The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation
- From:
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Published
- 13 December 2023
- Last updated
-
411MarchDecember20242025 — See all updates
Applies to England
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Summary
A consultation on changes to Part 6, Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations for dwellings and non-domestic buildings and seeking evidence on Part O.
This consultation closesran atfrom
to
Consultation description
The government response to this consultation will be published in early 2026.
Due to an issue with the consultation version Home Energy Model software that informs responses to the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation, the deadline for responding to the live consultations on the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, the Home Energy Model (HEM) and the Home Energy Model: Future Homes Standard assessment has been extended to 23:59 on Wednesday 27 March.
We have recently been made aware of an issue with the consultation version Home Energy Model software, which was affecting the modelled solar PV yield if solar panels were not facing south. Whilst the issue itself is relatively minor and a fix has now been issued, we are aware that it could have affected whether designs pass or fail the FHS notional building specification in marginal cases which would potentially impact any comparison of Option 1 versus Option 2. To ensure that everyone has a fair and equitable opportunity to judge whether this issue will affect their response to the consultations, we have taken the decision to extend the closing date for all 3 consultations by 3 weeks.
The government is committed to improving the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon emissions of new homes and non-domestic buildings. Energy efficiency requirements for new homes and non-domestic buildings are set by Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) and Part 6 of the Building Regulations 2010 (“the Building Regulations”). This consultation sets out our plans for achieving the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard. It sets out technical proposals for changes to the Building Regulations, the associated Approved Document guidance and calculation methods.
The majority of this consultation has regard to new homes and non-domestic buildings. A small number of sections are also relevant to existing buildings. These are:
- Material Change of Use
- some elements of Updated Guidance and Minimum Standards
- real-world performance of homes: changes to Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings and Approved Document F, Volume 1: Dwellings to improve the commissioning of fixed building services in new and existing homes.
- Part O (call for evidence)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also published a series of documents related to this consultation, as well as their own consultations on the Home Energy Model (HEM), which can be found at:
In response to questions from consultees, a note is now provided below which clarifies how to respond to Questions 7 and 8 of the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation; how HEM:FHS is expected to develop prior to its full implementation; and some actions that are being taken to help model FHS compliance in the HEM:FHS consultation tool.
Documents
Future Homes Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 635 KB, 53 pages
Future Buildings Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 676 KB, 51 pages
Future Homes Standard notional buildings specifications
PDF, 1.15 MB, 166 pages
Smart meter installation guidance for new domestic buildings
PDF, 326 KB, 7 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings
PDF, 1.19 MB, 133 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings
PDF, 1.34 MB, 144 pages
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Updates to this page
Published 13 December 2023
Last updated 411 MarchDecember 2024
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Update history
2025-12-11 11:00
Information about the publication of the government response added.
2024-03-04 09:17
The deadline for responding to the consultation on Future Homes and Buildings Standards has now been extended another 3 weeks to 11:59 on 27 March 2024.
2024-02-22 17:08
Added clarification note on how to respond to Questions 7 and 8 of the consultation.
2023-12-13 10:00
First published.
Consultation description
The government response to this consultation will be published in early 2026.
Due to an issue with the consultation version Home Energy Model software that informs responses to the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation, the deadline for responding to the live consultations on the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, the Home Energy Model (HEM) and the Home Energy Model: Future Homes Standard assessment has been extended to 23:59 on Wednesday 27 March.
We have recently been made aware of an issue with the consultation version Home Energy Model software, which was affecting the modelled solar PV yield if solar panels were not facing south. Whilst the issue itself is relatively minor and a fix has now been issued, we are aware that it could have affected whether designs pass or fail the FHS notional building specification in marginal cases which would potentially impact any comparison of Option 1 versus Option 2. To ensure that everyone has a fair and equitable opportunity to judge whether this issue will affect their response to the consultations, we have taken the decision to extend the closing date for all 3 consultations by 3 weeks.
The government is committed to improving the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon emissions of new homes and non-domestic buildings. Energy efficiency requirements for new homes and non-domestic buildings are set by Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) and Part 6 of the Building Regulations 2010 (“the Building Regulations”). This consultation sets out our plans for achieving the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard. It sets out technical proposals for changes to the Building Regulations, the associated Approved Document guidance and calculation methods.
The majority of this consultation has regard to new homes and non-domestic buildings. A small number of sections are also relevant to existing buildings. These are:
- Material Change of Use
- some elements of Updated Guidance and Minimum Standards
- real-world performance of homes: changes to Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings and Approved Document F, Volume 1: Dwellings to improve the commissioning of fixed building services in new and existing homes.
- Part O (call for evidence)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also published a series of documents related to this consultation, as well as their own consultations on the Home Energy Model (HEM), which can be found at:
In response to questions from consultees, a note is now provided below which clarifies how to respond to Questions 7 and 8 of the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation; how HEM:FHS is expected to develop prior to its full implementation; and some actions that are being taken to help model FHS compliance in the HEM:FHS consultation tool.
Documents
Future Homes Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 635 KB, 53 pages
Future Buildings Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 676 KB, 51 pages
Future Homes Standard notional buildings specifications
PDF, 1.15 MB, 166 pages
Smart meter installation guidance for new domestic buildings
PDF, 326 KB, 7 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings
PDF, 1.19 MB, 133 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings
PDF, 1.34 MB, 144 pages
Share this page
The following links open in a new tab
Updates to this page
Published 13 December 2023
Last updated 411 MarchDecember 2024
+ show2025
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
-
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2025-12-11 11:00
Information about the publication of the government response added.
2024-03-04 09:17
The deadline for responding to the consultation on Future Homes and Buildings Standards has now been extended another 3 weeks to 11:59 on 27 March 2024.
2024-02-22 17:08
Added clarification note on how to respond to Questions 7 and 8 of the consultation.
2023-12-13 10:00
First published.
Future Homes Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 635 KB, 53 pages
Future Buildings Standard consultation stage impact assessment
PDF, 676 KB, 51 pages
Future Homes Standard notional buildings specifications
PDF, 1.15 MB, 166 pages
Smart meter installation guidance for new domestic buildings
PDF, 326 KB, 7 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings
PDF, 1.19 MB, 133 pages
Draft consultation-stage Approved Document L, Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings
PDF, 1.34 MB, 144 pages
Share this page
The following links open in a new tab
Updates to this page
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2025-12-11 11:00
Information about the publication of the government response added.
2024-03-04 09:17
The deadline for responding to the consultation on Future Homes and Buildings Standards has now been extended another 3 weeks to 11:59 on 27 March 2024.
2024-02-22 17:08
Added clarification note on how to respond to Questions 7 and 8 of the consultation.
2023-12-13 10:00
First published.