Scottish Builders Worried About the Cost of Green Building Standards

New building standards have recently come into place, requiring Scottish homes to have better levels of energy efficiency.

The standards target issues such as double glazing, sound insulation and enhanced security features as well as general energy efficiency. However, it has been claimed that the measures may slow down the development of new housing due to increased costs to builders.

Homes for Scotland have made the claims, stating that these new measures – due to come into effect from October 1st – will have certain sustainability benefits, but these are not balanced against “technical and affordability constraints”.

The warning is that as much as £8,000 could be added into the cost of building every new home.

However, there are also a number of benefits to the scheme. For example, installing double glazing in windows will help to cut down on energy bills over the long term, tackling fuel poverty and making homes more comfortable. uPVC windows are also more secure than other windows and help to keep out any sound pollution.

Infrastructure minister for Scotland, Steward Stevenson, said that these new standards are going to help cut down on 1990 CO2 emissions by 70 percent. He stated that households will have ‘better, warmer and quieter’ places to live.

Instead of targeting new homes, the chief executive of Homes for Scotland, Jonathan Fair, has said that the focus should instead be put onto improving the energy efficiency of existing homes in the area.