The Future Homes Standard has been officially published – and the move towards low-carbon homes is already well underway.
Whilst the Future Homes Standard isn’t expected to come into force until March 2027, we’ve already seen a rise in developers preparing for these changes ahead of time – particularly with air-source heat pumps.
Over the past four to five years, we’ve seen a significant uptake in heat pumps, with many developers getting ahead of the curve. With the government targeting low-carbon heating as standard in new homes from 2027, this trend is only set to accelerate.
The lower flow temperatures of ASHPs mean underfloor heating is the perfect match, providing consistent, efficient and future-proof heat. Our experience with thousands of ASHP-fed plots has shown that these items are critical to performance and customer satisfaction.
It’s also interesting, although not surprising, to see PV made mandatory. Combined with intelligent control and battery storage, this opens viable opportunities for direct electric underfloor heating as a primary heat source again.
This is something that has not been feasible at scale since SAP changes in the late 2000s made electric heating less favourable from a compliance perspective. With SAP 10.3 and the Future Homes Standard shifting the landscape, some developers are already exploring and adopting these systems.
As a leading underfloor heating contractor, we’re supporting housebuilders across the UK with full design, installation and commissioning – helping ensure their developments are Future Homes Standard-compliant.
For more information about how Gaia can support you with your next development, get in touch with our team.
