How Will Reform Changes by The UK Government Impact The Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Heat Pump and EPC Landscape?

The UK Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and heat pump and EPC landscape is moving forward bringing with it changes. These changes are focussed on UK government targets which are looking to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and shift towards low-carbon heating technologies through the tightening of F-gas regulations, net-zero policy alignment, the Future Home Standard and Energy Efficiency and Reporting Reforms.

So how will this impact HVACs, heat pumps and EPCs? Below we outline some of the ongoing changes.

Refrigerant Regulations (F-Gas Phasedown)

F-gas, short for fluorinated gases, are man-made gases which include hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are used in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumps (79.5% of emissions in 2020), medical inhalers and aerosols (9.8%), electrical switchgear (4.1%), closed-cell insulation foams (3.3%), fire protection systems (2.5%) and other specialist applications (0.8%), such as semi-conductor manufacture, solvents, high-voltage switchgear (insulation), aerosol propellants, and foam insulation and tracer gases.

F-Gas Policy

The Department of Rural Affairs (DEFRA) oversees F-gas policy on production, import, export, placing on the market, use, recovery, recycling, reclama­tion and destruction of substances that deplete the ozone layer, on the reporting of information related to those substances and on the import, export, placing on the market and use of products and equipment containing or relying on those substances that deplete the ozone layer. In 2021 DEFRA carried out a comprehensive review of the retained European Union (EU) F gas Regulation ((EU) No 517/2014), as they applied in the UK, to identify opportunities for further reductions in F-gas emissions. At the end of 2022 DEFRA published the “F gas regulation in Great Britain - Assessment report”.

More Ambitious Phasedown

On November 5, 2025 DEFRA announced the launch of a consultation to look at “a more ambitious phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)” with the view to significantly tightening and restricting the use of high Global Warming Potential (GWP) (a measurement of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over 100 years compared to CO₂ (which has a GWP of 1) refrigerants. These restrictions will be designed to reduce the supply of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to 21% of the 2009-2012 baseline by 2030, a reduction of 79% and encourage the shift towards low GWP refrigerants such as R-32 which is an A2L refrigerant.

A2L refrigerants are classed as "A" (Low Toxicity), "2L" (Low Flammability/low burning velocity) “mildly flammable” unlike A1 refrigerants which are A1 (non-flammable) and most importantly they have significantly lower GWP impact, meaning they trap significantly less heat in the atmosphere compared to conventional alternatives, typically aiming for a GWP value of 150 or less over a 100-year timeframe. A2L refrigerants have superior thermodynamic properties which allow for a more effective heat exchange which can improve the cooling/heating capability of any system using them. It’s been reported that systems using A2L refrigerants can function with 5-10% higher efficiency. A2L refrigerants require specific handling and safety protocols.

As the volume of high GWP refrigerants is reduced through staged quota reductions, their availability will become less predictable, supply pressure will increase and costs may fluctuate which will directly impact consumers.  

Future Targets

It’s important to note that the current targets may change in the future as the UK government (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)) is currently analysing feedback gathered from its “F gas Regulation in Great Britain: Reform of the HFC phasedown” consultation which is looking at “a more ambitious phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)”.

The consultation put forward proposals with the aim to better align with the UK government’s net-zero commitments by going further in the phasing down of HFCs which is currently set out in Annex 5, the “Calculation of the Maximum Quantity, Reference Values and Quotas for Placing Hydrofluorocarbons on the Market” of the existing Regulation on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (the F gas Regulation.” DEFRA are proposing the “phasedown in the F gas Regulation by adjusting the existing schedule from 2027 and adding further steps from 2030 until 2050.” These adjustments would revise the end target of the phasedown and replace “the 79% reduction by 2030 target with a 98.6% reduction by 2048 target.” 

Environment Minister Emma Hardy said “Hydrofluorocarbons are among the most powerful greenhouse gases, and strengthening their phasedown is an important step towards achieving our net zero goals. These proposals will result in a near-total elimination of these harmful gases coming onto the market while supporting the rollout of clean heating technologies like heat pumps, ensuring we continue to deliver on both our domestic and international climate commitments.”

With the continuing F-gas phasedown, and the restrictions on high GWP refrigerants already e.g. in 2025 new ‘single split’ air conditioning systems, commonly used for room air conditioning (a system with one cooling coil connected to a remote condensing unit) that contained less than 3kg of refrigerant with a GWP > 750 were banned from being placed on the market; any changes to the current timeline through the consultation may impact any businesses that are still on an old air conditioning system which uses high GWP refrigerants.

Businesses and facility managers should start to plan ahead and be looking to transition to low GWP refrigerants such as such as R-32 (which has a GWP of 675) when thinking about installing or upgrading their existing air conditioning systems to ensure compliance with low GWP refrigerants.

