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INDUSTRY VIEWFINDER
Tracking Architects’ Design Strategies for Future Homes Standard Compliance
T
he Future Homes Standard (FHS) is due to come into force on 24 March 2027, albeit with a 12-month transition period for the industry to adjust. With the crucial Home Energy Model software still not launched, many questions remain about implementation as the industry grapples with a series of key challenges on compliance. These include higher build costs from upgrades to building insulation, low-carbon heating such as heat pumps, and renewable solar PV, plus balancing greater air tightness and mitigating overheating, and tackling electricity grid issues. Our survey of architects’ experience and knowledge of the FHS so far builds on previous surveys we have undertaken, and takes evolving knowledge into account. Now the standard is here, in part at least, we wanted to canvas architects on their strategies in the knowledge of the parameters they will be working to, post-March 2027. The results help us gain a picture of how the architectural sector is looking to deliver effi cient compliance at scale, refl ecting the key areas which affect designers of new homes. We looked at the design and specifi cation strategies being chosen, and the specifi c technologies architects expected to frequently specify, but also at their challenges for designing FHS-compliant homes. From the predictable top answer of capital cost increases, less aired obstacles, it was a particularly revealing picture of architects’ response to the standard in practice. One key area of the fi ndings were around the types of information on products architects required from manufacturers, plus views on the importance of third-party testing data for products, and how much they trusted manufacturers’ information. This was one area where there certainly wasn’t a uniformly positive response (42% said they were not very confi dent in the ‘accuracy and transparency’ of manufacturers’ information on performance). All respondents expressed some concern around the ‘performance
gap’ persisting between design and onsite delivery. We heard their views on the industry’s readiness, which were generally positive, while also suggesting the targets may still not be clear, but also wildly varying estimates for the cost of compliance. We also asked how the Home Energy Model (HEM) needed to improve on the interim SAP 10.3, which threw up a series of interesting comments.
Do you believe the Future Homes Standard targets are realistically achievable within current project and commercial constraints?
ADF OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2026
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
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