Thursday 14 December 2023

UK mandates “net zero ready” homes with heat pumps from 2025

The government has published a long-awaited consultation, outlining the strategies to achieve the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard, mandating all new homes to be "net zero ready" from 2025 with heat pumps as the standard heating system.

The ongoing consultation is scheduled to conclude on 6th March 2024.

The announcement mentions the anticipated release of new regulations and guidance in 2024, with the standards slated to take effect the following year.

The official document states: "We found no practical way to allow the installation of fossil fuel boilers while also delivering significant carbon savings.

"As such, we do not expect fossil fuel heating, such as gas, hybrid heat pumps and hydrogen-ready boilers, will meet these standards."

In response to the news, Juliet Phillips, Senior Policy Advisor at think tank E3G, said: "Ensuring that all new homes are built highly efficient and with clean heat is perhaps the most popular and common-sense of climate policies.

"We’re delighted that the government has finally confirmed that all new homes must be built to new zero standards from 2025. This is great news for homebuyers, who will save money on energy bills and avoid the need for costly retrofits in the future."