Code for Sustainable Homes
What is it?
A code to drive a step change in sustainable home building practice. It will become the single national standard for sustainable homes.
It will also form the basis for future building regs and is a means of driving continuous improvement.
Who does it affect?
It will be used by home designers and builders as a guide to development.
Also used by home buyers to assist in their home buying.
COMPLIANCE is voluntary but changes are likely to become mandatory so will be wise for developers to follow.
Details?
The Code measures the sustainability of a home against design categories, rating the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. Those familiar with building regulations, will recognise this as a major and welcome departure from current practice. The design categories included within the Code are:
- energy/CO2
- pollution
- water
- health and well-being
- materials
- management
- surface water run-off
- ecology
- waste
The Code uses a sustainability rating system – indicated by ‘stars’, to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a home. A home can achieve a sustainability rating from one (★) to six (★★★★★★) stars depending on the extent to which it has achieved Code standards. One star (★) is the entry level – above the level of the Building Regulations; and six stars (★★★★★★) is the highest level – reflecting exemplar development in sustainability terms.
Links
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/buildingregs/sustainablehomes/