Embedded Files
Heating and Net Zero for
Many of us are wondering what we can do to cut our heating bills and our carbon emissions. KSNA has been looking at what progress is taking place in Glasgow, in terms of national carbon reduction policies, with specific reference to tenement flats.
In October 2021, the Scottish Government published its Heat in Buildings Strategy setting out its plans to decarbonise Scotland’s homes and workplaces. In it, the Scottish Government committed to introduce regulations requiring all buildings to reach good energy efficiency standards by 2033 (equivalent to EPC Band C) with private rented properties having to meet these standards by 2028. Currently over 1.6 million homes are in EPC Band D or below and more than 2 million homes use mains gas or oil as their primary heating fuel.
The Scottish Government commissioned a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) to identify any issues that might apply to tenements in particular. Over a third of homes in Scotland are regarded as tenements, so it is important to to deal with any issues that are specific to these building types.
The Tenements Short Life Working Group – Energy Efficiency and Zero Emissions Heating reported in November 2023 and - unsurprisingly as this was a scoping exercise - they listed some very basic issues, beginning with the definition of what a tenement is. It then reported how little we know about the tenement stock in Scotland in terms of age, build quality, state of repair, ownership and responsibilities, and stock management.
They asked the Government to consider the logistics of encouraging climate friendly upgrades in blocks where some residents were able to pay for them and some not, and also where some wanted to upgrade and some didn’t. To meet this challenge, the SLWG are proposing the development of Compulsory Owners’ Associations, which would be able to organise whole building assessments for energy efficiency and decide upon suitable common energy efficiency measures and heating systems for the building.
Notwithstanding this, it says that individual owners should be required to improve the energy efficiency of their dwellings as much as possible and consider zero direct emissions heating options (heat pumps) where these are viable. This would apply to both owner-occupiers and landlords.
The SLWG presented the Scottish Government with these observations and recommendations:
1: Owners will require funding from government and access to finance.
2: The SLWG supports the Scottish Government’s proposals to take a phased approach to regulating tenement buildings.
3: Whole Building Assessments for energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heating should be developed.
4: Key Scottish Government work streams supporting the Scottish Law Commission project must be taken forward so that legislation is properly aligned.
5: The Tenements Act should be further amended to support energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heat common works.
6: Expert advice is required on traditional and protected buildings
Glasgow Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
In the meantime, Local Authorities have been examining their responsibilities and priorities regarding Net Zero and energy efficiency. Glasgow City Council have recently produced its Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). They regard it as an important step towards the goal of becoming a Net Zero Carbon city by 2030.
They see the Heat Network Zones as the obvious solution for high density housing, particularly tenements.
Many of us are wondering what we can do to cut our heating bills and our carbon emissions. KSNA has been looking at what progress is taking place in Glasgow, in terms of national carbon reduction policies, with specific reference to tenement flats.
In October 2021, the Scottish Government published its Heat in Buildings Strategy setting out its plans to decarbonise Scotland’s homes and workplaces. In it, the Scottish Government committed to introduce regulations requiring all buildings to reach good energy efficiency standards by 2033 (equivalent to EPC Band C) with private rented properties having to meet these standards by 2028. Currently over 1.6 million homes are in EPC Band D or below and more than 2 million homes use mains gas or oil as their primary heating fuel.
The Scottish Government commissioned a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) to identify any issues that might apply to tenements in particular. Over a third of homes in Scotland are regarded as tenements, so it is important to to deal with any issues that are specific to these building types.
The Tenements Short Life Working Group – Energy Efficiency and Zero Emissions Heating reported in November 2023 and - unsurprisingly as this was a scoping exercise - they listed some very basic issues, beginning with the definition of what a tenement is. It then reported how little we know about the tenement stock in Scotland in terms of age, build quality, state of repair, ownership and responsibilities, and stock management.
They asked the Government to consider the logistics of encouraging climate friendly upgrades in blocks where some residents were able to pay for them and some not, and also where some wanted to upgrade and some didn’t. To meet this challenge, the SLWG are proposing the development of Compulsory Owners’ Associations, which would be able to organise whole building assessments for energy efficiency and decide upon suitable common energy efficiency measures and heating systems for the building.
Notwithstanding this, It says that individual owners should be required to improve the energy efficiency of their dwellings as much as possible and consider zero direct emissions heating options (heat pumps) where these are viable. This would apply to both owner-occupiers and landlords.
The SLWG presented the Scottish Government with these observations and recommendations:
1: Owners will require funding from government and access to finance.
2: The SLWG supports the Scottish Government’s proposals to take a phased approach to regulating tenement buildings.
3: Whole Building Assessments for energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heating should be developed.
4: Key Scottish Government work streams supporting the Scottish Law Commission project must be taken forward so that legislation is properly aligned.
5: The Tenements Act should be further amended to support energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heat common works.
6: Expert advice is required on traditional and protected buildings
Glasgow Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
In the meantime, Local Authorities have been examining their responsibilities and priorities regarding Net Zero and energy efficiency. Glasgow City Council have recently produced its Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). They regard it as an important step towards the goal of becoming a Net Zero Carbon city by 2030.
They see the Heat Network Zones as the obvious solution for high density housing, particularly tenements.
