A consortium including the Good Homes Alliance and Bioregional, with support from industry leading organisations including the UK Green Building Council and LETI, have drafted a letter to DLUHC and DESNZ to express their disappointment in the proposed Future Homes Standard.
While acknowledging some positive measures are proposed, the consortium believes this is not a definitive Future Homes Standard, and there are immediate concerns that need to be addressed in the 2025 regulations.
- We strongly disagree with the Option 2 notional specifications.
- We strongly disagree with the choice of Primary Energy over Delivered Energy.
- We support voluntary post occupancy performance testing, but enhanced testing of buildings post-completion, or “As built” should be mandatory.
Although progress has been made with the Future Homes Standard, the consortium urges the government to consider a more ambitious iteration of the standard by 2028, to include embodied carbon and improved ventilation and building fabric, starting with an industry and Local Authority agreed voluntary standard by 2025. This would assist the sector and Local Authorities who want to go further, where it is viable, by having a convergence and agreement on higher standards, and would inform the next iteration of the building regulations. This needs to be signalled now by the Government, to avoid any negative impact on housing supply, as it will then be factored into land prices.
- Regulate embodied carbon in new buildings.
- Improve fabric standards for U values and air tightness.
- Improve new home ventilation systems.
- Reduce electricity generation investment required.
Higher standards are not a constraint on housing supply; they are an investment in a sustainable future that benefits both homeowners and the environment. The consortium urges the government to embrace these recommendations in shaping the Future Homes Standard for a greener and more resilient built environment.
The group is inviting organisations to sign the letter, which will be sent to senior figures at DLUHC and DESNZ before the consultation closes on Wednesday 27th March. The deadline for signatories is Tuesday 26th March.
Read and sign the letter here: https://goodhomes.org.uk/future-homes-standard-consultation-response
Read and respond directly to the consultation here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-homes-and-buildings-standards-2023-consultation
For further information email larry@goodhomes.org.uk.