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• Regulatory Updates
Future Homes Standard: Preparing for 2025 - Q&A Recap
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Regulatory Updates
Future Homes Standard: Preparing for 2025 - Q&A Recap
The webinar focused on the upcoming changes to building regulations under the Future Homes Standard and what it means for new housing developments.
Some of the key topics covered included:
- Strategies for achieving compliance with the Future Homes Standard.
- Insights from the Beta HEM (Home Energy Management) and its significance in meeting future standards.
- Responses from the industry and emerging trends in anticipation of the proposed regulations.
- Essential steps to take in preparation for the transition to the new standards.
Our attendees asked topical and specific questions which have been answered below:
PV equivalent to 405 of ground floor area - is that PV area to be equal to 40% of ground floor area? Does not specify output or efficiency of PV system?
- Calculation takes 40% of ground floor area to provide the m2 of PV. This is then divided by 4,5 to establish the kWp which is used to inform the Targets in HEM.
What is commencement for an upward extension - i.e no foundations?
- Upward extensions would appear to fall in the ‘complex buildings’ category as per the below guidance: Complex buildings These are: • Building to be constructed on the same foundation plinth or podium as any other building or structure. Therefore: For complex buildings commencement will be the date at which foundations supporting the buildings and structure of the lowest floor level of that building (but not other buildings or structures supported by those foundations) are completed.
Policymakers seem to be putting the most emphasis on carbon reduction. Ultimately the benefit to the home/building owner is a reduction in energy demand. Do you think the regulations are doing enough to measure the energy demand of buildings to reduce overall running costs?
- They could do more by focusing on improve fabric performance. ultimately if they take forward option 2, occupant running costs will actually increase over current standards - I can't see how this would be a viable solution.
For space heating you mentioned that direct electric / infrared etc will not meet the proposed standard. For low rise / high rise apartments, do we envisage compliance by deploying individual hot water heat pumps + direct electric heating, providing we meet the TPER?
- Only if the Government opts for option 2 and only then with significant PV arrays. If Option 1 is the way forward, you won't be able to accommodate the shortfall in energy performance for direct electric heating vs a heatpump.
For a high-rise development that started under ADL 2013 is there a risk of sun-setting the ability to build that out under the old regs? Or would this be exempt from the sun-setting as the frames are all built?
- If the frame is commenced then sunsetting would not apply. Sunsetting will only apply where the lowest floor hasn't been completed in line with the transitional arrangements.
If we were to build to the spec set out in the FHS option 1 and run a SAP calc (rather than a HEM calc), would you have any indication of the likely typical regulated energy demand? (kWh/m2/yr)
- Yes - we'll discuss this with you separately on a project specific basis.
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