Government to adopt Labour MSP’s housing standards Bill

The Scottish Government will adopt a Bill proposed by a Labour MSP to improve the standards of new-build homes.

Alex Rowley proposed the Domestic Building Environmental Standards (Scotland) Bill earlier this year to introduce the Passivhaus standards for all newly built homes in Scotland.

It will mean homes must be built with triple-glazed windows and better insulation.

In a letter to Mr Rowley, heat in buildings minister Patrick Harvie said the Scottish Government would implement the standards within two years through secondary legislation – without the long process of a member’s Bill being passed through Holyrood.

Mr Rowley said: “I am very happy that the Scottish Government has taken the opportunity to put my proposal into law.

“We have the knowledge and technology to build houses fit for the future, with occupant comfortability as a priority at a fraction of the heating costs of a standard build house now – it simply seems obvious to me that we should be doing this.

“While I appreciate the moves the Scottish Government has taken so far to make new houses more energy efficient, I do not believe the action they are currently taking will get us to where we need to be quickly enough with regards to our net-zero targets, so it is very welcome that they will move forward with the higher standards required by the Scottish equivalent of Passivhaus that I have proposed.”

Mr Harvie said: “Mr Rowley’s proposal fits well with the Scottish Government’s objectives for new development.

“The shared policy programme, published in September 2021 as part of the Bute House Agreement, includes our explicit support for Passivhaus and equivalent standards.

“We have set out our aim to make subordinate legislation within two years, to introduce new minimum environmental design standards for all new-build housing to meet a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard.”