About this service

Solar PV with an air source heat pump is the usual way a new home meets the Future Homes Standard. Brands commonly specified on new builds include Daikin, Mitsubishi Ecodan, Vaillant aroTHERM, Samsung EHS and Grant Aerona. With a controllable hot-water cylinder and a time-of-use tariff, some heating and hot-water demand can be met from the roof rather than the grid.

Who it's for

Self-builders
Custom builds
Off-gas-grid sites

How it fits into a new-build programme

Heat Pump Integration (ASHP) is specified at design stage, entered into the SAP 10.3 calculation, installed during construction and documented at handover. When you compare quotes, check the installer's MCS certification for this technology, the length of the workmanship warranty and who backs it, and what the handover pack will include.

40% of ground floor area

PV / ground floor area

Mar 2027

FHS in force

75%

CO₂ vs 2013 baseline

£4,350 per dwelling

Per-plot premium (2025 prices, FHS Impact Assessment)

For developers and housebuilders

Heat pump integration (ashp) on volume new-build programmes

On a multi-plot programme, settle four things at procurement: the per-plot price and how it moves with inflation; whether the array is modelled in the SAP 10.3 calculation for every house type; what your structural warranty provider needs to see for roof-integrated PV; and who issues the MCS certificate at handover, since buyers need it to claim Smart Export Guarantee payments.

Developer guide →

For self-builders and architects

Heat pump integration (ashp) for one-off custom builds

On a one-off build the array is easiest to settle at RIBA Stage 2 or 3, while the roof geometry is still open. Your SAP assessor models the system for the Part L submission, your building control body signs it off, and PV installed as part of constructing a new dwelling is zero-rated for VAT under HMRC Notice 708.

Self-build guide →

How this fits into the FHS compliance pathway

Every FHS-compliant new build passes three regulatory gates. Heat pump integration (ashp) sits mainly in the second, design-stage Part L compliance, but it affects building control sign-off and the handover documents too:

1
Planning permission Solar PV designed into a new dwelling is normally covered by the dwelling's own planning permission. Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and plots within the curtilage of a listed building need extra planning evidence, usually prepared by the architect or planning agent.
2
Building control: Part L compliance SAP 10.3 is the compliance calculation at FHS launch. The dwelling's emission and primary energy rates must meet their targets, with the PV array, heat pump, fabric U-values and air permeability all entered. The SAP assessor prepares the design-stage and as-built calculations that building control reviews.
3
Completion: certificates and handover The MCS certificate (needed for Smart Export Guarantee payments), the Energy Performance Certificate and the homeowner's handover documents. If your structural warranty provider has requirements for roof-integrated PV, confirm them before the roof goes on.

For a fuller walkthrough of the compliance process, see the Part L 2026 guide and the FHS PV calculator, which sizes a compliant array from your ground floor area.

Frequently asked questions

Air source or ground source?

Air source is the usual choice on new builds because of its lower capital cost and simpler installation. Ground source can suit rural plots with land for collector loops.

How does the heat pump pair with solar?

PV generation can run the heat pump and heat the hot-water cylinder during the day, reducing grid import. The benefit is largest in spring and autumn, when both heating demand and solar output are significant.

Which heat pumps are common on new builds?

Daikin Altherma, Mitsubishi Ecodan, Vaillant aroTHERM Plus, Samsung EHS and Grant Aerona. Selection depends on the refrigerant, noise limits and installation access.