Mark Wilkins, Head of Training and External Affairs at Vaillant, gives the low-down on the consultation on the Future Homes Standard and Part L of the Building Regulations and what the latest legislation means for specifiers.

On 1 October 2019, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published a consultation on The Future Homes Standard: changes to Part L of the Building Regulations. Part L impacts our industry and drove the shift to higher efficiency condensing boilers back in 2005. Again, Part L will play a significant role in reducing energy in new-build homes, moving towards renewables from 2020.

The consultation applies to England only and covers new-build domestic properties. Further discussions for existing buildings and commercial properties will follow.

The Buildings Regulation Part L consultation presents two possible routes to increase the energy efficiency requirements for new homes from 2020:

OPTION ONE
Future Homes Fabric
– a 20% reduction in CO2 from new dwellings, compared with current standards
This performance standard is based on the energy usage and carbon emissions of a home with:
• Very high fabric standards to minimise heat loss from walls, floors, roofs and windows (typically triple-glazing)
• A gas boiler
• A waste-water heat recovery system

OPTION TWO
Fabric Plus Technology
– a 31% reduction in CO2 from new dwellings, compared with the current standards
This performance standard is based on energy usage and carbon emissions of a home with:
• An increase in fabric standards (but not as high as option one – likely to be double-glazing rather than triple-glazing)
• A gas boiler
• A waste-water heat recovery system
• Photovoltaic (PV) panels

The consultation does not present a prescriptive way to comply. If carbon reductions are met, specifiers are free to use whichever combination of energy efficiency measures suits the property.

Out of the two options, Fabric Plus Technology is the government’s preferred option as it offers higher potential carbon savings, is more likely to drive low-carbon technology as a cost-effective solution and lays a clearer path to the Future Homes Standard.

Implemented from 2025, the Future Homes Standard will include the fabric standards of option one alongside a low-carbon heating system, with heat pumps and heat networks named as the leading technologies to deliver heat to new homes. It is anticipated that the Future Homes Standard-baseded around a heat pump, wastewater heat recovery, triple-glazing and minimum standards for walls, floors and roofs – will deliver a reduction in carbon emissions of 75- 80%. The installation of heat pumps will require some new skills to ensure that the systems are reliable and deliver value for money and comfort.

Future-proofing for low-carbon technologies

In anticipation of the widespread use of heat pumps and low-carbon technologies from 2020, a key focus of the consultation is to future-proof new buildings. Since heat pumps operate most efficiently at low-flow temperatures, the consultation considers the use of larger heat emitters or underfloor heating systems to achieve temperatures of 55°C or less.

While the use of fossil fuels will still be permitted, lower temperature circuits will also maximise the efficiency of condensing boilers resulting in energy savings for the consumer at the same time as allowing their property to be heat pump ready.

How Vaillant is responding

Vaillant, as a manufacturer of both gas boilers and heat pumps, broadly welcomes the proposals within the consultation as they are well placed to deliver both the 2020 route outlined in the consultation and the 2025 measures to meet the Future Homes Standard.

The detail to be included in the next edition of the Building Regulations is not yet clear, but the consultation does give a good indication. It is easier to improve the energy efficiency of buildings at the time of construction and future-proofing for low-carbon technologies will save time, cost and disruption for the homeowner. Whatever comes into force, low-carbon technologies are part of the future and Vaillant is well-positioned with product and support for specifiers.