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NEWS
Managing Editor James Parker
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H
ello and welcome to 2026, hopefully a big year for the construction sector, with not only the Warm Homes Plan imminent, but also the full Future Homes Standard and details on various other policy areas of interest. I say hopefully, because the wrangling
continues, with the Future Homes Standard reportedly being watered down to please the volume housebuilders, such as removing a requirement to use battery storage for the best results from PV. We have had the amended National Planning Policy Framework (with still no actual target for brownfi eld approvals), but the Warm Homes Plan for retrofi t appears to have also been mired in its own approval bottleneck. This is because it’s a colossal endeavour, slated to cost £15bn (including an extra £1.5bn somehow extracted from Rachel Reeves), but there has been huge clamour for clarity in the industry, in the wake of the abrupt culling of the ECO scheme at the end of last year.
It may be freezing outside currently – prompting much social media chat on how heat pumps are actually performing – but 2025 was the warmest year on record (also in the top fi ve were 2022, 2023, and 2024). This means climate change is happening, and major contributors to global warming like gas-fuelled heating are doomed. But are the replacements going to be delivered at scale any time soon?
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By the time most houses are beginning deep retrofi ts, our average temperatures may have increased to a level that means ‘coolth’ is the key word for selling homes to customers. Will heat pumps be being used for cooling as much as heating, and are installers getting themselves prepped to size designs on that basis too? Lastly, as we embark on what may be a tumultuous year of delivery, with skills possibly being the second biggest issue next to money, it’s interesting to note that the ARB is reporting that most registered architects are staying on board. After RIBA president Chris Williamson voting with his feet and cancelling his ARB registration, you might have expected more drop-offs, but many architects are keen to retain their legal professional status.
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He has made the valid point that registration is lacking as it legally only protects the title of ‘architect’ and not the functions provided. While it is important to be able to protect the term, particularly after all the extra training, many could pivot to calling themselves ‘architectural designers’ and legally perform the same design work. If the ARB expanded its legal criteria to include competence, it might have an even stronger case for retaining registered members.
James Parker, Editor
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LISBURNE SCHOOL, STOCKPORT
A nature-focused design for children with complex needs
ON THE COVER...
A new SEND school in Stockport is providing a transformed education environment for vulnerable children. Cover image © David Millington
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For the full report on this project, go to page 28
08/01/2026 08:49
FROM THE EDITOR
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF JANUARY 2026
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