Social landlords in Scotland must work together with government to achieve net zero targets, report urges
Housing experts in Scotland have called for greater collaboration between social landlords and the Scottish government in order for the country to achieve net zero targets.
Publishing a new report, titled Achieving Net Zero in Social Housing, the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce (ZEST) outlined the steps required of decision-makers to ensure social housing in Scotland is made more energy efficient without additional cost to tenants.
The report comes ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26. World leaders will meet at the summit in Glasgow in November to discuss progress towards reducing global emissions in the context of climate change.
The Scottish government has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2045 – five years earlier than the UK government’s target.
More than two million homes in Scotland will need to transition “from fossil fuel-based systems to low and zero-emissions systems such as heat pumps, heat networks and other technologies” by 2045 to meet Holyrood’s target, the ZEST report said.
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Recommendations made in the report include a requirement for clear metrics to be developed in order to measure progress in a way that is “fair”.
Fuel poverty was highlighted as a persistent concern, with experts calling on decision-makers to ensure rents are kept affordable during the transition to greener energy.
To achieve this, a sector-wide assessment will be needed to determine the cost of the transition, the report stated.
Reacting to the report, Scottish government net zero secretary Michael Matheson stressed it was important that in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change, the shift was done “in a way that is fair for everyone and leaves no one behind”.
“As work to decarbonise Scotland’s social housing accelerates, it is important that we take a localised approach and ensure that through each stage – from planning to design and delivery – the distinct needs of local communities are considered,” he added.
Aubrey Fawcett, chief executive of Inverclyde Council and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, said of the report’s publication: “Heat from buildings accounts for around 20% of Scotland’s greenhouse gases and social housing has a large part to play in achieving net zero.
“The Scottish government’s climate change targets are ambitious and to match that the investment and support for social landlords needs to be just as ambitious.”
ZEST was established in March this year by the then minister for local government, housing and planning and co-chaired by Ms Fawcett and Sally Thomas, chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.
The taskforce was asked to assess the barriers facing social housing from achieving greater energy efficiency, as well as the opportunities and potential solutions required.
