What are the Future Homes Standards?

The UK government hosted a public consultation from 1 October 2019 to 7 February 2020 on proposed changes to the Building Regulations.

This consultation sets out plans for the Future Homes Standard, including proposed options to increase the energy efficiency requirements for new homes.

The Future Homes Standard will require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency; it will be introduced by 2025.

From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will deliver homes that are “zero-carbon ready”.

1. Intention to set the performance standard of the Future Homes Standard at a level that means that new homes will not be built with fossil fuel heating, such as a natural gas boiler.
2. These homes will be future-proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency.
3. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.
4. Work on a full technical specification for the Future Homes Standard has been accelerated and the Task Force will consult on this in 2023. Intention to introduce the necessary legislation in 2024, ahead of implementation in 2025
5. A 2021 interim uplift will deliver high-quality homes that will be expected to produce 31% less CO2 emissions compared to current standards [Rel Dec 21 — Effect June 22
6. From 2025, new homes built to the Future Homes Standard will have carbon dioxide emissions at least 75% lower than those built to current Building Regulations standards.