I attend every Homebuilding and Renovating Show around the country, and if I'm not on stage delivering talks then I'm in the 'Ask an Expert' area, conversing with homeowners, renovators and self-builders.
One of the topics I'm asked about most is compliance with Building Regulations, and even more so since the introduction of the Future Homes Standard. Designed to set new standards for home building – primarily around reducing carbon emissions – the guidelines cover a wide range of changes you will need to adhere to.
But, while the new rules may not be fully enforceable until 2028, if you're already engaged with an architect to design your new home, here's why I believe you need to work to the guidelines now to protect yourself in the future.
How will the Future Homes Standard impact new homes?
The latest update to the Future Homes Standard was published on 24 March 2026. It does not include existing buildings or renovations, and it basically sets updated regulations to ensure that new homes are targeting improved carbon reduction targets of 75% - 80% compared with 2013 emissions.
It mandates low carbon heating (effectively banning the use of fossil fuel boilers), high levels of insulation and airtightness, and on-site solar generation, which must be at least a minimum of the equivalent area of 40% of the homes ground floor area where feasible. In addition, the home must include smart EV charging and advanced ventilation.
I often say that Building Regulations are not there as a target, they are in fact a minimum standard, which is why I believe anyone renovating or building a new home, regardless of the date, should ideally be aiming higher than Building Regulations minimum standards at all times.
So, even though the Future Homes Standard doesn't come into force until March 2027 (with a transitional period to March 2028 for older projects), if you are already in talks with an architect about your self-build plans, I urge you to work to these new standards now and here's the 5 areas I think you should be paying attention to.
1. Don't work to the official dates – they could catch you out
As mentioned, the Future Homes Standard officially comes into force on 24 March 2027, with a 12-month transitional period running until March 2028 for older projects. This is a statutory deadline and is the bit that could trip you up.
March 2027 may still feel like a while away, and it would be easy to assume that if you get planning permission and start building before that date then you will still only have to comply with the old system.
However, this is only true if you submit a building notice or full plans application before 24 March 2027, or have made a ‘meaningful start’ to the project before March 2028.
Under current Building Regulations, a 'meaningful start' means that the ground floor level structure is fully in place. But, in building terms, that can take time depending on the size, construction method and overall house design. Add in potential planning delays and you could find yourself getting closer to the deadline than you thought.
The consequences of missing the date when you can still be assessed under the old system? Not great. You will need to redesign the home to fully comply, even if you have already started, but not yet reached the completion of the ground floor structure.
2. SAP calculations will be replaced by the Home Energy Model
There is a massive learning curve with all of the Building Regulations, and none more so than energy efficiency, which falls under Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) of the Building Regulations.
For many years, the process to prove that your home complies with minimum efficiency levels has been basic.
Your local authority defines what the Target Emission Rate (TER) is for the building, and this is a figure that is created by taking into account the CO2 emissions of the building in normal use, and it can vary according to location or site-specific requirements.
This minimum standard is given as a number, and the home, when built, must then have a lower Dwelling Emmission Rate (DER) than the TER in order to get approval.
To prove what the DER is, a piece of software called SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) is currently used to take into account all the insulation figures for the materials in the walls, roof, floor, windows and doors, how draughty the home is and also the specification of all heating, ventilation and renewable energy generation appliances.
The biggest issue with this is that it is fundamentally based on averages. So, put very simply, if you installed less insulation in the home, but put extra solar panels on the roof, then you could still pass the regs.
This process got improved as updates to Part L were implemented, but it still allowed you to offset the issue of high emissions from gas or oil boilers by including renewable energy.
This is all about to change which is why you shouldn't rely on it any longer. SAP calculations will be phased out and a new tool known as the Home Energy Model (HEM) will be used. All HEM software must be based on a Government calculation engine so that any companies making their own calculation tools cannot ‘interpret’ the rules differently.
There will be a migration of the technical resources from SAP to HEM so all the empirical data and testing of building materials and appliances to date will be carried across. So while it's not a complete reinvention of the wheel, it is undoubtedly a major overhaul and update you need to be conscious of – particularly if you are know you will sell your home on in the future.
3. Be careful if you are converting a barn or existing building
The Future Homes Standard only applies to new build homes. It does not apply to barn conversions or Material Change of Use (MCU) properties such as turning a shop, church or school into a home.
However, this is potentially where some grey areas exist. While you may well be creating a 'new home' where one previously didn't exist, you will still legally be allowed to keep a boiler, or fit a boiler in a barn conversion or MCU building. But, you will still be liable to adhere to other Building Regs updates.
You will still need to comply, for example, with the updated Approved Document Part L (volume 1: Dwellings) which has tightened the rules on U-values for all the fabric details.
And, if you retain the original structure, but replace more than 50% of a specific surface area, then you must legally upgrade the insulation in those entire elements to the latest standards.
This does come with a caveat though, as if there are any fabric constraints in older buildings then you are only required to insulate the building to the point where it is technically, and feasibly, possible.
4. Overheating rules will apply and you can't rely just on air-con
Part O (Overheating), must also be complied with in all new homes. You will most likely need a formal assessment to prove that the home will not overheat in summer, especially if it has large areas of architectural glazing.
Unlike SAP calcs which looked at the average overheating risk for the whole home, Part O now looks at all of the high-risk areas in isolation.
There is also a hierarchy of remedial action you have to follow for overheating, and it's not necessarily a case of just including air conditioning as standard.
Passive solutions, such as cross ventilation, are the first steps, followed by the addition of ceiling fans, and only if you can prove that these cannot work will you be allowed to install air conditioning and other active cooling systems.
There are also amendments to Approved Document Part F (Ventilation) that mandate strict testing and commissioning of fixed ventilation systems to combat damp issues that could be caused by improved insulation levels.
5. Make sure you understand your rights
Another important update to both Part F and Part L is the introduction of Regulation 40C.
This new Regulation requires that any instructions and system information provided to homeowners or occupiers must be delivered in an ‘appropriate format’ that is accessible, understandable and usable, and should be provided in both a digital and physical format.
The guide needs to explain how systems such as ventilation, heating and on-site energy generation work in everyday terms. Making sure you receive these documents now could help in the future when collating the necessary documents you need to sell your home.
In conclusion, whether you are building in two years time or now, homes should and must be designed with renewable energy in mind from the outset, alongside a more efficient fabric, controlled ventilation systems such as MVHR, better construction and installation methods, low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, and on-site energy generation.
The new standards means there is equal emphasis on design, delivery and user understanding. Homes will now be expected to generate their own energy, operate efficiently, and provide occupants with the knowledge they need to use them properly.
The changes are for the better, which means that for homeowners currently planning to build a new home, following them now will undoubtedly be the best route.
It may be a bit more onerous, but you will end up with a much better product and ensure that your home is future-proofed for you, and any new owners should you choose to sell and move on.
