Scottish landlords wishing to avoid such a fate would be wise to attend Dcarbonise, the new event co-located with All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference, being held at Glasgow’s SEC on 15 and 16 May.

As event director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions explained: “Dcarbonise’s primary role is to provide useful information and practical help Scottish private sector landlords, non-domestic landlords and the public sector because minimum energy efficiency requirements for privately rented properties come into effect in Scotland on 1 April 2020.

“Assistance is available in the form of the extensive conference and seminar programme featuring some 90 speakers; workshops; exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions; and 1-2-1 advice readily on offer. Admission to all elements of the event are free of charge, registration is at www.dcarbonise.com.”

The conference in brief

Sponsored by the Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust and Zero Waste Scotland and aligned to the Scottish Government’s ‘Energy Efficiency Scotland’ programme, Dcarbonise brings the latest solutions and know-how to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings including the important role of low carbon heating technologies. The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP and Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, will be speaking in joint Dcarbonise/All-Energy plenary conference sessions.

The three Dcarbonise sponsors will have a central hub at the heart of the exhibition where 1-2-1 advice will be available. The free-to-attend conference sessions on both energy efficiency (Day 1) and low carbon heat (Day 2) look at policy and solutions including currently open consultation to which input is needed; opting right now to improve energy efficiency to a higher level than regulations decree; the support Home Energy Scotland can offer; deep retrofit; sustainable renovation; opportunities for circularity in heat; establishing a price for heat; support to develop low carbon projects; UK district heating policy challenges and solutions; and more.

The two show floor theatres, one dedicated to energy efficiency and sponsored by E.ON, the other to low carbon heat, run throughout the two days.  The energy efficiency seminar theatre covers a wide range of topics relating to retrofit – including tenements, case histories presented by Home Energy Scotland; organisations that can help landlords – such as the Scottish Association of Landlords; behaviour change; practical advice including reducing moisture risks and the vital role of ventilation; and necessawry information on available financial support. The low carbon heat seminar programme looks across the wide range of solutions ranging from district heating to geothermal, heat pumps to hydrogen; local energy systems to financial support. ‘Quality control and risk management in retrofit’ is just one of four workshops to be held on 16 May. The full conference programme is at www.all-energy.co.uk/Conference/2019-conference-programme.

Expert content and support is also offered to SMEs and corporate energy buyers on reducing energy consumption within the industrial sector including workshops on ‘How to grow a greener, more energy efficient business’; and ‘Industrial sector support’.

The latest ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) and infrastructure needed to meet Scotland’s low carbon transport transition targets are covered by 7.5 hours of sessions in the Smart Urban Mobility Solutions conference stream; also by the wide range of vehicles on display in the exhibition hall some of which can be tested in the Arrive and Drive feature.