Strategies for Meeting The Future Homes Standard
New research provides valuable insight the readiness of housebuilders & developers
We were pleased to be a sponsor of Housebuilder & Developer magazine’s Industry Viewfinder on ‘Strategies for Meeting The Future Homes Standard.’ Housebuilder & Developer has been an established media title since 1998 and is recognised as a leading title in the sector.
This research project provides a valuable insight into how housebuilders and developers are adapting to address the need for overall energy performance and thermal efficiency of new homes in the UK, as will be required under the Future Homes Standard (FHS) which is due to come into force in 2025. The FHS’ primary focus is to ensure that new homes will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built to 2013 Building Regulations, as a step towards the 2050 net zero target.
In particular, the FHS focuses on improving heating, hot water systems, and reducing heat waste, through measures such as triple glazing, heat pumps, and an overall higher quality building fabric (such as improved insulation levels).
Of course, improving the air tightness of a home has consequences for Indoor Air Quality, requiring improved ventilation, hence our interest in this research. As a sponsor, Nuaire included a specific ventilation question in the research: “What do you consider to be the main challenges when it comes to ventilation?”
Understandably, the financial implications of increased ventilation requirements came out as the main challenge. This applied to both the cost of investing in mechanical ventilation systems and, secondly, the cost of installation/commissioning. Cost was also cited as the biggest overall challenge for meeting the FHS, from both fabric, renewables and heating perspectives. When asked how they plan to manage the additional cost, the overwhelming response was they would be passing it on to customers.
The third main challenge listed was the lack of suitably Training trained ventilation installers. This is something Nuaire has long been championing and we have recently made several key investments in training including setting up an NICEIC approved training facility at Tŷ Gwyrddfai decarbonisation hub in north Wales.
Their own lack of knowledge on ventilation was also cited as a factor by respondents, who were primarily Directors and Managers working for developers, so that’s something as an industry we need to work harder at. Mind you, just under half of respondents to the survey said they only ‘partially understand’ the requirements of the FHS in general, and that more clarity is required. Only 20% of respondents said they ‘completely understand’ the requirements of the FHS.
From a wider perspective, looking at the overall requirements of the FHS, 53% of respondents said they were not ready for the FHS if it were to come into force in early 2025.
The findings of the full research have been compiled into the Strategies for Meeting The Future Homes Standard whitepaper which you can download here. It also includes an interesting Nuaire case study.
NICEIC approved training facility at Tŷ Gwyrddfai decarbonisation hub in north Wales.
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