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Future Buildings Standard

Building Types

How the Future Buildings Standard applies to different non-domestic building types – from offices and warehouses to schools and mixed-use developments.

Higher-Risk Buildings

FBS requirements for buildings over 18 metres – later enforcement, PV exemptions, and Building Safety Regulator oversight.

Offices

Side-lit compliance for offices - heat pumps, 40% PV coverage (or none with 100% heat pump heating), and SBEM modelling.

Warehouses

Top-lit compliance for warehouses - radiant electric heating, 40% PV coverage, and enhanced airtightness.

Schools

School-specific FBS guidance – heating, ventilation, daylighting, and compliance costs for education buildings.

Retail

FBS compliance for retail buildings – display lighting, heating approach, and PV requirements for shops and retail warehouses.

Mixed-Use Developments

When both FBS and FHS apply – compliance with Part L Volumes 1 and 2 for buildings containing domestic and non-domestic elements.

The Future Buildings Standard applies to all new non-domestic buildings, but the compliance approach varies by building type. The NCM distinguishes between side-lit spaces (offices, hotels, schools) and top-lit spaces (warehouses, sports halls), each with different notional building assumptions for heating, PV, and airtightness.