Elected Member Briefing - Band B Energy Performance Council Houses

About this briefing note

Report by: Nicola Lennon, Service Manager, Housing Capital Improvements and New Builds

Date: 21 March 2023

Subject: Confirmation of split of Band B Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for Council housing stock

Responsible Officer: Nicola Lennon, Service Manager, Housing Capital Improvements and New Builds

Purpose

In response to a request made at the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee meeting on 15 March 2023 for confirmation of how many of the 484 Council housing stock properties with Band B Energy Performance Certificates were new build properties.

Briefing Information

Background

The proposed Local Housing Strategy (LHS) considered at the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee on 15 March 2023 defines four priorities for action; Priority 4 is defined as Delivering Quality Homes with Affordable Warmth, Zero Emissions and SMART Technology.

The LHS provides the strategic framework for improving the quality and energy efficiency of homes across Perth and Kinross, driving improvement in housing induced poverty and proactively tackling fuel poverty. The LHS has a significant role to play in enabling Perth and Kinross to meet the ambitious energy efficiency, climate change and housing quality targets set by the Scottish Government with the overall ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2045. It sets out how affordable warmth can be delivered through investment in housing condition and energy improvements; and sets a road map for reducing domestic carbon emissions. The LHS also details the framework for improving the condition and quality of housing across all tenures, including the mechanisms and support to enable landlords and owners across Perth and Kinross to invest in repair and maintenance.

From the latest Scottish Housing Quality Standards (SHQS) Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) from March 2022, 68% of Perth & Kinross Council's housing stock has a valid EPC rating and currently 5% meet the EPC rating of B. 

Update on EPC ratings

At the date of the latest ARC, there were 484 properties (or 5%) that had an EPC rating of Band B. Since this date, further EPC's have been generated on the Council housing stock and the total for Band B properties as at 15 March 2023 is now 507; following a review of the address lists for these properties, there are 338 of the Band B properties (or 66.67%) that are considered to be new build properties that have been constructed since the new build programme of work recommenced within Perth & Kinross Council programmes; this leaves 169 Band B properties (or 33.33%) that are Council housing stock constructed in previous years that have had energy efficiency measures, such as External Wall Insulation, solar photovoltaic panels and/or Air Source Heat Pump heating systems installed and this has improved the energy efficiency of the property.