With the Future Homes Standard set to go live across England next March, housebuilders will need to design in PV panels and install heat pumps to the vast majority of new buildings. That’s going to have a positive impact on Energy Performance Certificates... for now.

We’re told the Future Homes Standard will require most new homes to use heat pumps. That’s most, not all. So does that mean there’s scope to sneak through the occasional gas boiler under the new Part L? No. For two reasons...

One part of the Future Homes Standard has grabbed the media’s attention more than most: Mandatory solar panels on all new homes. But how will these new regs work in practice?

Now the Future Homes Standard and Part L (2026) have been published, we can begin unpicking what compliance looks like for new building sites across England. Changes to the fabric performance targets are under the spotlight this morning, or lack of changes may be more appropriate.

When will the Future Homes Standard apply? For most developments, we have a full calendar year to get ourselves ready. The new Part L goes live on 24th March 2027. This is defined as the date the developer submits documents (initial notice, building notice, application with full plans) to the relevant building authority. If paperwork is submitted and accepted before 24th March, the site can built to the 2021 (current) regs.

Last week, the UK Government (representing England and Wales), and the Scottish Government both released statements saying EPCs will remain unchanged until late 2027. To recap, the way Energy Performance Certificates look, how results are graded, and the way they are calculated, are all changing. When it happens, it will be the biggest refresh to EPCs since their creation in 2008.

A fresh set of Home Energy Model User Guides have been published - this will be particularly useful for manufacturers of domestic heating, cooling, hot water, ventilation and renewable systems.

The Senedd has published its response to last year's Approved Document Part L consultation, confirming new energy standards for building sites from 2027. Strictly speaking, FHS doesn't apply in Wales, but this news broadly follows what we're expecting from the UK Government in the coming weeks.

Well I've certainly been to less glamorous locations for a conference! I spent today at the Travis Perkins Customer Summit at Silverstone, getting the latest news on their WholeHouse project, chatting to HVAC manufacturers, and spreading the word about how social housing landlords need to prepare now for EPC Reform in 2030.

As the use of Heat Networks increase in UK cities, stories about unhappy residents have also increased. Common complaints are being locked into paying excessive charges for heating and maintenance, and unreliable heating systems that homeowners can't change.

Property owners in Scotland need to start planning for how to renovate homes they both rent out, AND live in. Proposals and timeframes for MEES differ from England and Wales, but the key objectives remain the same – to reduce energy use and carbon emissions generated by our homes.

Big changes are coming for the Building Safety Regulator that could shake things up for all corners of the construction industry, with a renewed focus on regulation, accreditation and responsibility.

The Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance is essentially an illustrated version of the new, draft NPPF with clear examples of what the Government defines as a 'well-designed place'… essential knowledge for architects who want to stay on the right side of planning officers.

The Decent Homes Standard hasn’t been updated for 20 years.. no wonder its mere existence is news to many people! An overhaul is on the way. DHS sets ‘baseline expectations of housing quality in the social rented sector’. That definition is changing... From 2035, the Decent Homes Standard will also apply to rentals in the private sector.

The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for social housing in England will go live from April 2030. Landlords must ensure all homes comply by this deadline. If a property scores A-C using a current EPC, that's OK. If a property scores A-C under the fabric metric of the new EPC (available from the end of 2026), that's OK. For properties with a D, E, F or G rating, the landlord will need to make improvements to the energy performance.

The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) go live from October 2030. Landlords must ensure all rentals comply by this deadline. If a property scores A-C using a current EPC, that's OK. If a property scores A-C under the fabric metric of the new EPC (available from the end of 2026), that's OK. For properties with a D, E, F or G rating, the landlord must spend up to £10,000 making fabric and service improvements outlined in the EPC recommendations.

The UK Government has set out plans to replace rdSAP10 assessments with the Home Energy Model. Domestic Energy Assessors (DEA) are still getting to grips with rdSAP10 (which was only implemented back in the summer) following years of delays. This consultation also considers how the new EPC metrics will be defined. You’ve got until March 18th, 2026 to have your say.

EPC certificates in England and Wales will be changing from October 2026. There will still be an A-G rating. But the single rating is being replaced with a dashboard of information, primarily focusing on fabric performance.