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Scottish council pauses Passivhaus housebuilding amid spiralling costs
Midlothian Council has shelved plans to build houses according to green Passivhaus standards, after it emerged they were set to cost over £150,000 more per unit than regular homes.
Councillors paused the policy of building Passivhaus homes, which was introduced to help hit net-zero targets, after a council meeting this week.
Stuart McKenzie, Midlothian’s Scottish National Party housing spokesperson, called for the temporary stop until authorities have more precise information on the energy efficiency of their housing stock.
Passivhaus is a building performance certification designed to make housing more energy efficient and less carbon intensive.
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However, several developments which meet the standard in Midlothian, near Edinburgh, were estimated to cost more than expected, according to an October report.
At a 10-house scheme near the council’s headquarters in Dalkeith, set to be completed next month, houses came in at an estimated £330,276 each.
At Newbattle, where 90 Passivhaus homes are being built, the cost per unit was estimated at £341,456.
In contrast, non-Passivhaus homes in nearby Newtongrange were estimated to cost just £182,886 each.
Even with improved energy standards on non-Passivhaus units, the cost per unit came in lower than those which met the certification, at £302,000.
Labour councillor Stephen Curran said he was told the houses on one Passivhaus development in the region would bring an 80% saving in energy bills, which he said was “hard to believe”.
Mr McKenzie said: “This was a decision made at council to use Passivhaus and I am not saying that was the wrong decision.
“I think, at the time, we made the right decision for the right reasons, but if the chamber is content, I would like to propose we pause the use of Passivhaus so we can better understand the cost variants and why it is coming out significantly more expensive.
“It could be that we move forward with Passivhaus in the future or find another way to provide houses that are just as warm.”
