After more than seven years in development, the Future Homes Standard has finally been published. The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026, released by MHCLG on 24 March 2026, represent the most significant overhaul of Part L since the 2021 uplift. They come into force on 24 March 2027. Here is what is changing, why it matters, and what it means for developers, designers, and anyone building new homes in England.

The End of Gas in New Homes

The most important thing to understand about the Future Homes Standard is this: it does not ban gas boilers by name, but it makes them impossible to use if you want to comply. The standard sets its performance targets — covering carbon emissions, primary energy, and fabric energy efficiency — using a ‘notional dwelling’ that runs on a heat pump. No gas boiler can meet those targets. From March 2027, new homes in England will be built with heat pumps as the norm.

Alongside the switch to low-carbon heating, photovoltaic panels become mandatory for virtually every new home. A new functional requirement — L3 — has been added to the Building Regulations, requiring on-site renewable electricity generation on all new dwellings.

What the Standard Actually Requires

The compliance package for a new home under the Future Homes Standard looks like this in practice: a heat pump for space and water heating, PV panels, decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV), a waste water heat recovery system (WWHRS), and an airtightness score of no worse than 4 m³/m²/hr at 50 pascals. This is the ‘notional dwelling’ against which your design is assessed.

The three compliance metrics from Part L 2021 are retained — Primary Energy Rate, Carbon Emission Rate, and Fabric Energy Efficiency Rate — but the benchmarks are tighter because the notional dwelling is considerably more efficient than its predecessor. Fabric standards are similar to 2021, but the shift from a gas boiler to a heat pump in the notional building drives the improvement.

Can you still use SAP

The government had originally intended to launch the Future Homes Standard alongside a completely new calculation methodology called the Home Energy Model (HEM), designed to replace the long-standing Standard Assessment Procedure. In February 2026, MHCLG confirmed that HEM is not yet ready. So the FHS launches with a modified version of the existing methodology — SAP 10.3 — as the sole approved compliance route.

This is a sensible pragmatic decision. It means assessors, software providers, and building control bodies can get on with the job using tools they understand. HEM will follow as an additional option once it is approved, but there is no confirmed date. For anyone seeking building control approval from March 2027, SAP 10.3 is what you need.

Ventilation: New Rules for Commissioning

Part F has also been updated. New ventilation systems installed in both new and existing homes must now be commissioned by a member of a competent persons scheme, or by the building control body itself. Rotating vane anemometers are no longer acceptable for commissioning new systems — powered flow hoods must be used. This raises the bar for installers and creates a clearer record of compliance for building control purposes.

When Does It Apply — and to Which Projects?

The Regulations come into force on 24 March 2027. A twelve-month transitional period applies: if a building notice, initial notice, or full plans application was submitted before 24 March 2027 and building work commences before 24 March 2028, the new standards do not apply. Projects already under way when the standard comes in can be completed to Part L 2021.

There is an important catch for some large sites. Older transitional arrangements — dating back to 2013 and 2021 — are being wound up. Sites that have been relying on these legacy protections, but where construction has not yet started on individual plots, will need to meet the Future Homes Standard once that protection expires. Developers managing phased residential sites should review their transitional position now.

For higher-risk residential buildings — those falling under the Gateway regime — a separate commencement date of 24 September 2027 applies, with its own transitional rules linked to applications made to the Building Safety Regulator.

What It Means for Your Project

If you are a developer, architect, or M&E engineer working on new residential or mixed-use development, the Future Homes Standard changes the design conversation from this point forward. Heat pumps, PV panels, and higher airtightness need to be integrated into the design from the outset — they are not add-ons that can be bolted on later. The heat pump specification in particular requires careful thought around pipe sizing, controls, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance documentation.

From a building control perspective, the completion process now includes checking PV installation, heat pump commissioning records, ventilation commissioning by a qualified operative, and the provision of a Home User Guide to the homeowner. Regulation 40C makes the Home User Guide a legal requirement, covering how to operate and maintain the heat pump, ventilation, and solar panels. At WCCL, this goes on our completion checklist from March 2027.

We will be publishing further guidance and running CPD sessions on the Future Homes Standard over the coming months, covering heat pump specification, airtightness testing, and the transition to HEM. If you have a new housing project in the pipeline and want to understand how the new standards apply, get in touch with our team. And if you would like to make sure you do not miss our updates, subscribe to our newsletter below.