Future Homes Standard: How Do Architects Navigate Energy-Efficient Homes?

The way we build houses is changing. The new Future Homes Standard will ensure that all new homes constructed from 2025 produce 75-80% fewer carbon emissions than homes built under current regulations. Decarbonising our homes has a crucial role in our national efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and it is hoped the Future Homes Standard will make homes in England more energy efficient. As an architect, how will these changes affect the homes you build and the services you need?

The Future Homes Standard includes changes to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) to see homes built with high energy efficiency and without fossil fuel heating systems. Adequate ventilation is also necessary under the new building regulations. The intention is that homes built to the Future Homes Standard will not need to be retrofitted with any additional measures or technology to become net zero. The Future Homes Standard will improve homeowner energy costs and build toward a greener future for the environment.

Experts anticipate that as part of the Future Homes Standard, new builds will not be able to connect to the gas network from 2025. Instead, low carbon forms of heating such as heat pumps will become the primary heating source for most homes. As part of the Government’s Green Plan, there is a goal of installing 600,000 heat pumps in both new and existing homes by 2028. Subsequently, there may be a gas boiler ban in new homes from 2025, although the government has not confirmed this yet.

Existing homes and specific home improvements will also need to meet higher standards under regulations. However, the Future Homes Standard will only impact homeowners if their building plans include an extension or thermal upgrades.

Next year the UK government will consult on technical aspects of the Future Homes Standard before updating the Regulations before their introduction in 2025.  

In Scotland, they are introducing measures earlier with the Scottish Government introducing several initiatives to improve energy efficiency through renewable and low carbon heat systems from 2024. This will apply to both domestic and non-domestic buildings.

Understanding within the housebuilding sector of today’s environmental challenges, such as energy efficiency, and how best to address these issues will be paramount to delivery. From 2025, three metrics will be used to assess the energy efficiency of new builds.

Scottish Energy Services provide cost-effective energy efficiency consultancy. We provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) and Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) calculations for residential markets that can streamline your transition toward an energy-efficient home. By working with Scottish Energy Services, you can plan for the future and ensure your building project meets the new Future Homes Standard regulation.

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