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MATERIALS IN ARCHITECTURE SUPPLEMENT
Design decisions being made today will directly infl uence HEM outcomes in the years ahead
fi xed in March and September 2027 the capability for Tier 1 developers to respond is deceptively short when you factor in the need to address verifi ed data, in-house simulators, training of staff, and build supplier relationships. The methodological shift is signifi cant: HEM pushes critical decision-making further upstream in the design process. Once key parameters are set, changes become increasingly diffi cult and costly, making early-stage decisions effectively locked in and diffi cult to reverse without substantial fi nancial and programme implications.
compliance in the new-build residential setting, requiring considerably greater levels of design accuracy, coordination and performance forecasting from the earliest stages of a project. Given the long lead times associated with specifi cation, procurement and construction within the new-build sector, the implications of this new calculation methodology must be considered well in advance of formal implementation. With the HEM model only being as good as the data provided, every window, door and facade element needs a verifi able U-value, G-value and frame factor, including couplers, add-ons, sills and thresholds - if suppliers don’t have the data ready, the building design will stall. Design decisions being made today will directly infl uence HEM outcomes in the years ahead. Projects specifi ed for completion in 2027 are already in the design stages, with key specifi cations, such as fenestration systems, being fi xed now. These early choices set parameters that will ultimately determine the HEM results in 2027. With Approved Document L’s dates
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
The shift in methodology moves the burden of compliance and detail down the supply chain. Fabricators will be relied on to provide installers with the right data sets, and installers are then liable for ensuring the correct information is delivered to clients and assessors. Providing complete support for a project will need the right software, comprehensive data sets, and access to in-house simulation capability. Once a number is produced, interpreting that number and reconciling it with other impactful building regulations requires a high level of experience and competency across the board. This is where the calculation challenge becomes a competency one.
The combination of the calculation changes and competency requirement has exposed a market under pressure and decarbonisation cannot be achieved by improvements in fabric values alone; it requires a holistic approach that also recognises the ongoing decarbonisation of the electricity grid, and the Future Homes Standard is a necessary step towards achieving the UK’s net zero commitment by 2050. The new methodology that the Home Energy Model has introduced will play a signifi cant part in how we as an industry deliver on our part of this commitment. The Future Homes Standard is not only a new target to meet, but also a shift in the way we work, and the market needs to be ready to implement that change now.
John McComb is technical director at Reynaers Aluminium UK
ADF OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2026
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