Future Homes Standard:
What Part L 2026 Means for Your NextScheme
Last reviewed: 29/07/26
New homes in England must meet the Future Homes Standard from 24 March 2027. In practice, that means heat pumps and solar PV on almost every plot, and your SAP calculations moving to a new compliance methodology.
If you have a scheme on the drawing board, the design decisions you make now determine which rulebook it gets assessed against. This page sets out the key dates, what changes, and how to prepare.
The three dates that matter
The Future Homes Standard was published on 24 March 2026 as part of the Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026, alongside a new edition of Approved Document L. There is a twelve-month transitional period, and the way it works catches people out:
24 March 2027 — The standard comes into force
Any building notice or full plans application submitted on or after this date must comply with the Future Homes Standard. No transition, no exceptions.24 September 2027 — Higher-risk buildings
Certain provisions apply to higher-risk buildings from this later date. If you are working on tall residential blocks, this is the date on your programme.24 March 2028 — The transitional cut-off
Schemes submitted before 24 March 2027 can still be built to Part L 2021, but only where individual plots have made a meaningful start by this date. This is assessed plot by plot, not scheme by scheme. Any plot not started by 24 March 2028 must be redesigned to the new standard.
Note for phased developments: On a multi-phase site, early plots may qualify under Part L 2021 while later plots require a different specification, low-carbon heating, and a fresh set of calculations. We recommend modelling both routes early in the master planning stage.
What actually changes for new homes
The primary requirement is a roughly 75% reduction in carbon emissions compared with homes built to 2013 standards. Here is how that breaks down in practice:
Fossil fuel heating is finished in practice
The regulations do not ban gas boilers by name, but they set carbon targets a gas-heated home cannot achieve. Heat pumps become the default for space heating and hot water, with heat networks as the primary alternative on larger sites. Electric resistance heating remains technically possible only in homes with exceptional fabric performance and detailed energy modelling.Solar PV becomes standard
On-site generation is built directly into the compliance target under Requirement L3. For most dwellings, this means installing PV panels sized to approximately 40% of the ground floor area. This directly affects roof pitch, orientation, and layout, making early masterplan integration essential.Fabric standards stay broadly where they are
Unlike earlier consultations, the published standard keeps minimum fabric U-values broadly in line with Part L 2021. The required carbon reduction is driven by heating systems and renewables rather than significantly thicker walls. However, junction details and thermal bridging calculations become critical to closing marginal compliance gaps.Ventilation and airtightness
Approved Document F updates accompany Part L. Decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV) forms the baseline ventilation strategy, paired with tighter airtightness target backstops. Waste water heat recovery (WWHR) is featured in the benchmark specification.
| Your situation | Which standard | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Application submitted on or after 24 March 2027 | Future Homes Standard | Fully compliant with Part L 2026. |
| Submitted before 24 March 2027, plot started before 24 March 2028 | Part L 2021 | Assessed under existing 2021 standards. |
| Submitted before 24 March 2027, plot not started by 24 March 2028 | Future Homes Standard | Redesign required on a plot-by-plot basis. |
| Higher-risk building | Specific provisions | Check the September 2027 provisions. |
What this means for your SAP calculations
Compliance methodology changes alongside performance targets:
SAP 10.3 & Home Energy Model (HEM): Compliance will initially be demonstrated using SAP 10.3. The Home Energy Model (HEM)—the long-term successor to SAP—operates in parallel during the transition.
Design-Stage Modelling is Critical: Schemes must be modeled before heating strategies and roof layouts are locked in to avoid costly redesigns.
Dual-Methodology Management: On phased developments, managing plots assessed under Part L 2021 alongside FHS plots requires clear administrative tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
24 March 2027 for most buildings, with certain provisions for higher-risk buildings applying from 24 September 2027. A twelve-month transitional period runs to 24 March 2028.
-
Not explicitly. It sets carbon targets that a gas-heated home cannot realistically meet, which amounts to the same thing in practice.
-
If your application was submitted before 24 March 2027 and the plot makes a meaningful start before 24 March 2028, calculations produced under Part L 2021 remain valid for that plot. Plots that miss the cut-off need reassessing under the new standard.
-
The headline standard applies to new dwellings. Work to existing buildings continues to be covered by the relevant sections of Approved Document L, which have also been updated. Send us the details and we will confirm what applies.
-
These regulations apply in England. Wales and Scotland set their own building standards on separate timetables.
-
Pricing typically ranges between £150 and £300+ per plot, depending on the complexity of the design, the number of property types, and whether you require design-stage or as-built calculations. Contact us with your project plans for an exact quote.
Explore Our Services:
-
![Icon representing Energy Performance Certificate services]()
EPC
Required when a building is constructed, sold or let. Covering Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and beyond.
-
![Icon representing SAP Calculations]()
SAP Calculations
New build and conversion energy calculations for residential properties.
-
![Icon representing SBEM Calculations]()
SBEM Calculations
Commercial new build and conversion energy calculations.
-
![Icon representing Part O Overheating compliance]()
Part O — Overheating
Dynamic thermal modelling for residential overheating compliance.
-
![Icon representing Thermal Modelling]()
Thermal Modelling
Advanced building energy modelling including BREEAM, TM52, TM59 and ventilation.
Read our Google customer reviews
-
![Five star graphic from customer Google review of Up Energy Ltd.]()
"I have worked with Up Energy on several projects now and they have always delivered on time while being easy to work with. Their pro-active approach makes the production of energy calculations and final certification at the end of a project a simple process."
Tim Thompson – Repeat client, energy calculations and certification
-
![Five gold stars, indicating a five-star rating]()
"We had to obtain 39 EPC certificates for a student building and Up Energy carried out the whole certification process for us, efficiently and quickly and always keeping us well informed."
Jeffrey Seed – Student accommodation, Exeter
-
![Five star graphic from customer Google review of Up Energy Ltd.]()
"Having initially been quoted and let down by a national company I was concerned the deal would fall through. However Simon very quickly sorted everything out and surveyed that morning. Cannot recommend enough."
Emma Ranson Bellamy – Commercial EPC, urgent lease instruction
Contact Us
For more information on our services please call, email or send an enquiry through the contact form.
Contact us
07515 442665 (Simon)
07974 567272 (Alistair)
Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions before submitting.
