Greenhouse gas emissions targeted by £1.8bn homes and buildings strategy

TACKLING greenhouse gas emissions from homes and buildings has been identified by a new, £1.8bn Scottish Government strategy.

Says the Scottish Government (here): “The Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out the pathway for cutting greenhouse gas emissions [into the atmosphere] from our homes and buildings – which currently account for about a fifth of Scotland’s emissions – by more than two-thirds by 2030.

“It will require over a million homes and the equivalent of 50,000 non-domestic buildings to convert to zero emissions heat by 2030.”

The announcement continued: “Ahead of the Strategy’s launch, Zero Carbon Buildings Minister, Patrick Harvie, visited the NG Homes project in Springburn, Glasgow, where Scottish Government funding of £9 million has supported the installation of a communal zero emissions heating system.

“The project, which spans across six high-rise social housing tower blocks, is expected save more than 650 households up to 60 per cent in energy bills.”

The Heat in Buildings Strategy can be viewed on the Scottish Government website.

The announcement adds: “A new Green Heat Finance Task Force will be established to identify innovative solutions to maximise private sector investment, and to find new ways to help individuals and organisations spread the upfront cost of investing in making their properties warmer, greener and more energy-efficient.

“It has been estimated that the transition to zero emissions heat could support around 16,400 jobs across the economy in 2030.

“To maintain progress towards our statutory emission reduction targets, this must scale up to provide a total of at least 124,000 systems installed between 2021 and 2026. The installation rate will need to peak at over 200,000 new systems per annum in the late-2020s.”

Picture credit: Place Design Scotland