In late October, the Scottish Government released new guidance on how local government in Scotland can play a critical role in transforming the country’s building stock. The Aim; to ensure that schools, hospitals, libraries, homes and businesses no longer contribute to climate change.

The Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) will support local planning, coordination and delivery of the heat transition, tailored to the specific needs of communities in Scotland.

Local authorities are now required to prepare, publish and update a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan on or before 31 December 2023. The LHEES should establish a long-term plan for decarbonising heat in buildings and improving their energy efficiency across an entire local authority area.

The guidance document released by Scottish Government highlights that a ‘structured approach’ should be used when preparing an LHEES and should broadly follow the stages outlined in the process diagram (pictured above).

This should result in a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan which confirms outcomes and actions, which are backed up by data and analysis, supported by stakeholder engagement, and linked to national and local priorities, plans and targets.

Elmhurst believe LHEES is a step in the right direction to help improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s buildings. The process flow allows local authorities in Scotland to align their own individual targets for their building stock to the wider target of achieving net zero. Removing fossil fuel heating systems is the priority but we would encourage Scottish government to consider the implications this could have in moving building owners/occupiers into fuel poverty.