CIOB recognises the important role that improving the quality and energy efficiency of Scotland’s built environment must play in meeting net zero targets, and the benefits of homes that are warmer, healthier and more affordable to heat.

However, these ambitions do not exist in isolation. Scotland faces urgent pressures on housing supply alongside constraints on construction capacity, skills and resources. The implications of new standards for housing delivery, affordability and viability must therefore also be considered

CIOB believes that any changes to building standards must be proportionate, evidence-based and deliverable in practice. They should prioritise in situ performance and effective compliance, while ensuring the skills and capacity needed to deliver them are in place. Where necessary, implementation should be phased to allow Government and industry to assess impacts and system readiness.