The Future Homes Standard

The government has provided its response to the consultation for the proposed changes to Parts L and F of the Building Regulations. A timeframe has now been set out to implement the Future Homes Standard, leading the way to making new homes ‘zero carbon ready’ by 2025.

The Government has proposed that, from 2021, there will be an ‘interim uplift’ in Part L standards. This will compel all new domestic developments to produce 31 per cent lower carbon emissions than is acceptable at present. Further legislation will require 75-80 per cent less carbon emissions within four years.

By 2025, all new homes should be constructed so that ‘no further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise’. Fossil fuel heating, such as a natural gas boilers, will also not be permissible in new homes and all new domestic housing will be subject to an overheating mitigation requirement.

Work to existing houses will also be covered by the new regulations and more energy-efficient builds will be expected. For example, thermal elements, such as floors and walls, will expected to achieve a better U-value performance than is currently acceptable and replacement windows, doors and building services will be required to be more energy-efficient.

Transitional arrangements will last for one year and apply to individual homes, rather than an entire developments.