Control Archives - SimpliHome Automation

From 24 March 2027, new homes in England will have to meet the Future Homes Standard. For housebuilders and developers across Kent, it changes how homes are heated, powered and controlled. For homeowners, it shows where every home is heading. This post explains what the Future Homes Standard in Kent means in practice, and why smart heating control sits at the heart of it.

What is the Future Homes Standard?

The Future Homes Standard is the next stage of the Building Regulations for new homes in England. The Government has confirmed that the new regulations come into force on 24 March 2027. Projects where a building notice is submitted before that date and work starts before 24 March 2028 are covered by transitional arrangements.

Under the new standard, new homes will need:

Low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps, in place of gas boilers
On-site renewable electricity generation, such as solar panels
Proper controls for those systems, set up and commissioned correctly

The aim is for new homes to achieve around a 75% cut in carbon emissions compared with current standards.

Why does smart control matter for the Future Homes Standard?

Heat pumps, solar panels and ventilation systems are only as efficient as the way they are run. A heat pump that heats empty rooms, or solar power that is exported when it could be used in the home, wastes much of what the technology offers.

That is where smart control comes in. Loxone has developed a dedicated Future Homes Standard solution that brings heating, ventilation, lighting, shading, solar, EV charging and energy management together on one platform. As Loxone puts it, the last part of the journey for housebuilders comes from smart control. Loxone is also listed on the UK Government’s Energy Technology List.

How does smart heating control fit in?

Heating is the largest energy use in most homes, so it is where smart control makes the biggest difference. A Loxone system manages each room individually, using a few key parts.

Smart Heating Controller — sets the right temperature for each room, with comfort, eco and away modes.
Radiator / UFH Zone Controller — controls the radiators or underfloor heating in each room, so heat only goes where it is needed.
Smart Energy Optimisation — monitors energy across the home, so heating, hot water and appliances can make the most of solar power when it is available.

We cover room-by-room heating in more detail in our guide to smart heating control in Kent.

What does the Future Homes Standard mean for Kent developers?

For developers, housebuilders and M&E contractors in Kent and the South East, the Future Homes Standard means planning heating, renewables and controls together from the start, rather than as separate packages.

SimpliHome Automation designs, installs and commissions the smart control layer that ties these systems together, working alongside our electrical partner, Ryland M&E. One platform means one installer, one app for the homeowner, and a system that is properly set up at handover.

Will smart heating control save homeowners money?

Yes. Good control delivers real savings on running costs, not just compliance. According to the Energy Saving Trust, installing a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves can save around £100 a year in Great Britain, and turning a thermostat down from 22°C to 21°C can save around £120 a year. Smart control builds on the same principles automatically, room by room. Savings in any home depend on its size, insulation and heating system.

Does the Future Homes Standard affect existing homes in Kent?

The Future Homes Standard applies to new homes, so existing homes do not have to change. But the direction of travel is clear: low-carbon heating, home-generated energy and intelligent control.

Installing smart heating control now gives you lower running costs today, and a system that is ready to manage a heat pump, solar panels or a home battery when you add them later. That is why we see Loxone as an investment for the future, not just a heating upgrade.

Why choose SimpliHome Automation?

SimpliHome Automation is a Loxone Silver Partner based in Kent, working across Kent and the South East. We design every system around the property and the people who live in it, and electrical installation work is carried out in partnership with Ryland M&E.

Next steps

Whether you are a developer planning for the Future Homes Standard in Kent, or a homeowner who wants lower running costs and a future-ready home, get in touch. We will talk through your project and give you a clear, no-obligation quote.

📧 info@simplihomeautomation.co.uk 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7868 110098

One of the first questions we get asked by renovators and self-builders across Kent is simple: should the system be wired or wireless?

The honest answer is that it depends on your project — and with Loxone, it’s rarely an all-or-nothing decision. The same smart home platform supports both wired (Tree) and wireless (Air) devices side by side, so the right choice often comes down to room by room, not house by house.

Wired: Loxone Tree

Loxone Tree is a wired bus system — a single cable daisy-chains between devices, carrying both power and data. It’s the gold standard for reliability: no batteries to change, no signal drop-outs, and rock-solid performance for years.

Tree is the natural choice when:

You’re building new or undertaking a full rewire
Walls are already open for electrical works
You want the lowest possible long-term maintenance

Because Tree requires cabling to be run during the build, it works best when planned early — ideally alongside your electrician. Installation is carried out in partnership with Ryland M&E, and is subject to survey and cabling access.

Wireless: Loxone Air

Loxone Air uses radio signals instead of cabling, which makes it ideal for retrofitting a smart home into a property where chasing walls isn’t practical or desirable — a period home, a listed building, or simply a renovation where you don’t want the disruption of rewiring.

Air is the natural choice when:

You’re upgrading an existing home without a full rewire
Cabling access is limited or costly
You want a phased rollout, adding rooms or features over time

A Real Example: The Loxone Touch Pure Display

This choice isn’t just theoretical; it now sits inside a single product. Loxone’s new Touch Pure Display, launched in July 2026, is available in both Tree (wired) and Air (wireless) versions, with an optional integrated CO2 sensor for rooms where air quality matters, such as bedrooms or home offices.

It’s a genuine step up from mounting a tablet on the wall as a makeshift room panel — the Touch Pure Display is purpose-built for Loxone, with a proper wall-mounted interface for lighting, shading, audio and room climate, alongside built-in temperature and humidity sensing. And because it’s offered in both connection types, you can specify Tree where cabling is available and Air where it isn’t — all within the same system, controlled from the same app.

A Real Example: The Loxone Wall Display 10″

At the other end of the scale is the new Wall Display 10″; a larger, central control screen designed to replace the common workaround of mounting a tablet in a hallway or kitchen to run the Loxone App. Unlike the Touch Pure Display, the Wall Display 10″ is wired only, connecting via Loxone Tree Turbo. There’s no wireless version.

That’s by design. A central hub display is typically fixed in one key location for the life of the system, so a permanent, always-on wired connection makes more sense than a battery or Wi-Fi-dependent device sitting at the heart of your home’s automation.

So Which Should You Choose?

For most Kent renovation and self-build projects, we’d suggest:

New build or full renovation with walls open: lean towards Tree wherever practical, for long-term reliability
Existing home, partial upgrade, or listed building: Air lets you add smart control without disruption
A central control point (hallway, kitchen, plant room): a wired option such as the Wall Display 10″ suits a fixed, permanent installation
Individual rooms: the Touch Pure Display’s Tree/Air choice means you can match the connection method to what’s practical in that specific space

There’s no need to commit to one approach for the whole house. That’s the benefit of a single platform supporting both — you can mix wired and wireless as your project, budget and building fabric demand.

Thinking about a new smart home installation, or extending an existing one? Get in touch and we’ll help you work out what’s right for your home

Tag: Control

The Future Homes Standard in Kent: Why Smart Heating Control Matters