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Buildings account for around a fifth of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing these emissions is essential for Scotland to get to net zero. This report investigates the experiences of early adopters of Zero Direct Emissions Heating (ZDEH) systems amongst private homeowners in Scotland. The interviewees demonstrated a formidable ability to overcome a significant number of barriers identified in the research, and a commitment to complete installation. Systematic changes to reduce current barriers are necessary to engage the general public in the next phase of heat pump adoption.

The report investigates the likely impacts of a requirement for zero direct emissions heating systems in new buildings on Scottish Islands and rural areas.

To meet the Scottish Government’s ambitious climate change targets, there will need to be a significant increase in the deployment of energy efficiency and low carbon heat measures in domestic and non-domestic buildings in the next decade. To deliver this, the supply chain in Scotland needs to be fit-for-purpose in terms of having the capacity and skills to deliver this scale of technology deployment. This research explores current and future workforce capabilities around energy efficiency and low carbon heat technologies. It reviews the current capabilities and skills along the supply chain of the energy efficiency and low carbon heating technologies in Scotland, identifies the skills gaps and analyses the potential options to fill these gaps to meet the targets set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy.