Official Report 504KB pdf
Assessment of Energy Performance of Non-domestic Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2016 [Draft]
Agenda item 3 is consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument. I welcome to the meeting Marco Biagi, Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment; and Gavin Peart and Steven Scott, building standards division, Scottish Government. First of all, we will take evidence on the instrument, after which the minister will move the motion for us to recommend that the instrument be approved.
Minister, do you wish to make an opening statement?
A brief one, convener, and thank you for the opportunity to do so.
Through building regulations, this Government introduced step changes in 2010 and 2015 to address the emissions and energy performance of new buildings. Each year, however, new buildings represent only a small addition to our overall building stock. If we are to address climate change and the effective use of resources, we cannot ignore the need to improve our existing buildings, too. The new regulations take that first step for non-domestic buildings in response to section 63 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
The ambition set out in the regulations is a measured one, with improvement targets set at a level that will pay back investment in a few years. We hope that that will reinforce the message that simple improvements make sound business sense. By applying regulations only to larger buildings at this point, we are also developing the skills and capacity to do the work at a sustainable rate.
The regulations also allow owners to defer improvement by formal reporting of annual energy use. That offers flexibility to an industry that has told us that it wishes to show that it can deliver savings through other action than just fabric improvement works.
This is the first step in a longer journey. Further regulations will be needed and a review will be necessary before the end of the decade. That is why I am glad that we have now identified the improvement of the energy efficiency of Scotland’s building stock as a national infrastructure priority.
Thank you, minister.
As members have no questions, we move to agenda item 4, which is formal consideration of the motion that the regulations be approved. The committee has up to 90 minutes to debate the motion with the minister. Officials may not participate in that debate, and after it, the committee must make a decision on the motion.
Motion moved,
That the Local Government and Regeneration Committee recommends that the Assessment of Energy Performance of Non-domestic Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2016 [draft] be approved.—[Marco Biagi.]
Motion agreed to.
I suspend the meeting briefly for a changeover of witnesses.
11:16 Meeting suspended.