Victoria Brocklesby, COO at aluminium windows and doors specialist, Origin, discusses how the Future Homes Standard legislation could impact housebuilding and offers her advice to self-builders and renovators
The UK is placing more onus on ‘green building’ than ever before. This was demonstrated by the proposed Future Homes Standard legislation, designed to make thermal efficiency requirements stricter in new properties and renovations.
What is the Future Homes Standard?
The Future Homes Standard was a landmark legislation first announced in the Conservative government’s 2019 Spring Statement. It stated that all new homes built from 2025 would have to produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than previous regulations, and renovations to existing properties should be more carbon efficient too.
This would impact all self-builders and renovators planning new properties or home improvement projects for 2025 and beyond. Even those looking to replace windows or building an extension would need to comply with these higher standards.
However, many within the industry argued that meeting the higher standards may lead to increased costs, which could potentially result in higher house prices or fewer building projects. Others stated that the transition was too fast and didn’t leave manufacturers enough time to adjust their products or develop new ones.
Following this industry pushback and the results of a Future Homes Standard Consultation that the government held at the beginning of 2024, the Future Homes Standard was temporarily abandoned by the Conservative government.
Now, under a new Labour Government that is more motivated for environmental change, we hope that an updated version of the proposed Future Homes Standard will be reinstated.
Anything that improves the sustainability of housebuilding in the UK can only be a good thing in the long term and, whilst we know firsthand how challenging it is to meet these stricter regulations, it is possible. At Origin, we have undertaken a significant R&D project to deliver a full suite of compliant doors and windows, including the recently launched Soho External Door and Contemporary External Door. These products are ready for whatever regulations the Labour government propose, as they far exceed the predicted Future Homes Standard regulations.
What does this mean for selfbuilders?
My advice to self-builders is to be as prepared as you can be. If you’re planning a project for 2025, ensure you’re carrying out comprehensive research into how to make your build as thermally efficient as possible and which products will help you achieve this.
Before investing in key features, check whether the supplier is already compliant with the proposed Future Home Standards, or if they have plans in place to be. Whilst no one knows exactly what the requirements will be next year, maximising efficiency can only be a positive, helping to reduce a household’s carbon footprint, minimise energy bills, and increase the value of the property if you choose to sell.
The U-Value of a product is a simple way to check this. U-Values are a measure that tells us the energy efficiency of all building materials, including windows and doors. Put simply, the lower the U-Value, the better the insulating effect.
For instance, the Conservative government were asking for U-Values of 1.2 in doors and 1.0 in windows by 2025. At Origin, we’ve exceeded these requirements for U-Values in our new suite of products that are launching this year, with the OB-36+ achieving a U-Value as low as 0.78.
Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to carry on without this information. The Future Homes Standard guidelines stated that retrofitting wouldn’t be allowed, so you could be in trouble if you proceed and end up with a property that’s non-compliant.
Find out more about how Origin’s range of aluminium door and window systems could enhance your next project.