THE Scottish Government has issued a statement on the wood burning stove ban.
It comes after Kate Forbes, the former finance secretary and the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, called for a statement after a Highlands-based architect drew attention to new building regulations on social media.
As of April 1, building standard 6.11 in Scotland’s Domestic Technical Handbook states that: “Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that the means by which space within the building is heated or cooled and by which hot water is made available in the building is not by means of a direct emission heating system."
Direct emission heating systems (DEHS) encompass oil and gas boilers and bioenergy sources, including wood-burning stoves.
READ MORE: Wood burning stove ban Scotland – questions over new rules
The new regulations further state that a building which undergoes a conversion cannot retain a wood-burning stove, or other DEHS, if it is located within the part of the building being converted.
The Scottish Government has responded, clarifying that while new homes and buildings will not be able to install “polluting” wood-burning stoves, existing homes are unaffected.
What did the Scottish Government say about the 'wood-burning stove ban'?
A Scottish Government spokesperson said, in full: “Heating our homes and buildings represents about a fifth of Scotland’s carbon emissions so tackling the climate emergency requires us to address these emissions.
“Proposals in the New Build Heat Standard, which came into force from 1 April 2024, were widely consulted on in 2021 and again in 2022. Both consultations showed strong support for the new Standard. The changes mean that new homes and buildings do not contribute to climate emissions, by banning the use of polluting heating systems such as oil and gas boilers, and bioenergy – including wood-burning stoves.
“Existing homes are completely unaffected as the standard will not apply to the installation of heating in homes and buildings built before 2024. Wood burning stoves and other heating systems that cause emissions can also still be installed in new homes to provide emergency heating, where a need can be justified – responding to feedback from rural communities.
“Separately, the Scottish Government has recently finished consulting on plans for introducing clean heating systems in existing homes and buildings and is currently considering responses. This included proposals around the use of bioenergy and measures to prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in all buildings after 2045.”
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