at the strategic level.

7.2.5 For example, at the national level, the revision of the National Planning Framework, which in future will incorporate Scottish Planning Policy, will look to provide stronger support for sustainable, low and zero emissions developments including ways to actively facilitate decarbonised heating and electricity generation and distribution. Potential policy changes set out in the recently published NPF4 Position Statement include:

• Introducing new policies that address a wider range of energy generation technologies for example for electrical and thermal storage, and hydrogen.
• Setting out a more practical and outcome-focused approach to accelerating a transition to low and zero emissions heating in buildings, including by linking with wider policies for green and blue infrastructure and vacant and derelict land and properties and ensuring that LHEES inform local development planning to ensure a single coherent approach to heat planning across Scotland.

7.2.6 The roll-out of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies will provide an important platform to consider both local community and wider national infrastructure issues and their associated potential environmental effects. These Strategies will set out the long term vision for decarbonising heat in buildings and improving their energy efficiency on a local authority area basis.

7.3 Opportunities for Enhancement

7.3.1 The SEA findings support the introduction of a 2045 vision and supporting energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation outcomes. This approach, by providing a high level framework that draws together existing Scottish Government policies and proposals relating to energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation of homes and buildings, when taken together with existing PPS, can contribute to significant positive environmental effects across sectors.

7.3.2 The SEA findings also support the intention, through a finalised Strategy, to set a new heat target, the purpose of which is to help monitor and track progress in delivering the deployment pathway for reducing emissions in buildings, as set out in the Update to the Climate Change Plan.

7.3.3 The SEA supports the focus of the draft Strategy on a mixed technology or blended pathway. By focusing on energy efficiency measures and heat technologies ready for deployment now (energy efficiency measures, heat pumps and heat networks) and recognising that hydrogen could play a potential role in the longer term, this can support a flexible approach to delivery of the Strategy’s objectives.

7.3.4 The following specific opportunities for enhancement have been identified:

• To obtain the maximum environmental benefits, a focus could be given to actions that support opportunities for strategically important energy efficiency measures for people living in deprived areas and in rural areas where extreme fuel poverty rates are highest.
• To obtain maximum environmental benefits a focus could be given to deployment of zero emissions technologies in areas which currently use high carbon heating fuels, and in areas recognised as being cost effective in the short term and in areas least likely to receive a mains hydrogen supply in the longer term.
• To obtain maximum environmental benefits a focus could be given to actions that support the co-location of infrastructure associated with deployment of measures and the re-use of existing infrastructure where possible. This approach could help to support the flexible operation of smart energy networks as well as maximise benefits including helping to reduce the need for new infrastructure and electricity network upgrades as well as supporting the potential to reduce consumer bills.
• To obtain maximum environmental benefits a focus could be given to working with stakeholders, such as Historic Environment Scotland, to develop more solutions to transition Scotland’s historic buildings to zero emissions heating while respecting and preserving the special characteristics of our buildings and places.