IN 1967 I was working in a team at the Scottish Development Department writing standards for the good design of houses, to assist local authorities with their housebuilding programmes. Working alongside our colleagues from local government in the so-called SLASH Group, plans were painstakingly developed which respected the then new Parker Morris Standards. These laid down the spaces within the home necessary for comfort and convenience. At the same time the National Building Agency was working to improve standards of construction in the industry. By 1970 the days of the high-rise tower blocks had passed. By then policies had changed and the objective of government was to provide good quality homes no taller than three storeys within so called low-rise high-density schemes. Strict cost controls were observed, and over much of urban Scotland excellent estates, with plenty of public open space, were built.

But time has moved on. With Thatcherism disappeared the altruism of public housing and very quickly housebuilding was taken over by private developers, with the results we see today. Space standards have been abandoned and, despite the best efforts of the NHBC Inspectorate, building quality has deteriorated. We are surrounded by seas of shoddy boxes which cost a lot to buy and will cost a great deal more to maintain. The endless drive to cut costs and maximise profit has resulted in a housing disaster.

But Nemesis is about to overtake the worst housebuilders: climate change is going to force a fundamental rethink of how we build ("Scotland's homes are no match for deadly heatwaves", The Herald, April 9). Now is the time for governments to set new, high but realistic standards for volume housebuilding, both in terms of space standards and in enforcing low-energy construction methods. There is no problem with this technically. The problem is with those setting the policies and without architects and surveyors in central government to advise, well intentioned civil servants will often make the wrong decisions.

Ian Ferguson,

31 MacKelvie Road, Lamlash, Isle of Arran.

YOUR article on the long-term prospects for Scotland's housing stock highlights an important point about our approach to energy efficiency in buildings. Even if Scotland’s extreme weather in 2018 was a blip, there is much more policymakers can do.

The focus on making our homes, schools and offices more energy-efficient in recent years is absolutely right if we are to tackle climate change. But we must ensure that as well as retaining warmth, our buildings can actively respond to seasonal change throughout the year. By maximising natural light and ventilation in our homes, we not only improve the health and wellbeing of a building’s occupants, but we reduce the energy needed for lighting, heating and air conditioning. As we encourage people to walk more or take public transport for health and environmental benefit, so too should we make it easier for people to use the natural climate for lighting, heating and cooling. Indeed, the construction of the Scottish Parliament building had this very concept at the heart of its design, and affordable intelligent technology now exists in the domestic market, meaning homes can automatically control the natural indoor climate without the user needing to think about it.

Thankfully, there is also a solution that Holyrood and Westminster policymakers can run with to help us move in the right direction. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018 is required to be implemented by EU member states within the next 18 months and contains some sound solutions. It necessitates that when assessing the energy efficiency of a building, both natural ventilation and comfort should be considered, as well as the expected energy use of the building. Furthermore, the EPBD means our buildings should be smart-ready so that they are can adopt technologies of the future and become more automated and responsive.

In parallel, the UK is also implementing the new Daylight Standard which ensures that buildings have an adequate balance of daylight, sunlight, shading and view, and these requirements can be implemented through our domestic planning and building control systems.

Nicola Barclay from Homes for Scotland commented that focussing on new-build properties is not enough. Although new-build should be a focus of any new requirement, she is correct. However, the EPBD can assist in bringing our current stock up to scratch as it requires member states to have renovation strategies focussing on energy improvements to our existing buildings. I would encourage our politicians to embrace both the EPBD and the new Daylight Standard.

Despite Brexit, we understand that the UK and Scottish Governments are in principle committed to the EPBD and that some progress has been made. Whilst there is much to be worked through and there is a level of discretion as to how the EPBD is implemented, we believe that it, together with the new Daylight Standard, presents a great opportunity that policymakers should grasp. This would ensure that our buildings are designed and improved in a way that tackles the causes and effects of climate change, and greatly improves people’s health and wellbeing for the future.

Mick Schou Rasmussen,

Managing Director,

VELUX Company Ltd,

Woodside Way, Glenrothes.