Are you aware of the new regulations that are set for 2025? At Shire Window Solutions, we are still feeling the effects of the newly updated Building Regulations that came into force in June 2022.
However, we cannot remain fixated on the changes that have just happened. 2025 is going to see the implementation of the Future Buildings Standard in England.
What is the Future Buildings Standard?
The Future Buildings Standard is a policy document that sets out proposed changes to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations and introduces a new requirement to tackle the risk of overheating in new residential buildings. It focuses primarily on new non-domestic buildings, but also includes policy relating to existing non-domestic buildings and new and existing homes.
This side of the policy has been running since 2022, so Shire Window Solutions have been installing these energy efficient window and door options for many years already.
The Future Homes Standard 2025 sets out energy and ventilation standards for non-domestic buildings, existing homes and includes proposals to mitigate against overheating in residential buildings. It set out proposals for a Future Buildings Standard, which provides a pathway to highly efficient non-domestic buildings which are zero carbon ready, better for the environment and fit for the future.
Why Future Building Standard Matters
In 2019, the Government set legally binding regulations for the UK to become a net zero country by 2050. That meant the Government had to commit to major changes in all areas of the economy to be able to meet that goal. The Future Building Standard will aim to reduce carbon emissions in homes by 75% compared to current rates.
These are bold targets to aim for, and perhaps questionable whether they are achievable in the real world. Nevertheless, the Government has set its own rules and must therefore abide by them. And to be able to do so means taking some bold steps to make sure that the products that are going into homes can meet these stringent new targets.
For fenestration, the single most important area to keep an eye on will be the new minimum requirements for U-Values. The current minimum U-Value for windows and doors, as per the 2022 changes is 1.4W/m²K. According to ongoing reporting, the new minimum U-Value for 2025 will be set as low as 0.8W/m²K – a reduction of 0.6. – Future Homes Standard in 2025. At Shire, we follow all regulations that fall under this category.
To meet the new 0.8W/m²K U-Values, there are going to have to be massive changes to a lot of window and door systems currently in circulation. The work required for our industry to meet this new level is going to be vast, and the work has already begun here at Shire Window Solutions.
There are some new products coming to market right now, both in the aluminium and UPVC spheres, which will meet the new 0.8W/m²K already.
Positive opportunity
We see The Future Building Standard, at least with the lowering of the minimum U-Values, I see as a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate to both the Government and the public that our products can help deliver on meeting net zero targets and make a tangible difference to the living standards of millions of households.
When it comes to our service, the customer is always the top priority, as we want to provide them with the best possible installation for their home. At the end of the day, heating and powering buildings accounts for 30% of the UK’s total energy usage, so our homes will play a vital role in the UK’s efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions.
Compliance with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will become mandatory in 2025, and its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built under the current Building Regulations. These specifications must be adhered to when constructing, extending, or renovating UK homes, which we regularly do here at Shire Window Solutions when it comes to window and door installations.
If you would like more information on this topic, be sure to contact us today.