New Build Heat Standard (NBHS): direction
Letter to councils setting out temporary changes to the NBHS to allow wood burners and other bioenergy (and peat) heating systems to be installed in new-build homes.
To: Chief Executives, local councils
From: Alasdair Allan, Minister for Climate Action
As you will be aware, the New Build Heat Standard (NBHS), introduced through standard 6.11 (Heating and hot water – direct emission heating system) of schedule 5 of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, came into force on 1 April 2024.
On 28 May, in response to concerns raised by various parties, Gillian Martin, the former Minister for Climate Action, announced that a review of the NBHS would be undertaken in response to concerns on the use of woodburning stoves. The review is now concluding and we will implement the outcome of this by the end of December 2024. The review examined the role of both woodburning stoves and bioenergy systems more widely, as well as peat.
In advance of the legislative amendment and to ensure current concerns on the use of woodburning stoves and bioenergy are addressed promptly and with consistency, I am now issuing a Direction which temporarily disapplies the requirement for the installation of Zero Direct Emissions Heating systems to enable applicants to install a bioenergy or peat heating system or appliance.
Issuing this follows my previous letter of 21 August 2024 seeking views on the Direction. My officials also engaged with a number of local authorities on the draft direction via the Scottish Building Standards Hub to help with its preparation.
Further information on the Standard can be found at: New Build Heat Standard: factsheet.
For any queries on the New Build Heat Standard, you can get in touch with my officials at: 2024HeatStandard@gov.scot
The direction and accompanying explanatory notes are attached.
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