SAP 10.3: the current methodology for new homes

The position in 2026

SAP 10.3 is the current approved Standard Assessment Procedure for new dwellings in England. It supports compliance assessments under the Future Homes Standard while the government completes assurance work on the Home Energy Model.

For designers and developers, the practical point is simple: a project should be assessed using the methodology and approved software that apply to its regulatory route and transition date. The project address, planning and Building Regulations history, construction programme and intended completion date all matter.

What to prepare

A dependable assessment still begins with coordinated drawings and specifications. Floor areas, exposed surfaces, thermal junctions, glazing, ventilation, heating, hot water, renewable systems and evidence for product performance should be established early enough to influence the design.

Late calculations can reveal a compliance gap when the available changes are expensive. Early design-stage modelling gives the team time to compare fabric and services options before details are fixed.

The Space Method view

Treat SAP as part of design coordination rather than a certificate produced at the end. Confirm the regulatory basis first, record assumptions clearly and update the model when the design changes. That produces a more useful result for the designer, building control and the eventual as-built submission.