Insights

Code For Sustainable Homes

Introduction to the code for sustainable homes

A national standard of sustainability for new build housing, the Code for Sustainable Homes was launched in December 2006 to replace the Ecohomes standard.

In summary of the Code for Sustainable Homes:

• Identifies a set of issues which are known to impact on the environment
• Establishes performance measures which:
  • are known to reduce environmental impacts
  • exceed the requirements of legislation and regulations
  • can be objectively assessed, evaluated and delivered in a practical and cost effective way by the construction industry.
• Identifies environmental issues for which mandatory minimum performance must be achieved in order to gain a Code rating
• Assesses environmental performance in a two stage process (Design stage and Post construction) using objective criteria and verification
• Records results of the Code assessment on a certificate assigned to the dwelling.

Constitution of the code for sustainable homes

The code consists of six levels of sustainability for new build housing. Indicated by a star, each level incorporates mandatory elements relating to energy performance, water usage and building requirements of sustainability. Where energy is concerned, the necessary requirements are measured as a percentage reduction in carbon emissions in comparison to Building Regulations Part L1:

% Reduction in Carbon Emissions by level
Level 1    10%
Level 2    18%
Level 3    25%
Level 4    44%
Level 5    100%
Level 6    Zero Carbon

The 9 contributing elements of the Code for Sustainable Homes:

• Energy and CO2 Emissions
• Water
• Materials
• Surface Water Run-off
• Waste
  • Pollution
  • Heath and Wellbeing
  • Management
  • Ecology

The purpose of the code for sustainable homes

There are two main reasons for the introduction of the code for sustainable homes. The code for sustainable homes is an independent accredited; Government endorsed initiative for rating the sustainability of new housing. The rating, which is allocated to the property, is used to recognize a green home. One of the intentions of implementing the code for sustainable homes is to encourage developers to use the “greenness” of the property as a credible selling feature.

The code for sustainable homes has also been introduced in anticipation of future building regulations. The pre-emption of future building regulations allows the building industry to confidently build houses to a specific level whilst gaining experience and expertise. An example of this can be found in the Government’s intentions that all new housing should be zero carbon by 2016 in England.

Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) have been obliged to build all new housing to level 3 of the code for sustainable homes since April 2008. Where possible, it is now recommended that all existing housing be retrofitted to level 3 of the code for sustainable homes where possible.