The Future Homes Standard
The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is an update to the Building Regulations intended to ensure that carbon emissions from new homes are, on average, 30-35% better than Part L 2021. The standard was published on 24th March 2026 and affects Part L of the Building Regulations, introducing new versions of the supporting Approved Documents L (ADL 2026) which provide guidance on how to reach compliance.
Explore the ADL 2026 documents
In this article we will take a look at:
- why the Future Homes Standard was introduced
- which buildings the Future Homes Standard applies to
- what the key features of the Future Homes Standard are
- when the Future Homes Standard will come into force.
A summary of the Future Homes Standard
The article below covers the Standard in more depth, including why it was introduced and where it applies.
Why is the Future Homes Standard being introduced?
Buildings account for around 30% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. To meet the country’s net zero commitments by 2050, it is important to minimise the operational carbon emissions from new homes so they do not add to this burden. Under the FHS, all new homes should be “net zero ready”. This means they should become fully net zero once the national grid or their heating energy source (for heat networks) is decarbonised.
Reducing energy demand at source remains one of the most cost-effective ways to lower carbon emissions. Under the Future Homes Standard, this becomes increasingly important as building systems (such as low carbon heating and photovoltaic (PV) panels) play a greater role in delivering overall performance.
Does the Future Homes Standard only apply to new homes in England?
Yes, the FHS applies only to new domestic buildings in England. A Future Buildings Standard is also being introduced which will apply to new non-domestic properties in England. The FHS does not include significant changes for existing properties, which typically apply where buildings are refurbished, extended or there is a change of use. A separate consultation is expected to be undertaken in 2026 to look at proposals affecting these properties.
The other countries within the United Kingdom are currently in the process of introducing new requirements for their own Building Regulations/Standards to upgrade the energy performance of new homes:
- Wales – The Welsh government has run a consultation on changes to Approved Document L 2022 designed to ensure new homes in Wales are “net zero ready”. The response to the consultation was published in March 2026 with full revised standard expected to be published later in the year.
- Scotland – The Scottish Government has stated it intends to implement a “Scottish Equivalent to the Passivhaus Standard” for new homes in Scotland. They ran an initial consultation in July 2024 to which the government has responded. A Stage 2 consultation is due later in 2026 with the standard due to be implemented by 31 March 2028.
- Northern Ireland - In 2023, the Department of Finance ran a consultation to look at further updates to Part F expected to come into force in 2026/7 respectively. These changes are still to be confirmed.
What are the key features of the Future Homes Standard?
The FHS introduces a number of key changes from ADL 2021:
- Low carbon heating – all new dwellings will need to be heated by low carbon sources. This typically means either a heat pump or a heat network which uses (or can be converted to) low carbon generation. These systems typically operate at lower temperatures than traditional heating, meaning overall performance is more closely linked to the heat demand of the building. Gas boilers will effectively be banned on new homes.
- Renewable electricity generation – a new requirement has been added to install a system for renewable energy generation when a dwelling or building containing a dwelling is built. This reflects a wider shift toward electrification and on-site generation as part of achieving compliance. This requirement will be met if solar panels to the equivalent area of 40% of each dwelling’s ground floor area are installed (though it will be possible for other methods to be used). The guidance will also set out circumstances where a lower level of solar PV would still be sufficient to meet the requirement, taking account of the building’s design and surroundings. These changes do not apply to buildings with a habitable floor above 18 metres.
- EV charging – new homes will need to either feature at least one EV port, or have cabling installed to allow this in the future.
- Home Energy Model (HEM) – a new modelling methodology called HEM is being introduced. This will be used to estimate the energy demand and carbon emissions for the home. The existing methodology (SAP) will also be updated and retained for 24 months (from the point HEM is approved) in parallel with HEM to support the transition for developers. HEM includes a number of measures designed to improve the accuracy of its estimations:
- Half-hour time resolution – energy use is modelled in half-hourly timesteps compared with monthly data for SAP. This will allow for better modelling of peak demand, export timing, part-load operation of heating systems and interactions between fabric, services and occupant energy use. The data will, however, still be based on a general use scenario rather than specific personalised behaviour.
- Regional weather data – SAP uses a standardised UK-average weather dataset for compliance metrics, while regional weather data is applied in certain calculations such as energy use and costs. The consultation had proposed regionally varying weather data, however, due to the need for an extended period of dual running between HEM and SAP 10.3, the Government has confirmed that HEM will also use a single standardised weather file for England for compliance purposes.
