Preparing for FHS
Victoria Brocklesby, co-founder and COO at Origin, discusses the original changes to Part L regulations and explores the upcoming Future Homes Standard.
Following the introduction of the new Part L of the building regulations last year, now is the time to begin thinking about the Future Homes Standard – if you haven’t already.
What originally felt like a deadline years in the future, is now rapidly approaching. The new specifications, which come into force in 2025, are designed to reduce the carbon emissions from homes by 75 to 80% compared to the old regulations.
Adjusting to Part L
The new regulations for Part L have been in place for almost a year now. In them, standards for U-Values were set and were designed to improve thermal efficiency and reduce energy usage throughout a property.
Prior to the rules changing, U-Values had to meet a target of 1.4 W/m2K for windows and glazed doors in new homes. Under the Part L 2022 changes, these notional targets were reduced to 1.2 W/m2K, which is a considerable drop.
Initially, the announcement sent many in the fenestration industry into panic mode. There was a lot of noise about how manufacturers would need to adapt their product lines to reach the new targets, and more importantly, save their businesses.
For most manufacturers, the focus was instead placed on improving the performance of existing products, as this is an easier approach than designing entirely new product lines. Some even had to adopt triple glazing as standard, but nonetheless, it was possible.
Turning attention to the FHS
However, these already stringent regulations are about to get even tighter. The Government describes the Future Homes Standard as ‘rigorous new targets for a green building revolution’. You can see why. A 75 to 80% carbon emission saving is substantial.
A target of this magnitude means that manufacturers can’t simply paper over the cracks by upgrading current systems; they must redesign their entire product lines.
Another possible solution, suggested by some quarters in the industry, is only offering smaller window sizes; thus, reducing cost and increasing thermal efficiency. We are accustomed to seeing smaller windows across Europe. However, this is because they help prevent properties overheating in hot climates.
Reducing the size of windows wouldn’t be a practical solution for a climate like we have in Britain. We don’t need heat regulation in the same way and, as a nation, we already suffer from low levels of natural light.
Installing smaller windows will only make this worse, which can have a negative impact on occupants’ wellbeing and mental health.
So, manufacturers must invest in R&D to facilitate the necessary redesigns of their products. At Origin, we have a dedicated in-house R&D team which not only designs new products but constantly updates our existing lines too.
They are now well on their way to ensuring all products comply to the Future Homes Standard well in advance, so that our partners can rest assured that they are recommending and installing quality systems that will not only stand the test of time, but also meet and exceed industry regulations too.
Conclusion
As we approach the Future Homes Standard, it is critical that manufacturers continue to innovate to meet and exceed the ever-evolving thermal efficiency regulations.
The Future Homes Standard is set to be a game changer for the industry and the standard that British homes are built to. Only those who innovate will be able to capitalise on the future of housebuilding in the UK.
