Scotland Appoints Expert Panel to Guide Low Carbon Homes

The establishment of an expert panel to recommend measures to make houses and buildings in Scotland more energy efficient was announced today.

Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson wants to see new-build houses in Scotland meeting the same rigorous standards that exist in Scandinavia, allowing householders to significantly reduce their energy use and energy bills.

The panel will bring together designers, developers, contractors, assessors and researchers with experts from Norway, Denmark and Austria who have experience of the strict energy standards in their home countries.

Mr Stevenson said: "Scotland already leads the UK in both the energy standards set by our building regulations and the planning policy that asks for low and zero carbon equipment in new developments. But there is more that can be done."

"Events around the world this summer have further raised our awareness of the challenge of climate change. We are intent on developing a range of strategies to tackle climate change, including measures that will increase the energy efficiency of buildings and encourage more local energy production."

"We need to work with industry to make sure that the targets set are realistic, so that they can then develop skills and technologies that will deliver improvements to buildings."

"I am asking the expert panel to develop a strategy that will allow us to set targets to deliver even greater energy efficiency in our buildings and ensure that more buildings can generate their own energy."

Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, said: "I am very excited at the prospect of working with such a distinguished group and anticipate a very productive process of exchanging ideas and developing strategies". Changes to building regulations will be kick-started by the recommendations of the expert panel which is to meet in Edinburgh in September.