Commenting on the Scottish Government’s new Programme for Government,
Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of the charity Electrical Safety First, said:
“We welcome the commitment to addressing the climate emergency, with ambitious Net Zero targets, which will mean inevitable changes to our housing stock, transport, and the way we use energy.
“However, we must ensure this does not come at the cost of consumer safety.
“A net zero ready, or future-proofed home, will likely use highly insulated building fabric and include many technologies and solutions that are not commonplace in Scottish homes today. This could include low carbon heating, such as electrically operated heat pumps and on-site electricity generation. It is also increasingly likely that many homes will have an electric vehicle and associated on-site charging. Consequently, policy development must ensure that safety is prioritised, as we transition to a low carbon future.
“We also believe that to successfully make the transition to Net Zero, we need to know where we are now. So we are calling on the Scottish Government to review the physical condition and preparedness of Scotland’s homes for future demands, as part of the National Housing Survey.”