The green revolution is moving away from turbines on hillsides and traffic reduction on city streets, and is set to change Scotland's homes, shops and workplaces fundamentally.

The green revolution is moving away from turbines on hillsides and traffic reduction on city streets, and is set to change Scotland's homes, shops and workplaces fundamentally.

Those who work in modern offices can expect to see an end to air conditioning, and more innovative methods for controlling temperature, according to leading Glasgow architect Alan Dunlop.

Office blocks will use less glass in construction, allowing easier temperature control by using other "solid" facings such as stone, concrete and wood, he said.

"This is absolutely going to change the way buildings in Scotland are designed."

Homes will be heated by local furnaces burning biomass fuels, grown on Scottish farmland, heated by geo- thermal heat exchangers with electricity supplied by solar panels, rooftop wind turbines, photo-voltaic cells and small hydro generators.

The changes are due to follow increased pressure on architects and builders from government, with First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday announcing Scotland would have the most demanding national planning guidance in the UK. This would require new-build developments to cut their "carbon footprint" by 15%. Several English local authorities, particularly in London, have led the way on this.

From now, builders will have to promise 15% of energy bills will be cut by using low-carbon technology, or by using renewable fuels for energy requirements.

The guidance applies to housing projects of more than 500 square metres. That would include a development of at least five average-size homes.

It would also include shopping developments, office blocks and factories.

Mr McConnell said: "This is just a first step. We will look to increase this 15% condition in the future. The bottom line is that we will not have an environment to protect if we do not take action on climate change."

Jason Ormiston, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, hailed what he called a bold move. "There is clearly huge interest in installing devices and I hope housebuilders install devices with enthusiasm and will support growing the targets over time."

Malcolm Fraser, an Edinburgh-based architect, welcomed more demanding standards for energy.

However, he warned that measures should be accompanied by other ways of enhancing good design, including a VAT system that makes it more attractive to renovate than to build new.

At its conference last weekend, the Scottish National Party set out plans to reduce the polluting effect from existing buildings as well as new-build. However, the vision set out by Alex Salmond of a million rooftop turbines has been scaled down.

Labour claimed this would cost £1.5bn, but the SNP is now saying it would provide incentives for manufacturers to lower prices on turbines, and would help those on low income.

With not enough roofs in Scotland to meet the party leader's target, an SNP administration would look to other technologies to be installed, generating energy in a total of a million of Scotland's 2.27 million homes.