New Build Heat Standard in Scotland

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Scotland’s New Build Heat Standard¹ (NBHS) is transforming how new homes are designed, built and heated. Introduced to support the country’s net zero targets, the legislation requires all new buildings to use zero direct emissions heating systems, removing the use of fossil fuel boilers.

What is the New Build Heat Standard in Scotland?

The Scottish New Build Heat Standard requires that all new homes and buildings:

Must not install systems that produce direct greenhouse gas emissions

Must use low carbon or renewable heating systems

Must meet updated energy efficiency and building regulations

This effectively removes gas and oil boilers from new developments, driving adoption of technologies such as heat pumps and heat networks.

The legislation applies to new building warrants submitted from April 2024 onwards, forming a key part of Scotland’s journey to net zero homes.

The introduction of new build heating regulations in Scotland has created both design and delivery challenges for developers:

Early-stage planning is critical
Heating strategies must now be considered much earlier in the development lifecycle, alongside utilities and infrastructure

Infrastructure requirements
Low-carbon heating systems can require higher electrical demands on an already constrained grid.

Compliance and risk
Developers must ensure solutions meet evolving Scottish building standards while balancing cost, performance and programme timelines.

Long-term asset considerations
There is increasing focus on adoptable infrastructure, long-term operation and maintenance, energy efficiency, and resident experience.

Aerial view of The Avenue residential development in Barnton, Edinburgh, connected to a low-carbon heat network delivered by Last Mile.

Heat strategies developers are using today

Since the implementation of the NBHS, developers across Scotland are adopting a range of compliant heating strategies, including heat pumps and various types of heat networks. With electric heating, air source heat pumps and ground source heat networks leading the way in low-carbon heating, developers are investigating these energy systems on a project-by-project basis, with scalability and infrastructure accessibility in mind.

Ground source heat networks and the New Build Heat Standard

Ground source heat networks (GSHNs) are one of the most effective ways to meet Scotland’s New Build Energy Standard. With centralised and decentralised solutions available they offer scalable, flexible compliant heating systems for new build houses. Through a shared underground ground loop (borehole array) and either individual heat pumps or heat interface units, a GSHN provides networked infrastructure suitable for adoption with lower long-term operational costs.

Delivering ground source heat networks across Scotland

Over the past two years, Last Mile has delivered a variety of GSHNs across Scotland and England, including Scotland’s first ambient heat network at The Avenue, Barnton – supporting developers in meeting the New Build Heat Standard. With centralised systems and decentralised networks across 12 developments, we’ve delivered award-winning, low-carbon, compliant heating systems to nearly a thousand homes.