• Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Policy
  • Declaration
  • Contact Us

The Existing Homes Alliance | Scotland

campaigning for the transformation of Scotland's existing housing stock

Alliance response to Commission on Housing and Wellbeing

24 November 2014

The Commission on Housing and Wellbing has been charged with considering the relationship between housing and wellbeing for the people of Scotland in the second decade of the 21st century. It has also been asked to consider and recommend national housing priorities and policies to foster and sustain wellbeing for all the people of Scotland.

The Alliance responded to the consultation, which we found does a good job of joining up the various aspects of housing and its role in society. It provides some refreshing ideas and lateral thinking on how housing in the round could be improved for the benefit of Scottish society.

We are pleased to see that the issue of energy performance appears in under the headings of health and environmental sustainability, and that the wider aspects of sustainability are highlighted – eg the location of housing near to services, schools and public transport. This joining up of good planning and good design are essential to reducing the environmental impact while at the same time making these homes pleasant to live in. It should also be noted that an energy efficient home is a more affordable one.

Read our response ExHA_Housing_and_Wellbeing_responseFINAL_Nov2014

Filed Under: Policy

10 Key Recommendations

1 The Energy Efficient Scotland Programme, the cornerstone of the National Infrastructure Priority for energy efficiency, should have a statutory underpinning, including a target for the vast majority of housing (where technically feasible and appropriate) to reach the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2030.

2 The introduction of new regulation and planning controls, backed by market incentives, to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes.

3 Scotland-wide area-based schemes to deliver retrofit of existing homes, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, alongside a national, demand led programme.

4 A range of financial incentives to encourage investment in energy efficiency and micro-generation.

5 New service offerings, products and packages for retrofit.

6 Better information on household energy use and its carbon emissions for consumers.

7 Better energy performance data on existing housing.

8 Reliable quality control and up-skilling on low and zero-carbon technologies.

9 A major programme to catalogue and showcase existing and ongoing exemplar low energy refurbishments.

10 Maximise use of devolved powers and influence UK policy to improve energy efficiency.

Learn more »

About us

The Existing Homes Alliance Scotland is a coalition calling for urgent action to transform Scotland's existing housing stock and make it fit for the 21st century. Too many of Scotland's homes are in a poor condition meaning unnecessarily high fuel use.

We gratefully acknowledge funding support from the William Grant Foundation.

Recent Updates

  • Alliance welcomes ambitious Heat in Buildings Strategy and call for fuel poverty budget boost to achieve goals
  • Alliance says Budget must go further to deliver a green recovery and tackle fuel poverty
  • Evidence to Scottish Parliament’s Scrutiny of the Climate Change Plan Update

Campaign Latest

Join our campaign to ensure there are no households in Scotland living in a hard-to-heat, draughty home by 2030. We urge the Scottish Government to use the once in a generation opportunity of the Energy Efficient Scotland programme and the Fuel Poverty Bill to transform Scotland’s homes for the better, put an end to fuel poverty and seize the opportunities of a low carbon future.

© 2014-2021 The Existing Homes Alliance Scotland, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), No SC048434

Site development by Lynx Graphic Design; Site Credits