The rules around energy compliance for new buildings in England have changed significantly in 2026. The future homes standard, an updated approved document L, and stricter planning-stage requirements now apply to how home builders and developers must approach an energy statement that UK planning authorities require.
These changes affect design decisions, timelines, and costs.
This blog explains what has changed, when the new rules apply, and what builders, developers, and architects need to do to stay compliant.
What Is an Energy Statement, and Why Does It Matter More in 2026?
An energy statement is a technical planning document that sets out how a proposed development will meet energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and sustainability requirements. Planning authorities use it to judge whether a scheme aligns with national and local environmental targets before approving.
In 2026, this document carries more weight than ever. With the Future Homes Standard now published and building regulations tightening, planning officers and building control bodies are scrutinising energy statements more closely than in previous years.
A weak or generic statement is one of the most common reasons for planning delays and requests for further information.
The Future Homes Standard: The Headline Change for 2026
The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is the 2026 update to Part L of the Building Regulations for England. The government published the final Approved Documents and its consultation response on 24 March 2026, and the regulations themselves come into force from 24 March 2027.
Here’s what builders need to know about the timeline and substance:
- 24 March 2027: New Building Control applications for standard residential dwellings must comply with the new Part L 2026 requirements.
- 24 September 2027: Higher-risk buildings (broadly, residential blocks of 18+ storeys) must adopt the updated standard.
- 24 March 2028: The transitional period closes. Any plot not “meaningfully started” by this date (generally interpreted as reaching ground floor slab level) must be redesigned to meet the full Future Homes Standard, regardless of when it was originally submitted for planning.
The FHS targets a 75-80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the 2013 Part L baseline, a substantial jump from the roughly 30% improvement required under Part L 2021. This is being driven primarily through low-carbon heating, on-site renewables, and modest improvements to fabric performance and airtightness.
Key Technical Changes Builders Need to Plan For
Here are some key technical changes builders need to plan for. Have a look at them for a better understanding:
1. Low-Carbon Heating Is Now the Default
Gas and oil boilers are not formally banned by name, but the carbon targets set under the FHS are stringent enough that few, if any, fossil-fuel heating systems will be able to achieve compliance. Air source heat pumps are expected to become the default heating solution for the vast majority of new homes, alongside heat networks where available.
2. Solar PV Becomes a Core Requirement
Under the new standard, on-site renewable generation is no longer an optional extra. The default notional specification requires solar PV coverage equivalent to around 40% of the ground floor area of the dwelling, unless a documented technical justification (such as an unsuitable roof design) is agreed with Building Control.
3. Fabric and Airtightness Standards Tighten
Minimum U-values remain broadly unchanged from Part L 2021, but the airtightness benchmark has been tightened from 5.00 to 4.00 m³/(h·m²) at 50 Pa. The Target Fabric Energy Efficiency (TFEE) benchmark has also become more demanding, meaning fabric specification decisions taken early in design now carry more weight.
4. A New Compliance Model: SAP 10.3 and the Home Energy Model
Compliance is currently demonstrated using SAP 10.3, an updated version of the Standard Assessment Procedure that accounts for heat pump and PV performance. The Home Energy Model (HEM) is intended to eventually replace SAP entirely, and a dual-running period is expected once HEM is finalised.
Builders should confirm with their energy consultant which modelling software applies to their specific project stage, as this affects everything from glazing specification to ventilation strategy.
5. Applies to England Only
It’s worth noting that the Future Homes Standard applies specifically to England. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are each progressing their own separate timelines and consultations for equivalent uplifts, so builders working across UK nations should not assume a single compliance approach applies everywhere.
Don’t Forget Local Planning Policy: The London Plan Energy Hierarchy
Outside of national Building Regulations, many local planning authorities, London boroughs in particular, impose their own energy statement requirements at the planning application stage, on top of Building Regulations compliance.
The London Plan energy hierarchy (“Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Green, Be Seen”) remains a key framework for major developments:
- Be Lean: Reduce energy demand through fabric-first design and efficiency measures.
- Be Clean: Specify highly efficient heating and cooling systems, considering connections to district heat networks.
- Be Green: Integrate renewable technologies such as solar PV or heat pumps.
- Be Seen: Commit to monitoring and reporting actual post-completion energy performance.
Major residential and commercial schemes in London are generally expected to demonstrate a minimum on-site carbon reduction beyond Building Regulations, with any shortfall met through a borough carbon offset contribution. Requirements and offset rates vary by borough, so it’s essential to check the specific local plan policy rather than assume a single national figure applies.
Why Builders Should Act Early, Not Late
The recurring theme across every recent regulatory update is the same: decisions made at the design stage now determine compliance outcomes far more than decisions made on-site.
Heating strategy, PV coverage, glazing ratios, and ventilation approach all need to be locked in early because the Home Energy Model and SAP 10.3 are far more sensitive to these choices than older assessment methods.
Builders who wait until after planning submission to think about energy compliance are increasingly finding themselves facing:
- Requests for further information from planning officers.
- Redesigns to meet fabric or renewable energy shortfalls.
- Unexpected carbon offset costs on London schemes.
- Delays crossing the 24 March 2027 or 24 March 2028 transitional deadlines.
How A+E Consultancy Helps Builders Stay Ahead of the 2026 Rules
Navigating the Future Home Standard, SAP 10.3, and local planning energy policy at the same time is not something most building teams can manage without specialist input. This is exactly where A+E Consultancy fits in, as a dedicated energy consultant for architects, developers, and builders across the UK.
What A+E Consultancy Offers for 2026 Compliance
- Energy statements tailored to local planning authority’s policy requirements, aligned with the energy hierarchy and current carbon reduction targets.
- SAP calculations to demonstrate Part L compliance and generate accurate EPC ratings using the latest SAP methodology.
- SBEM calculations for non domestic developments needing Part L compliance evidence.
- Thermal comfort scrutiny increases with better insulated, more airtight homes. Overheating assessments to support Part O compliance.
- Thermal bridging at construction junctions by means of Psi (Ψ) calculations.
- Water efficiency calculations to meet Part G requirements of particular interest for London schemes with tighter consumption targets.
- Sustainability statements and energy performance certificates for the planning and building regulations submission.
What Makes A+E Consultancy Different
Rather than treating energy compliance as a box-ticking exercise, A+E Consultancy works through the full energy hierarchy with each client, reducing demand first, specifying efficient systems second, and integrating renewables where they genuinely add value, so that submissions hold up to scrutiny from planning officers and building control alike.
For architects and developers who want to avoid redesign costs and planning delays, having an experienced energy statement UK partner involved from the concept stage, rather than after a first refusal, consistently produces smoother, faster approvals.
Conclusion
The 2026 energy statement rules mark a genuine turning point for the UK construction industry. Between the Future Home Standard, tighter airtightness, and PV requirements, the shift toward SAP 10.3 and the home energy model, and local planning policies like the London Plan energy hierarchy, builders now face a far more technical and interconnected compliance landscape than in previous years.
The builders who come out ahead won’t be the ones scrambling to fix issues after a planning refusal. They’ll be the ones who bring the right expertise early, get their energy statement right the first time, and design with the 2027 and 2028 transitional deadlines in mind from day one.
If you’re planning a residential or commercial development in the UK, now is the time to review your energy strategy against these updated rules, before your next planning submission, not after.