Experts from Travis Perkins discuss upcoming building legislations this year, and what it will mean for the construction industry
In 2025, there are two key legislations that those in the building sector will want to know about due to the impact they will have on the UK’s construction industry – Future Homes Standard regulations and the Building Safety Act.
Builder’s merchant and supplier Travis Perkins has detailed each of these in-depth so that professional tradespeople do not get caught out with the new legislation:
Future Homes Standard regulations
We begin with the UK’s Future Homes Standard (FHS) – a government policy with the aim of encouraging more energy efficiency and carbon reduction practices, which is due to be published in May 2025, followed by a 12-month grace period.
Key goals of the FHS include:
- Make low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps, a priority. This will help ensure properties are energy efficient and have lower operational carbon as the National Grid decarbonises (through an increased renewable energy strategy).
- Reduce in-use carbon emissions by between 75% and 80% when compared to standards now. This should, in turn, support the legally mandated commitment for the UK to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
- Put a greater focus on fabric efficiency, such as by minimising heat loss, improving insulation and setting up well-sealed structures.
- Legislate that new homes built in the UK are of high quality, providing occupants with healthy and comfortable living conditions.
Whilst the final FHS report is not due until May this year, it does seem that, based on the government’s last proposal, the following could be implemented:
- New build homes will be required to be fitted with windows with a U-value of 1.2 W/m²K or lower.
- Roofs, walls and floors will require lower U-values, to achieve improved fabric efficiency.
- Air leaking through cracks and gaps in the building envelope will need to be minimised further to help reduce heat loss.
- The use of renewable heat sources, such as ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps or other low-carbon heating systems, will be encouraged.
- A minimum of one electric charging point will need to be installed in each new home, or at the very least, the necessary cabling pre-installed so that the setup of future charging points can be facilitated.
Only new building regulations submissions after the government’s trigger date (TBC) in 2025 will be affected by the regulations at present. The FHS will also see the retirement of SAP, which will be replaced by the Home Energy Model (HEM), offering a new, dynamic method of modelling a new home’s performance and energy consumption.
Writing exclusively for PBC Today, Darren York, director of EPS Trenchless, said: “The FHS represents a significant shift for the UK construction industry, with the ultimate aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the effects of climate change.
“Despite over half of housebuilders believing FHS regulations may hinder the delivery of new homes, it is set to be implemented next year. To prepare, the industry must invest in training workers on low-carbon technologies, such as heat pumps; utilise tools like the Home Energy Model to ensure compliance from the planning stage; and embrace new construction practices that can minimise environmental impact. Equally important is the role of government in supporting this transition through increased investment and incentives.
“Though the path to FHS compliance might seem overwhelming to the construction sector as a whole, a collective effort by the government and industry can ensure that the future homes built in the UK are sustainable, accessible and affordable.”
Much more information about the FHS can be found in the government’s 2023 consultation published on GOV.UK.
Building Safety Act
The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 was a tragic incident which led to the Building Safety Act being enacted – legislation which set out to overhaul how buildings are designed, constructed and managed in England. The Act also made it a requirement for all in the construction industry to be competent for the roles they are undertaking and to always work within their levels of competence.
Building owners and operators, as well as those constructing buildings, have seen stringent requirements imposed on them as part of the Act, and compliance will continue to be a critical imperative for responsible building construction and management in 2025.
No longer just a regulatory checkbox, the Building Safety Act has been updated so that every higher-risk building (HRB) should be registered with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
A statutory requirement of the Act is for owners of HRBs to maintain the golden thread of information about their building – a clear, in-depth and accessible record of information about a building that includes:
- Comprehensive documentation about the design and construction of a building so that all stakeholders are aware of the safety measures that have been put in place.
- Regular updated safety management plans, detailing how safety is managed during the entirety of a building’s lifecycle. Any alterations carried out to the building and maintenance records must be logged here.
- The systematic organisation of every piece of relevant safety documentation of a building, which includes all compliance checks, safety case reports and risk assessments undertaken. These need to all be readily available for inspection too.
This golden thread of information must also be maintained throughout the lifecycle of a building.
Another element of the Building Safety Act is that a project that involves an HRB must go through three safety checkpoints or Gateways. Here’s what each Gateway involves:
- Gateway One – This step is undertaken at the planning stage of a building and includes the submission of a fire statement which describes the principles, concepts and approaches relating to fire safety that have been applied to the proposed building.
- Gateway Two – A step whereby building control applications are presented to the BSR for approval ahead of any construction work getting underway. This gateway is intended to demonstrate to the regulator that the design of the building or development complies with building regulations and is safe.
- Gateway Three – The final step is whereby a thorough assessment of the project work is carried out once complete. Checks will be made to ensure the project adheres to approved plans and that it complies with every safety regulation before occupancy can be granted. If any deviations from an approved plan are identified, these need to be rectified before a completion certificate can be issued.
Construction companies, building owners, and operators who fail to comply with the Building Safety Act, where required in 2025, could find themselves subjected to reputation damage, operational disruptions, increased liability, fines, and potentially even criminal charges.
GOV.UK has a lot more guidance on the Building Safety Act.
With Future Homes Standard regulations and the Building Safety Act both set to have a huge impact on the UK’s construction sector in the months and years to come, it’s imperative that those in the industry expand their knowledge on the legislation without delay.
Sources:
https://www.norrsken.co.uk/newsitem/future-homes-standard-guide
https://www.buildingpassport.com/post/building-safety-act-are-you-ready-for-2025
