What is the cost of the future home standard?
While the FHS may involve higher initial costs in some cases (of advanced insulation materials, low carbon heating systems and the potential need for more rigorous design and greater expertise), the long-term benefits in terms of energy savings, reduced maintenance, and potential property value appreciation are expected to outweigh the initial investment. Additionally, government initiatives aim to mitigate cost concerns by promoting industry preparedness and exploring potential financial support mechanisms.
What are the implications of the Future Homes Standard for the industry?
The initial capital costs of the changes to building standards are likely to be borne by developers. Transitional costs are likely to fall on businesses and Local Authority building control who will need to train their employees to become familiar with the new standards. This includes employees such as contractors, architects, energy assessors and building control etc. Over the medium-long term, development costs may become factored into land prices and therefore passed onto landowners.
Does the Future Homes Standard affect existing homes?
At present, the future homes standard only affects new buildings constructed in England after 2025. However, retrofit of the country’s existing building stock is also necessary to reach the UK’s zero carbon commitments. For more information about retrofit, click
here. Both the Future Homes Standard and the
Passive House (or Passivhaus) standard govern the way houses are designed and built, and both represent an uplift in stringency from the current UK Building Regulations. However, the scope, requirements and performance achieved by the two differ: