Enlighten Me

Future Homes Standard 2025; A Windows Perspective

2025 has been set up to be an interesting year for upgrading the energy efficiency of our new homes. Massive changes have been proposed in terms of de-carbonising, to the extent where we’ve already seen a significant backtrack from our previous government as deadlines were approaching too quickly.

The window and door side of things has already been pushed forward a good step from updates in 2021 and 2023. And, whilst we feel there aren’t any noteworthy 2025 updates proposed in terms of limiting values, the accepted ways in which the 2023 limits can have their compliance proven is proposed to be tweaked. This could impact certain groups of products, so it is worth discussing alongside the phasing out of SAP calculations and the increasing interest in MVHR systems.

Southern England Renovation suing Danish Windows

Window U-values and their Accuracy

So much of the Future Homes Standard is set out to create a more realistic real-world performance of homes. The incoming Home Energy Model is due to replace the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), and the main aim is to reduce to gap between a home’s designed level of efficiency and the (often disappointing) level of efficiency it achieves when completed.

Most importantly to the window and door industry is the the proposal to remove the previously acceptable route of telling a homeowner that their windows will have a specific Uw-value based on a “standard size and configuration”…which they almost certainly wouldn’t have had in their home anyway…

The remaining options of calculating U-values based on the actual size and configuration of the ordered windows, and the EN ISO 12567-1 hotbox method produce far more honest results, and can surely help to push our industry forwards.

Although replacement windows aren’t really discussed much in Future Homes, there is an important note proposed in this section saying that Window Energy Ratings from an audited certification scheme can still be accepted by building control.

Unik Funkis Aluminium clad Timber Quad fixedlight with glazing bars internal

Our Danish Windows and Future Homes Standard

Nothing changes! We’ve often joked about Danish building standards being decades ahead of the UK, but we keep finding evidence that backs it up… The previous UK Green Homes Grant encouraged homeowners to replace their single glazing with double glazing; this came out after the Danish regulations were updated to make double glazing almost obsolete in favour of triple. Now, we find ourselves in a situation where a UK newbuild window is recommended to have a 1.2 Uw value, with a lower limit of 1.6 Uw; we’ll struggle to make any size+configuration of a Danish triple glazed window any worse than 0.9 Uw…

Interest in Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery

We don’t offer MVHR systems, but we’ll mention them in the same breath as our windows because they make a brilliant pairing. Spending money on Class 4 airtight windows to be told building regulation are forcing you to cut holes through them for background ventilation never feels good. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is, in theory, a far better solution.

However, part of our advice has always been along the lines of “spend more on more powerful MVHR hardware than you think you need”. And the Future Homes Standard seems to agree with us.

Acknowledging that MVHR systems are often specified and installed far too cheaply is an important point. Fans running at their maximum possible speed to achieve the required airflow is an awful situation in terms of noise and over-working the system. Its service life gets massively cut down, and you’ll have a sad and noisy experience throughout.

We’re very happy and encouraged by the proposed updates’ emphasis on qualification and certification levels on everything from design, commission and installation

Aluminium triple glazed windows in classic Oak post and beam bay window

The Frustrating Bit to Finish

All of our discussion points here are taken from the official gov.uk pages and documents; we’re intentionally ignoring all 3rd party articles here to aim to increase accuracy. However, it is important to say that these were all written by a previous government, and we don’t necessarily know that those who’re current in power share the same intent going forwards…this could all change!

Visit enlightenedwindows.co.uk for more information about our Danish and German products.
Get in contact with Enlighteend windows with questions about our products and services, or to get your quote by calling 01608 684 607 or email us at sales@enlightenedwindows.co.uk

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