INDUSTRY NEWS 5


Greg Clark replaces Michael Gove as Housing Secretary


Passivhaus Bill proposed for Scottish Parliament


 proposed rivate embers ill has been put to the cottish arliament which would require all new housing to be built to assivhaus standard.


Before announcing his resignation in early July, Boris Johnson appointed Greg Clark as Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, with Johnson declaring his intention to stay on in a ‘caretaker’ role. Clark replaces Michael Gove, who


was fi red for directly advising the rime Minister to resign. The quick appointment signals the importance of the role, in terms of housing and in particular further- ing the ‘levelling up’ agenda. Clark is returning to the Ministry he served in between 2015 and 2016 when it was known as the Department for Communities and Local Government, and when he was part of Theresa May’s Cabi- net. He was Business Secretary between 2016-2019, and most recently chair of


the Commons’ Science and Technology Committee following the 2019 election. nlie many fellow Tory s Clar did not publicly call for Boris Johnson to resign.


Nick Leeming, chairman of property agents Jackson-Stops, welcomed the appointment of a Minister experienced in the housing sector: “What is good about Greg Clark is that his previous stint on the front line as Business Secretary as well having previously served as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government should put him in good standing when examining the deadlock between housebuilders and government, to encourage rather than impede the swift delivery of new homes to meet rising demand.”


The Domestic Building Environmental Standards (Scotland) Bill was out for consultation until 27 July. Alex Rowley,  for id cotland and ife proposed the Bill which calls for all new housing in cotland be built to the assivhaus stand- ard or to “a Scottish equivalent.” The Bill would apply to every new home built by councils, housing associations or the private sector. Rowley (pictured above centre) is a abour  who has developed the ill in response to the recommendations of the Scottish Climate Assembly set up by the cottish arliament in which  of the Assembly voted in favour of adopting the standard for new build projects in Scotland. le owley  commented on the importance of the potential change: “A move to the assivhaus gold standard for all new-build homes would be radical, ambitious, practical and forward-thinking. It would futureproof homes and prevent them from having to be retrofi tted in the near future, upskill the construction sector and make Scotland a leading player with exportable skills and knowledge.” Sarah Lewis, research and policy direc- tor at the assivhaus Trust commented on the timely nature of the proposal in the current context: “When many are worrying about the cost of living and the accelerated cost of household energy bills, this proposal could not come at a better time for the country.”


The Bill is reportedly being opposed by the  and somewhat biarrely by the cottish reen arty.


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