Living accommodation: assessment of energy performance and emissions
124.Section 64 requires the Scottish Ministers to make regulations providing for the assessment of (a) the energy performance of living accommodation, and (b) emissions of greenhouse gases produced by living accommodation. Ministers must also, by regulations, require owners of such accommodation to take steps, identified by the assessments, to (a) improve the energy performance of such accommodation, and (b) reduce such emissions.
125.Subsection (2) sets out (without prejudice to the generality of the power in subsection (1)) some of the detail which may be included in the regulations, including: the kinds of living accommodation covered; persons who are required to obtain assessments; time periods for carrying out assessments; procedures and methodologies for assessing energy performance and emissions; persons who can carry out such assessments; the issuing of certificates following assessment; the form of any recommendations as to the improvement of the energy performance and reduction of emissions; the manner and periods within which steps must be taken with regard to such recommendations; the registration of certificates; the disclosure of information entered in the register; enforcement authorities; the keeping of records; enforcement of the regulations; and offences.
126.Subsection (3) makes provision about the enforcement authority provided for in the regulations and subsection (4) allows the regulations to provide for the functions of the enforcement authority to be exercised by two or more such authorities and also allows provision to be made about the functions of each of those authorities.
127.Subsection (5) allows the enforcement authority to levy charges to recover reasonable costs incurred in exercising the functions under the regulations. Subsection (6) requires the Scottish Ministers to publish a report, within 12 months of section 64 coming into force. This will set out the measures they intend to take to reduce emissions from living accommodation, and when they intend to make regulations to set out the form of recommendations and the manner and periods within which steps are to be taken to comply with the recommendations.
128.Subsection (7) defines “living accommodation” as a dwelling, and includes any building having a total useful floor area of 50m2 or more and any common areas associated with such a dwelling.
