The Future Homes Standard and new build EPC ratings

Why energy efficiency matters when you buy new

Energy is one of the biggest running costs of any home. A new build is designed and tested against the Building Regulations of its day, so it is usually far better insulated and more airtight than an older home. But the rules have changed, and are changing again, so two new homes on sale at the same time can perform differently. Knowing which standard your home meets, and how its heating works, helps you compare homes and plan your bills.

What an EPC tells you

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates a home's energy efficiency from A (best) to G (worst). You must have an EPC when you sell, rent out or build a property, and it is valid for 10 years. It contains information about the home's energy use and typical energy costs, and recommendations for improving its efficiency.

You can look up a home's EPC on GOV.UK's find an energy certificate service. For a home that is not yet built, a builder registered with the New Homes Quality Board must include indicative energy performance ratings in its sales information. Ask for the predicted rating of your specific plot, because ratings can differ between house types and positions.

How the rating is worked out

EPCs and the energy checks for new homes are both produced using the government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The current version is SAP 10.3. The government is developing a replacement called the Home Energy Model. In an update of 8 June 2026, it said it had delayed the Home Energy Model's launch, so SAP 10.3 remains the only approved method for now, with the Home Energy Model to be introduced alongside it for the Future Homes Standard in the coming months.

Reformed EPCs are coming

The government has confirmed that new-style EPCs for homes will replace the single headline rating with four headline measures: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness. In an update of 9 March 2026, it moved the launch of the reforms to the second half of 2027. Until then, the A to G rating you see today is the one that applies.

The Future Homes Standard: dates and what it means

The Future Homes Standard is the next step up in the energy rules for new homes in England. It sits in Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations.

The transitional rules

The new requirements do not apply where a building notice, initial notice or full plans application was given before 24 March 2027, provided the work starts before 24 March 2028. In practice, every home on sale before 24 March 2027 is built to earlier rules, and homes started before 24 March 2028 under the transitional rules may still be on sale for some years after that. So ask the builder directly which standard your plot is built to.

What the standard requires

The government's building circular says the aim is for new homes to have low-carbon heating, so they will not need retrofitting to become zero carbon as the electricity grid decarbonises. It adds a new requirement for on-site renewable electricity generation for new homes, with some exceptions, including high-rise buildings. The government expects most homes to meet it with solar panels. On the day the regulations were laid, the government estimated these measures could save families up to £830 a year on energy bills compared with a standard home rated EPC C, and that the homes would produce at least 75% less carbon than homes built to the 2013 standards. That is the government's own estimate: your bills will depend on the home, its systems, your tariff and how you use it.

The Future Homes Standard applies in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own building regulations.

Heat pumps

Many new homes now have an air source heat pump instead of a gas boiler. A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the outside air into the home.

What to know:

• Follow the builder's or installer's instructions for using the system. The New Homes Quality Board's guide to settling in says correct use helps the system perform as intended and can reduce unnecessary running costs.
• Keep a steady temperature rather than big highs and lows, and adjust gradually. The same guide says around 18 to 21°C across rooms is often recommended.
• If you have underfloor heating, run it at a moderate temperature and adjust it gradually; switching it on and off often is less effective.
• Servicing usually becomes your responsibility after you move in, so ask what the manufacturer recommends and keep records.

A registered builder must list in its schedule of expected costs any known costs for maintaining shared equipment, such as communal heating systems and air source heat pumps, where these are not already in the management fees. At the pre-completion inspection, the standard checklist asks the inspector to check that a heat pump included in the sale has been installed on a flat, solid surface outside the home, with access for maintenance and airflow around the unit.

Solar panels

Solar panels generate electricity during daylight, which you can use in the home or export to the grid. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, some electricity suppliers (known as SEG licensees) must pay small-scale generators, including solar panel owners in England, Scotland and Wales, for the low-carbon electricity they export. Each supplier sets its own rate, contract length and terms, and the rate must always be above zero, so compare offers.

Questions to ask about a home with solar panels:

• How large is the system, and roughly how much electricity is it expected to generate a year?
• Is a battery included, or can one be added later?
• Who installed the system, and what paperwork will I get for the installation and any warranty?
• Is there an export meter or a smart meter that can record exports?

Electric vehicle charging

In England, Part S of the Building Regulations applies to new homes with associated parking. Most new homes with a parking space within the site need an electric vehicle charge point, with exceptions; for example, spaces in a covered car park need cable routes rather than charge points. Ask whether your plot's space has a charge point, where it is, and whether it is on your own driveway or in a shared car park.

Ventilation and airtightness

New homes are built to be airtight, which keeps heat in but means fresh air has to come from ventilation. The New Homes Quality Board's guide to settling in recommends keeping trickle vents open, always using extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and opening windows regularly in rooms that create moisture. If your home has a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system, keep it running and use it as your builder advises. New homes also contain a lot of moisture from construction, which the guide says typically takes around 12 months to dry out. Our guide to moving into a new build covers the first year in more detail.

Questions to ask the builder about energy

Comparing running costs

The EPC shows typical energy costs, which help you compare homes on a like-for-like basis. A registered builder does not have to tell you the normal costs of owning the home, such as utilities and energy bills, so ask, and make your own estimates. When you work out what you can afford each month, add energy bills, council tax and any estate charge to the mortgage. The cash you need calculator covers the upfront costs, and the new-build premium tool compares a new home's price with similar local resales. Both are an illustration, not advice. You can search every new home on NewHomeSearch and compare homes by place.