Standards & regulation
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Preparing for the Future Homes Standard
Kevin O’Neill, commercial sales manager at REHAU UK, discusses what specifi ers for the housebuilding industry need to know to meet the Future Home Standards guidelines, which at the time of writing there was less than 18 months until full implementation
T
he United Kingdom is labouring behind other nations in its attempts to decarbonise its buildings and homes. While it is in the right
direction, complying with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) is challenging due to its complexity, scope, and prolonged rollout compared to European policies. The rollout of the FHS is underway, following the 2022 enhancements to Part F, L, and O of building regulations. These changes focused on ventilation, energy performance, and overheating, acting as interim measures to improve the effi ciency of the UK’s housing stock before the full enforcement of the standard in 2025. The FHS’s overarching goals are evident, but
the practical steps to reach them remain unclear. However, achieving new homes that emit 75-80% fewer carbon emissions than previous standards is crucial for the UK to reach its net-zero emissions target by 2050. These challenges are compounded by worries that the 2022 enhancements in building design and emissions reduction measures fell short. Such concerns are infl uencing ongoing technical discussions about the next phase of the FHS and are likely to shape the upgraded standards set for implementation in 2025.
Racing to be ready
Given this context, it’s not surprising that over two-thirds of housing market decision-makers are unprepared for the FHS. A market readiness report by REHAU, titled “Future Homes Standard: Preparing UK Housing for 2025,” surveyed 200
Left: Kevin O’Neill, commercial sales manager at REHAU UK
solution meeting the required performance levels, 65% responded with a “no”, and 35% expressed uncertainty. It is apparent that there is a knowledge gap across the housing supply chain, which will become increasingly problematic as the FHS’s full implementation approaches.
Bettering collaboration
decision-makers from various housing industry sectors. Of the respondents to the survey that was
conducted by Censuswide, 79% indicated that meeting the FHS timeline would be either “somewhat challenging” or “very challenging.” These fi ndings highlight the signifi cant obstacles ahead, considering the urgency of the ambitious FHS timeline. Despite market sentiment, the legally binding nature of these enhancements compels stakeholders in housebuilding to adapt. As the clock ticks down to the FHS implementation, compliance requires coordination across the supply chain and input from expert manufacturers. Building awareness amongst the supply chain The REHAU report also points out a prevailing lack of awareness within the market about how to reach compliance. For instance, while windows play a crucial role in enhancing ventilation and thermal effi ciency, none of the surveyed individuals were confi dent about a window system meeting the required FHS U-value of 0.85 W/m²K. More directly, when asked if they knew of a
While it may be assumed that housebuilding specifi ers and decision makers are well on their way to compliance 18 months before the deadline, survey results indicate otherwise. Respondents seem to convey that while there is familiarity with the FHS and its timeframe, meeting the standard remains challenging. To illustrate this, over three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed in the new build market said it would be challenging for the construction sector as a whole to meet the FHS timeline. Concerns around timings, ‘supply chain issues,’ ‘cost,’ and ‘insuffi cient technical understanding’ were the main diffi culties for conforming to the FHS, with the latter being the primary concern for those in new build. However, due to the complex nature of regulatory changes and multifaceted aspects across the supply chain, it would be unfair to conclude that these fi ndings indicate market shortcomings. The transformative nature of the FHS is reshaping best practices across all aspects of new construction and retrofi t projects, making it understandably hard to keep up. Therefore, housebuilders, housing providers, architects, and specifi ers must collaborate closely
18 October 2023
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