Another magazine issue means a new industry specific regulatory update to unpack. As the above title may suggest, solar PV is the topic of discussion here. At the start of June, everyone’s favourite bacon butty banqueter and Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband announced the Autumn release of 2025’s Future Home Standard (FHS). Compulsory solar panel installation on new builds where also confirmed to be a part of the update. The exceptions to this rule will be where PV isn’t feasible due to shade or other considerations that render sun-sourcing energy impractical.
The previous Government toyed with just this idea and potentially mandating 40% of a roof to be covered with solar PV. When pressed on whether the FHS would follow this rule, Miliband advised that time will tell, and we’re to find out this Autumn. He did stress though that the previous proposed rule, that if 40% was unachievable solar installation could be scrapped, would not be part of the new regs.
What to make of this then? Well, for the most part this is a big positive for the industry. If net zero is to ever be achieved, these kinds of changes are going to be key, particularly for larger properties. Add to this the ever choking cost of energy for homeowners (Miliband suggested the typical homeowner could save £500 a year on bills with solar) and you have a recipe for success. As we all know, the general heating trend will be towards heat pumps powered by electricity, which currently costs almost four times as much as gas per kWh. Finding inventive, and cost effective, ways to source this electricity and potentially store it will be key to future satisfaction.
Where doubts and eyebrows are being raised is with the context of these added regulations. For all its faults, this Labour government has been incredibly active in the construction/ housebuilding industry, and while this focus is a welcome change from the 14 years prior, it means that each month or even week represents a new announcement and a new consideration for our nation’s builders. (I’m sure that by the time of reading this, there’ll be a new update to digest). So just how will this affect how fast our homes are built?
Quality will always remain of paramount importance when constructing properties. Yet, there’s ever increasing pressure to build more homes, faster. How does a workforce that’s at least 250,000 people short rise to meet this demand? Particularly in a climate where it has more and more hurdles to leap over and red tape to cross. Building safety and sustainability goals are tremendously important for our future and there’s a huge responsibility there in the industry, but the Government needs to ensure that our nation’s builders are supported through this process. Investments in apprentices, colleges and more are a fantastic start to this. But, much the same as handing the keys over to a new homeowner, the aftersales is just as important as the sale itself.
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