New Home Energy Model Rating System to Replace Current UK rating by 2025

The UK’s housing industry will undergo a significant change in 2025 when the Home Energy Model (HEM) takes over from the current Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for rating the energy efficiency of homes. This is a step forward in the government’s plan, titled the Future Homes Standard, which aims to improve the energy performance of new homes and cut down on carbon emissions.

wooden model of a house being held in a woman's hands with warm orange glowing light shining through the windows and door.

A Closer Look at the Home Energy Model

The Home Energy Model is an advanced system designed to accurately measure and rate the energy efficiency of new houses. It is expected to influence future residential designs, energy strategies, and building regulations.

The Goal of the Home Energy Model

The Home Energy Model’s main purpose is to guide the construction of new homes with better energy efficiency, in line with the UK’s goal to significantly reduce carbon emissions. According to the Future Homes Standard, new homes from 2025 should have 75-80% lower carbon emissions than homes built to current standards.

Differences Between SAP, EPC, and HEM

With the transition to the Home Energy Model approaching in 2025, it’s important for everyone involved to understand how it differs from the present SAP and Energy Performance Certificates (EPC).

Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)

  • How It Works: SAP currently measures and compares the energy performance and environmental effects of a property based on its energy consumption for standardized household scenarios.
  • Use: It applies to all newly built, converted, and certain renovated homes across the UK.
  • Outputs: The SAP results contribute to the Energy Efficiency Rating and Environmental Impact Rating, which are part of the EPC.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

  • Purpose: EPCs offer an overview of a building’s energy performance features, including energy efficiency ratings.
  • Importance: Required for any property sold or let in the UK, they inform potential buyers or renters about the building’s energy use and suggest how to improve it.
  • Contents: They provide cost-effective recommendations for enhancing a building’s energy performance.

The New Home Energy Model (HEM)

  • Upgrades in Precision: The HEM intends to simulate real energy consumption more accurately by considering actual use patterns instead of standard theoretical scenarios like SAP.
  • Modern Standard Compliance: It supports the Future Homes Standard’s requirements for drastically improved energy efficiency in new homes.
  • Ongoing Refinement: The model is still being refined, with input from various industry players shaping its final version.

Comparative Benefits

  • Applicability to Real Life: HEM is poised to use actual usage data and adaptive behaviors for a truer measure of energy efficiency.
  • Adaptability for the Future: HEM is being created to encompass future technological advances and shifts in energy consumption.
  • Detailed Evaluations: The model seeks to evaluate a wider spectrum of factors affecting energy use, such as renewables integration and more accurate thermal modeling.

Effects on Housing Sector

The launch of the Home Energy Model represents a move towards a more nuanced and realistic assessment of home energy usage, stepping away from the constraints of the current SAP.

Prospects and Collaboration in the Industry

The development of the Home Energy Model includes ample chances for feedback and involvement for professionals working in home building and environmental areas. Stakeholders are encouraged to help shape the new system by sharing their views through government events and surveys.

If you’re involved in the creation, design, or management of residential properties, it’s crucial to get acquainted with the Home Energy Model now. Participating in this upcoming standard will not only guarantee you meet the new requirements by 2025 but will also place your projects at the leading edge of sustainable development. Consider joining relevant workshops or reviewing consultation documents to get ahead of how these changes could affect your operations.