Scotland's Sustainable Housing Strategy: Analysis of Responses to 'Homes that Don't Cost the Earth' Consultation

7 Conclusion

7.1 A number of general themes emerged during the study.

7.2 There was strong support for the vision for "warm, high quality, affordable, low carbon homes" and a substantial number of respondents indicated support for the underpinning objectives, although some respondents questioned whether the fuel poverty target was realistic. A number of key organisations indicated strong support for a National Retrofit Programme (NRP). Some respondents suggested expanding the scope of the strategy – for example to include water efficiency, transport, and planning.

7.3 There was a clear view that a wealth of skills and experience has been built up over the course of previous initiatives, and that this should support the implementation of the strategy for existing buildings. In particular, respondents recommended that the National Retrofit Programme include both an area-based approach and a person-centred approach (focussing on the most vulnerable), making use of the Energy Saving Scotland advice centres to deliver information and advice services.

7.4 Respondents' general preference for achieving standards in existing homes – both those relating to house condition and those to minimum energy efficiency standards – was to raise consumer awareness, provide financial assistance, and to incentivise property owners to undertake improvements. Nonetheless, there was substantial support for mandatory standards.

7.5 A consistent theme was the need to provide clear straightforward information for home owners and landlords about energy efficiency and its benefits. It was also stressed that information is required on the need to maintain and repair properties, how to obtain good advice on property maintenance and how to appoint appropriate contractors for repair and maintenance work. There was particular support for greater use of EPCs to influence household behaviour and encourage greater energy efficiency, and many of the recommendations for improved information and display should be satisfied by recent amendments to the energy performance of buildings regulations.

7.6 There was a general view that both sufficient funding support, and responsive and accessible funding mechanisms, would be essential to the success of the strategy. There was currently a degree of uncertainty around the new funding approaches (Green Deal and ECO), both in terms of the amount of funding that will be available and potential uptake levels. Significant resources would be required, to fund solutions for hard-to-treat properties – both urban tenements and housing in areas off the gas grid - that tend to require more costly measures, such as solid wall insulation, or multiple measures. A key issue would be to provide comfort that appropriate funding mechanisms would be available for extended periods, to encourage cost-effective procurement and high rates of uptake. There were also suggestions that additional incentives such as tax breaks (for example council tax and the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) would be an effective way of delivering the strategy's objectives.

7.7 There was a high level of support for the proposal that Scottish Government consider a single mandatory condition standard, beyond the tolerable standard, to apply to all tenures. The consultation document did not set out proposals for provisions for the new condition standard and it was not always clear what respondents envisaged in a new standard. When asked about enforcing such a standard, some respondents thought this could be problematic in the owner occupied sector except at point of sale or when major work was done to a house, because many households lacked resources to maintain or improve their homes. The responses about enforcement suggested that many respondents also had concerns about compulsion, which might result in some properties becoming un-saleable or un-lettable and some respondents expressed a preference for information and incentives over compulsion. Funding options would be helpful in enabling households meet new requirements. Further, a few respondents suggested there would be resistance and challenges on the grounds of choice.

7.8 The level of support for a minimum energy efficiency standard for private sector housing was lower, but still accounted for more than half of those who commented on the proposed standard. Respondents suggested that such a standard could assist in addressing fuel poverty and would make it easier for social landlords to deliver energy efficiency improvements in mixed tenure buildings. However, there were a number of reservations about the proposals; notably concerns that the costs of the required improvements would have an adverse impact on the housing market, and the practical challenges of enforcing the standard.

7.9 Although the strategy covers the period to 2030, the comments were heavily influenced by consideration of current economic conditions. However, the argument that the recession had limited new build market transformation was challenged by some, for example citing a lack of evidence of innovative design and approaches in the boom years up to 2008, or noting that building to high levels of energy efficiency is well established in other countries.

7.10 Respondents considered that the government could support new build market transformation, for example through increased funding for the affordable housing supply programme to enable the social rented sector to deliver more sustainable housing, and support for research and development.

7.11 A difficult message was that Scotland would not have an adequate, skilled workforce to take advantage of future improvement and house-building programmes, without considerable up-skilling and multi-skilling of the existing workforce and training of new entrants to the industry. Respondents commented that reductions in college places presented a particular risk to the future construction industry; and compounded companies' reluctance to commit to training in the current economic climate.