The Scottish Government has completed the first consultation on its plans to introduce a Passivhaus equivalent standard for all new-build homes, aiming to significantly reduce energy demand and emissions in the UK country.

The first of two consultations, which concluded on 23 October, laid out the foundational principles for a Scottish standard, with a subsequent consultation on technical specifications expected in mid-2025.

The Passivhaus standard is designed to create buildings with a very low energy requirement, thus cutting emissions and fuel bills.

Although currently a voluntary standard in Scotland, Passivhaus developments are already present in both the private and social housing sectors.

Building to this standard is estimated to increase home construction costs by 4% to 8%.

The Scottish Government has proposed the introduction of a new voluntary standard in 2026, with plans to make it mandatory by 2028.

This move forms part of Scotland's broader strategy to address climate change and promote sustainability in the housing sector.

However, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) expressed concerns during the consultation that without additional funding, the new standards could jeopardise the government's target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.

The CIH feels that this could exacerbate homelessness and negatively impact poverty and equality in the region.

Recent homelessness statistics have shown an 8% rise in open cases and a 9% increase in households in temporary accommodation. These figures underscore the urgency of addressing housing needs while balancing the implementation of new building standards.

CIH Scotland policy and practice manager Ashley Campbell said: “We fully support efforts to improve the standard of new homes and welcome alignment of standards across tenures. Everyone should be able to expect the same high standards regardless of whether they are a private tenant, a social tenant or a homeowner.”

“However, we have significant concerns about the potential costs associated with delivering this new standard and the impact this could have on a sector that is already struggling to build the new homes we need.

“We would urge the Scottish Government to think carefully about the timing of any new standards which could have a negative impact on new housing delivery or provide reassurance as to how any additional development costs will be covered.”