Tuesday 16 June 2015

NIA welcomes the Scottish Governments decision to make Energy Efficiency an infrastructure priority

For some time we have been calling on all political parties to designate  energy efficiency  a national infrastructure priority and in Scotland this included  meetings with  Scottish Government Ministers prior to the General Election.  We were therefore delighted with the recent announcement from the Scottish Government.

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 09th June 2015, Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod revealed that Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme will be made an infrastructure priority in an effort to improve the energy efficiency ratings of both homes and non-domestic buildings over the next 20 years.

The Scottish Government will also examine how supplier obligations on energy efficiency and fuel poverty can be designed for Scottish circumstances and to leverage private sector investment using new devolved powers in the Scotland Bill.

Dr McLeod said: “The Scottish Government has already increased investment in domestic energy efficiency – from £99m last year to £119m this year. And since 2009 we have allocated over half a billion pounds on fuel poverty and energy efficiency programmes.

“But we must do more to meet Scotland’s world-leading and ambitious climate change targets. That is why I am announcing that improving the energy efficiency of Scotland’s buildings will be designated a national infrastructure priority.”

The announcement represents real progress for energy efficiency and the call from industry that energy efficiency should be designated a national infrastructure priority by central Government and all political parties.  Further details could be announced in the Scottish Budget and Infrastructure Investment Plan, which are expected in the Autumn.

Below is the press release issued by the Scottish Government last week

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