- Additional parameters – energy assessors will need to input a range of additional data points into the model including more detailed information about aspects such as the pipework specification. This makes the modelled outputs more sensitive to system controls and operational timing, reflecting how heating systems respond to varying demand throughout the day.
- Sensitivity - HEM also shows greater sensitivity to solar gains and glazing specification than SAP. This reinforces the importance of achieving balanced fabric and solar design for new homes to ensure compliance.
As with previous methodologies, outcomes remain dependent on design assumptions and construction quality.
When will the Future Homes Standard come into force?
The FHS will be implemented through a phased process with “transitional arrangements” which allow developers to continue to build to existing standards providing they meet deadlines for submitting plans and beginning works. Separate transitional arrangements apply to Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) due to the added complexity of these projects.
The timeline for implementation is:
24 March 2027
In order to build non-HRB homes to ADL 2021, building notice, initial notice or an application for building control approval (with appropriate plans) must be submitted to the local authority before this date.
24 September 2027
To build HRB properties containing dwellings to ADL 2021, Gateway 2 applications must have been submitted prior to this date.
24 March 2028
All new non-HRB units constructed after this date must be built to the Future Homes Standard. It will only be possible to construct to older versions of ADL where work on the individual unit has started before this date.
3 years from the date of Gateway 2 submission
HRBs can only be constructed to ADL 2021 where building works begin within 3 years of the Gateway 2 application submission date.
Can developers still build to existing versions of Part L?
Under previous transitional arrangements (including those introduced in 2010 and 2013), it was possible in practice for developers to build out entire sites to earlier standards where work had commenced prior to the relevant deadline. As part of the Future Homes Standard, these arrangements are being closed. Transitional provisions will now apply on a per-dwelling basis, and earlier routes are revoked subject to a limited saving provision. In practice, this means that only those individual dwellings where building work has commenced by 24 March 2028 may continue to rely on previous standards. Uncommenced plots will be required to meet the new requirements. Higher-risk buildings (HRBs) are subject to separate transitional arrangements.
Have any changes been introduced to fabric standards when converting a building to a home?
Not as part of the Future Homes Standard. Some significant changes were proposed for these buildings during the consultation phase, however, the government has now said that these will be addressed as a part of a standalone consultation to be run in the future.
Why fabric is fundamental for FHS compliance
While many of the visible changes introduced by the Future Homes Standard are at a system level, including low-carbon heating and increased electrification, these changes make overall building performance more dependent on the underlying fabric.
Ensuring a good level of fabric performance by targeting ambitious U-values can help homes to retain heat effectively lowering their energy demand. This can provide a number of advantages both for homeowners, and the country as a whole.
Building new homes to high fabric standards can:
- Lower heating costs – the increases in energy costs in recent years have placed severe pressure on household budgets. Ensuring homes are well insulated and retain heat effectively should notably lower bills when compared with a worse performing home.
- Improve efficiency of heat pumps – heat pumps perform most efficiently at lower flow temperatures than conventional boilers, as this reduces the temperature lift required and improves system efficiency. In homes with higher heat losses, maintaining comfort at these lower flow temperatures requires larger heat emitters, such as bigger radiators or underfloor heating. However, even with appropriately sized emitters, higher heat losses can drive higher flow temperatures to maintain comfort, reducing efficiency (COP) and increasing energy use. This effect is amplified during periods of peak demand, when external temperatures are lowest, heat losses are greatest, and heat pump efficiency is inherently reduced.
- Avoid system oversizing – by helping to effectively retain heat and improve the operational efficiency of heat pumps, improved fabric specifications may also allow systems to be downsized – reducing unit costs for developers.
- Managing grid energy demand – as use of electric vehicles and heating grows, this will place additional demand on the National Grid. By ensuring homes are well insulated and do not waste energy, and providing additional onsite generation via roof-top solar PV, we can reduce peak electrical demand during colder periods systems may be under strain.
- Provide better thermal comfort across the year – improved fabric performance is not only beneficial in the cooler months. When installed in combination with effective solar shading measures (to reduce solar gains via windows), it can also reduce heat gains during the summer months, helping to maintain a more stable and comfortable temperature for owners across the year.
- Support compliance – as HEM is more sensitive to solar gains and glazing specification than SAP, achieving a balanced fabric and solar specification can also support compliance with the Building Regulations.
Together, these factors highlight the role of fabric performance in enabling building systems to operate efficiently and deliver their intended outcomes.
Page updated 14/04/2026
Looking for more information on Part L?
Book our CPD on Part L England for an overview of the thermal building regulations in England, including the requirements for insulation, the importance of junction detailing and how the regulations set the scene for future standards.
