New Homes And Buildings Must Install Climate-friendly Heating Systems From April 2024

24th December 2023

If you are going to build a new house or houses from April 2024 you better read this. And don't think it is just new houses as existing houses will be affected later as the Scottish Government is developing more rules for that also

The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) will affect the type of heating system that new-build homes and properties will be allowed to use.

What is changing
From April 2024, changes to building regulations will mean new homes and buildings will not be allowed to use direct emission (or polluting) heating systems like oil and gas boilers, and bioenergy.

Instead, they will need to use climate-friendly alternatives like heat pumps and heat networks (also referred to as clean heating systems).

We are developing separate proposals for heating existing buildings. These are not yet law.

Where the NBHS applies
The NBHS applies to all new buildings and some conversions where a building warrant is applied for from 1 April 2024.
Conversions to existing buildings

A conversion is a particular change in occupation or use of a building, for example changing an office to a hotel or an attic into a bedroom. Building regulations define and treat conversions differently to alterations and extensions.

If you are converting an existing building, the NBHS will apply if:

you have a direct emissions heating system in the building or area of the building you are converting, and
it is ‘reasonably practicable' to install a clean heating system - guidance on what is considered 'reasonably practicable' is provided in support of the new standard 6.11 within Section 6 (energy) of the 2024 Technical Handbooks.

Building warrants granted before April 2024
The NBHS will apply to building warrants applied for from 1 April 2024. A building warrant is legal permission to start building work or convert a property, and lasts for 3 years. A building warrant can be extended for an initial period of 9 months. Further extensions are at the discretion of the building standards officer.This means not all new buildings completed after 1 April 2024 will meet the NBHS due to developments being at different stages in the building process.

New developments applying for a building warrant before 1 April 2024 may continue to install direct emission heating systems until April 2027.

Why the NBHS is being introduced
Heating Scotland's homes and buildings is one of the biggest contributors to our carbon emissions.

The NBHS will help ensure new buildings will not contribute to emissions. People who buy new homes will know its future-proofed against the need to switch heating systems in the future.

New Build Heat Standard: factsheet

Comment
Quite a few thing to cost us money seem to be being put through just before the Christmas holiday break. Could this be to limit bad publicity and reaction from home owners.