Future Homes Hub points housebuilders to heat pump guidance ahead of March 2027 standard

The Future Homes Hub has urged housebuilders, suppliers and industry partners to use its heat pump guidance during National Heat Pump Week, which runs from 12 to 16 October, ahead of the Future Homes Standard taking effect in March 2027.

The Hub said the standard will require low-carbon heating in new homes and is expected to drive a significant rise in heat pump adoption across the sector. Its resources are aimed at five audiences: homebuilders, procurement teams, site managers, architects and commissioning teams.

Daniel Neasham, Head of Sustainability and Performance at the Future Homes Hub, said: "Heat pumps are a proven technology, but successful delivery requires a whole-system approach."

He said the lessons from early adopters were that "early technical collaboration, integrated design development, robust installation controls, accurate commissioning and proactive customer support are essential."

The guidance

The Hub's procurement guidance covers buying heat pumps for new-build low density homes. For site managers, it offers an online tool and printable checklist highlighting common issues and best practice in heat pump installation.

That checklist covers four stages: groundworks, first fix, second fix and commissioning. The Hub said it was developed with developers, installers and assessors through its Heat Pump Implementation Group, and that it expects heat pumps to become the primary heating solution in new homes from 2027.

The 'Delivering homes with heat pumps' guide draws on feedback from homebuilders who moved early to heat pump deployment. According to the Hub, following its Future Homes Standard Ready actions will help homebuilders deliver consistent performance, strengthen the customer experience and reduce risk.

The timetable

The government has said the Future Homes Standard comes into force on 24 March 2027, followed by a one-year transitional period. It has said gas boilers will not meet the required performance standard and that solar panels will be included for the majority of new homes.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government circular on the standards said the regulations create a new functional requirement, L3, for on-site renewable electricity generation in new dwellings, with the aim of new homes being built with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency.

The government has set an aim of 450,000 heat pump installations a year by 2030. It said a record 125,000 heat pumps were sold in 2025, a 27% increase on 2024.

National Heat Pump Week

National Heat Pump Week is a new campaign organised by the Heat Pump Association UK with Nineteen Group, the organiser of InstallerSHOW and elementalLONDON. The association describes it as a national campaign to accelerate the UK's transition to heat pumps, with a programme of webinars, articles, interviews, competitions and market insights.

As part of the week, David Adams, Strategic Advisor at the Future Homes Hub, will speak at the Building Homes of the Future Future Homes Standard webinar on 14 October.