In order to plan ahead consider what refrigerants your system currently uses and if it will still be serviceable in the next few years. Also think about how future F-gas servicing restrictions might impact your company and look at whether upgrading or renewing current HVAC equipment now rather than later will impact costs (taking into account how more energy efficient a modern system may be).

Future Homes Standard (Part L and F)

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities “The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation” was setup to look at changes to Part 6, Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations for dwellings and non-domestic buildings and to seek evidence on previous changes to Part O (overheating).

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) applies to new homes in England and is focussed on making new homes more energy efficient as part of the UK government’s strategy set out to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

FHS Proposals Published

The Final Stage Impact Assessment: Future Homes Standard (FHS) published in March 2026 sets out policy “smart” objectives and states that:

• all new homes built to FHS will be zero-carbon ready by default, with the FHS implemented as soon as is reasonably possible to contribute to the UK Government’s legal commitment to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 whilst giving the sector adequate time to adjust (dwellings built to the FHS will not require retrofitting to become zero carbon in use once the electricity grid is fully decarbonised. Zero-carbon ready dwellings will likely include the mainstream adoption of low-carbon technologies such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, wastewater heat recovery, and low-carbon heating).
• operational energy use will be reduced, and carbon emissions will fall by at least 75% compared to 2013 standards.
• energy costs for occupants will be lower than the typical existing home11 and more predictable. The use of fossil fuel-free heating systems in FHS homes will make sure occupants are protected from fossil fuel price volatility.

The FHS assessment goes onto explain that the final specification for the FHS has been set using a ‘notional building’ approach (a reference building that sets tailored performance targets and developers’ designs must meet the same level of performance (energy usage, carbon emissions and fabric efficiency) as the reference building. Under FHS, the notional building for new dwellings will include a heat pump, wastewater heat recovery, improved airtightness and decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV).”

Steve Reed, the UK government’s Housing Secretary, explains “Building 1.5 million new homes also means building high-quality homes that are cheaper to run and warmer to live in. As we make the switch to clean, homegrown energy, today’s standard is what the future of housing can and should look like. Not only will these changes protect hardworking families from shocks abroad but will also slash hundreds of pounds off their energy bills every year.”

Charlotte Lee, Chief Executive, HPA UK, said “We are delighted to get confirmation that following a transition period, all new homes and buildings will benefit from low carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks. Coupled with solar PV, heat pumps and connections to heat networks provide a future proofed solution which will strengthen the UK’s energy security.”

Energy Performance of Buildings

In December 2024 the UK government Department for Energy and Net Zero launched a consultation on the ‘Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime’ seeking views on the reform of the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) framework “clarifying and consolidating regulations, and focusing on improving the applicability, quality, and data usage of energy certificates in domestic and non-domestic buildings; updating EPC metrics, refining requirements for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Display Energy Certificates (DECs), improving data management protocols and strengthening quality control and revising air conditioning inspection reports (ACIRs).

In January 2026 the government published its partial response to the consultation.

The response confirms there will be significant changes to the EPC system with domestic EPCs moving away from a single A-G rating to a new multi-metric system which will consider energy cost (an estimate of running costs), heating system (the efficiency and carbon intensity of the installed heat source), fabric performance (the thermal performance of the building envelope including (walls, windows, floors and roof) and smart readiness (a new metric looking at the building’s capacity to integrate with smart technologies). A valid EPC will be required at the point a property is marketed rather than point of sale or rent and will remain valid for 10 years. The government aimed to implement the new metric EPCs from October 2026 but have now decided to move the launch of the reforms to the second half of 2027.

The government states that “EPCs will remain an important tool for delivering the Warm Homes Plan, which aims to save families money and contribute to the UK meeting its climate targets, including by setting new PRS standards for homes by 2030.”

With the ever-evolving changes to F-gas phasedown rules, Future Building Standards and EPCs it’s important to know what’s required. Synecore can provide that expertise.

Synecore – Experts In HVAC Systems

Synecore are experts in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, heat pump technology and commercial EPCs.

Synecore designs, installs, and maintains HVAC systems and heat pumps for both homes and commercial buildings and are an approved supplier and installation expert for HVAC brands, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, and Daikin who are the disruptors in developing clean and efficient cooling and heating solutions for commercial and residential properties. We are also an approved contractor with the industry’s leading air source and ground source heat pump manufacturers; we can offer incredible value and long-term warranties for installations.

We offer Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) which ensures you are F-Gas (a legal obligation for any business that operates an air conditioning system with a CO2 equivalent charge of 5 tonnes or more) and TM44 (an energy efficiency assessment of a buildings air conditioning system with a rated output of 12kW or more) compliant. Removing any uncertainty in the management of your system and giving you complete peace of mind.

New installations benefit from extended warranty periods when maintained by Synecore.

If you are looking to install a new HVAC system or heat pump in Kent, London, Essex, Surrey and Sussex contact our team or call on 01795 509 509. We’ll talk you through your options and provide you with expert advice on the right system for you.