The Story

The development of the LHEES Delivery Plan followed the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and Delivery Plans Guidance (October 2022) and LHEES Methodology Version 4.0, published by the Scottish Government. The LHEES Delivery Plan was developed with key stakeholders following wide-scale engagement and will be overseen by the LHEES Governance Group as set out in the LHEES Delivery Plan.

The Dundee City Council Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) was published in April 2024 and the accompanying Delivery Plan was approved at Committee in November 2024. An LHEES is a long-term, data-driven plan for decarbonising heat in buildings and improving energy efficiency across an entire local authority area. The LHEES sets out a strategic approach for improving the city’s buildings by removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty and decarbonising heating systems in buildings. The LHEES Delivery Plan outlines 39 deliverable actions in relation to: stakeholder engagement; overarching actions; heat decarbonisation; fuel poverty; energy efficiency; and heat networks, with a 5-year plan for the actions based on target completion timescales.

The LHEES sets out Strategic Zones, which are geographical areas of Dundee, that highlight solutions, for example areas where heat pumps are assessed as being most viable, and challenges, for example areas with the poorest energy efficiency and fuel poverty. Through the identification of these strategic zones, we can take area-based action to improve the conditions of our existing housing stock, tackle fuel poverty and ensure a just transition.

The LHEES also identifies opportunities for areas where district heat networks could offer a solution to decarbonising heat: areas within the city with a higher heat density, and therefore highest financial viability for the development of heat networks. These zones have been identified as strategically important for the development of heat networks in Dundee and are classified as ‘Priority Zones.’ They are assigned the highest priority and incorporate additional contextual considerations such as fuel poverty, existing heat networks, feasibility studies, decarbonisation plans, site constraints such as major roads and wildlife corridors.

The delivery of the LHEES will ensure a just transition to net zero by addressing existing skills gaps, providing an inclusive and fair process via co-design with stakeholders and the public and a fair distribution of opportunities, benefits and risks. A community wealth building approach will be taken leading to a circular economy

Stakeholder engagement, in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors, is essential in the continued development of the LHEES and in the delivery of the action within the Delivery Plan. In addition to cross-sectoral collaboration within Dundee City Council, the LHEES and Delivery Plan were developed through extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders who will also be involved in the delivery of the actions within the Delivery Plan. The Dundee Climate Leadership Group continue to support the Council, and we are also working with other housing associations, education providers, energy advice organisations, the Scottish Government, distribution network operators and community groups to ensure a just transition in the move to net zero.