In this map, provided in the LHEES report, The West End is identified as a primary area for Heat Network Zones which means, in theory, that following the correct requirements, permits will be granted for the construction of local Heat Networks and each flat can join their nearest network at the earliest convenient time.
At the moment, the guidance is that rented flats switch by 2028, and owner occupied flats switch by 2033. However, as it unlikely that any HNZs (Heat Network Zones) will be ready by then, leeway will be given on the assumption that flat owners will be making their own efforts, outwith their heating systems, to reduce their carbon footprint, and then join the HNZs when they are available.
For the purpose of Glasgow’s LHEES, tenements are divided into pre-1919 and post-1919. Obviously we are pre-1919. Glasgow LHEES recognises that these flats are “hard to treat” in retrofit terms because standard approaches to improve energy efficiency (such as increasing the insulation, airtightness, and ventilation) are not easily achievable and can be expensive to do. So they intend to devise a Retrofit Strategy for pre-1919 tenements which will, in theory, run in parallel with the general LHEES objectives.
Developing LHEES Zones
The LHEES provides a framework for delivery of emmission-reducing transition to renewable heat sources across Glasgow and intends to aim first at the ‘low hanging fruit’ - targeting carbon reduction in poorer or more wasteful areas.
Deployment of Heat Networks
Glasgow Council will identify where heat networks have the best chance of success from a commercial perspective and balance this against strategic priorities for the city on fuel poverty and carbon reduction. This has framed the zoning process that Glasgow has undertaken.
Tackling Poor Energy Efficiency as a Driver of Extreme Fuel Poverty
Glasgow is working to eliminate fuel poverty at pace and in line with statutory targets. The LHEES has identified areas in Glasgow where energy efficiency interventions may have the greatest impact on the alleviation of fuel poverty for our most vulnerable citizens.
Individual/Community Scale Heat Pumps.
Whilst a significant proportion of Glasgow has a density of flats that indicates viability of district heating (HNZs), it is unlikely that district heating will provide 100% of the heating solution for the whole of every Indicative Heat Network Zone. The LHEES has also identified areas with concentrations of domestic properties that may be suitable for the deployment of individual heat pumps or smaller communal heat network schemes.
Properties built before 1919 present a challenge from a retrofit perspective and require novel approaches to lower associated carbon emissions. Analysis was undertaken to identify where in the city there were the highest concentrations of pre 1919 properties. The resulting map, Figure 29, provides a property count aggregated to data zone level, showing the west end and southside areas of the city as having the highest prevalence of these properties.
The upcoming Retrofit Strategy, which has a focus on pre-1919 tenements, will build on the mapping done in the LHEES to provide more granular outputs as to where interventions targeting pre-1919 tenements will have the greatest impact or success.
A Targeted Approach to Pre-1919 Tenements
A Housing Retrofit Strategy and Delivery Plan is being produced by GCC NRS Housing. The strategy will focus particularly on the decarbonisation challenge presented by the city’s pre-1919 tenements. It will provide:
• Technical advice to encourage appropriate “fabric first” repair and energy efficiency measures and the introduction of low carbon heating systems
• Funding options and an affordability assessment
• A scoping paper will be prepared in Summer 2023 with a strategy and delivery plan expected by Autumn 2024.
Next Steps
• GCC NRS Housing is currently at evidence gathering stage which involves a desktop review alongside stakeholder engagement.
• Database of pre-1919 tenement properties being developed and mapped. This work will build on the mapping provided through the LHEES and incorporate Registered Social Housing (RSL) housing stock data, EST Home Analytics data, building condition and repair data and RSL retrofit data.
• Pre-1919 Retrofit Pilots – Several projects are being carried out during 2023-25 to test different technical and funding approaches for retrofit.
• Technical Working Group to be established by Sept 2023 to bring retrofit designers, intermediaries, and academics together to share learning, peer review and collaboratively identify the technical specifications for pre-1919 tenement.
Takeaways
• There is a general determination to switch domestic heating to renewables, but the approach is haphazard and depends on the enthusiasm of both the UK and Scottish Governments.
• For high density housing, like tenements, the preference is for Heat Network Zones, which can provide for multiple flats. Hillhead is a prime candidate for this type of heating solution.
• It is not known when any Heat Network would be available for any of the flats or streets in Hillhead.
• Although the deadline for transition is 2028/2033, the council and Government acknowledge that tenements waiting for the construction of a local Heat Network should be allowed to wait to be connected to a local Heat Network.
• At the moment, it might be better to look at improving insulation as a way to reduce emissions and bills, and wait to see what the scoping and delivery plans suggest later this year
LINKS
Under One Roof Scotland is a charity who provide free and impartial information to Scottish tenement residents on issues related to tenement maintenance, common repair management, and retrofit. They have a very informative video on the current situation here: https://www.bigmarker.com/ under-one-roof-scotland/Heating-flats-Policy-updates-and-practical-steps-for tenement-owners
You can download the Tenements Short Life Working Group – Energy Efficiency and Zero Emissions Heating report here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ tenements-short-life-working-group-energy-efficiency-zero-emissions-heating final-report/
You can download the Glasgow Local Heating and Energy Efficiency Strategy (HLEES) here: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=30339
Google Sites
Report abuse