Scotland is rolling out a revolutionary new system that finally gives homeowners trustworthy, building-specific advice on cutting energy bills and emissions, replacing the much-criticised Energy Performance Certificates that have failed millions of older properties.
The Scottish Government has handed infrastructure giant AECOM a major contract to design the Heat & Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA), a tailored retrofit roadmap that promises to end the era of one-size-fits-all recommendations by spring 2026.
Why Scotland’s Homes Are Still Freezing in 2025
Scottish homes remain some of the leakiest in Europe. Nearly 70% sit at EPC band C or D, while one in seven are stuck in the worst E, F or G ratings.
Heating these draughty buildings eats up cash and pumps out carbon. Buildings account for about 20% of Scotland’s total emissions, a stubborn barrier to the country’s legally binding 2045 net zero target.
The core problem? Standard EPCs often suggest measures that simply cannot work in Scotland’s unique stone tenements, listed buildings and rural properties.
Homeowners have spent thousands on insulation or heat pumps that later proved unsuitable, damaging both wallets and historic fabric.
HEETSA: The Fix That Actually Understands Scottish Buildings
AECOM’s task is clear: build a framework that delivers reliable, property-specific guidance instead of generic scores.
The new system will set strict rules on who can carry out assessments, demanding proper qualifications, ongoing training and real-world retrofit experience.
Assessors will examine each building’s age, construction type, heritage status and local climate before recommending measures that genuinely work.
David Ross, AECOM’s Regional Director for Scotland, calls it “advice property owners can genuinely trust, tailored to their building and grounded in reality.”
How the New Framework Will Work in Practice
Property owners will receive a clear report showing which improvements make technical and financial sense, ranked by impact and cost.
The framework will integrate with existing Scottish Government support, including zero-interest loans, grants through Home Energy Scotland and the upcoming Heat in Buildings regulations.
Early pilots suggest homeowners could cut energy bills by 30-50% with the right package of measures, from internal wall insulation to heat pumps paired with upgraded radiators.
For landlords and businesses, HEETSA reports will become essential for meeting future minimum energy efficiency standards.
Critics Warn: Don’t Let Process Kill Progress
Not everyone is celebrating.
Aberdeen architect Matthew Clubb, who delivers retrofits daily, fears another layer of bureaucracy could slow down urgent work.
“The government keeps consulting on processes they don’t fully understand,” Clubb wrote on LinkedIn. “There are still too few genuine retrofit experts shaping these decisions.”
He worries that complex new assessments could deter smaller landlords and delay improvements in the properties that need them most.
The Scottish Government insists HEETSA will streamline, not complicate, the journey to warmer homes.
Scotland’s new approach recognises a simple truth: you cannot treat a 1890s Glasgow tenement the same as a 1990s English semi-detached house.
By finally giving homeowners advice that matches their actual building, HEETSA could unlock the mass retrofitting Scotland desperately needs.
Thousands of families still shiver in cold, expensive homes this winter. With net zero just 20 years away, Scotland has run out of time for bad advice.
The success of HEETSA will decide whether the nation finally gets serious about fixing its leaking building stock, or keeps repeating the same failed experiments.
What do you think, will HEETSA actually deliver warmer homes and lower bills, or is it just more paperwork? Drop your thoughts below and share this story with #ScotlandRetrofit if you’re fed up with sky-high energy bills.
