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The Stove Industry Association (SIA) has sought urgent clarification from the Scottish Government in relation to what the Association considers to be ambiguity and a lack of consistency within the definition of terms in the New Build Heat Standard (6.11 Heating and hot water – direct emission heating system) which came into force on 1st April 2024.

In seeking further clarity on the definition of the limitation (p.483) that the Standard does not apply to “emergency heating”, the Heat in Buildings team within Scottish Government told the SIA:

“The Standard applies to all new buildings with a building warrant on or after 1 April 2024. We recognise that heating for emergency use will sometimes be needed. This is why our regulations permit fixed systems such as woodburning stoves for emergency use where this is justified. This is in direct response to feedback from rural communities recognising concerns about supply. Emergency use means that applications for fixed heating systems can be considered if the size, complexity or heat demand means that portable solutions aren’t suitable. This can be done through the building warrant application already required at time of building, or it can be done afterwards following the same process. Further information on the Standard can be found at: New Build Heat Standard: factsheet – gov.scot (www.gov.scot). The detailed description of the provision is on p.486 of the Building Standards technical handbooks (section 6.11.2). Existing installations of stoves are unaffected.”

The SIA has responded querying how, irrespective of the “size, complexity or heat demand”, a portable solution would be effective in the event of a power cut when many portable heating solutions require electricity to function? Further detail from Scottish Government is awaited.

Commenting on the New Build Heat Standard for Scotland Andy Hill, chair of the Stove Industry Association, said:

“We are concerned about the lack of clarity in the definitions given within the wording of Standard 6.11 and fully understand why residents of Scotland, particularly those in off-grid areas of the country, are deeply troubled by this new legislation.

“In a country where there is a plentiful supply of local, sustainable wood fuel we question why the option to install a highly efficient, complementary, and low carbon heat source has been removed, especially when the aim of the legislation is to reduce carbon emissions from domestic heating. It is hugely detrimental to the local economy, consumer choice and carbon reduction targets to restrict the use of wood burning stoves in new build properties. Wood has the lowest carbon emissions factor of any domestic heating fuel, and modern stove appliances operate highly efficiently and with minimal emissions (up to 90% reduction in emissions compared to an open fire).

“Heat pump heating systems offer enormous benefits in our quest for net zero, but they are not a panacea. Their shortfalls are well documented; they are expensive to fit, operate at a steady state meaning that they often require top up heating sources, put increased strain on an already stretched energy grid and they will not work when there is a power cut. These shortfalls can all be mitigated by pairing a heat pump with a modern wood stove. We simply cannot afford – economically or socially – to overlook the importance of grid independent, wood burning secondary heating.”