Code for Sustainable Homes
On the 27 February 2008 the Government confirmed mandatory rating against the Code will be implemented for new homes from 1 May 2008.
Communities and Local Government have produced further guidance: The Code for Sustainable Homes: Setting the Sustainability Standards for New Home which sets out the current assessment process and the performance standards required for the Code.
Introduction
On 13 December 2006, the Code for Sustainable Homes - a new national standard for sustainable design and construction of new homes was launched. Since April 2007 the developer of any new home in England can choose to be assessed against the Code.
The Code measures the sustainability of a new home against categories of sustainable design, rating the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. The Code uses a 1 to 6 star rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a new home. The Code sets minimum standards for energy and water use at each level and, within England, replaces the EcoHomes scheme, developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
The Code also gives new homebuyers better information about the environmental impact of their new home and its potential running costs, and offer builders a tool with which to differentiate themselves in sustainability terms.
Consultation
On 23 July 2007 Communities and Local Government published a consultation: The future of the Code for Sustainable Homes - Making a rating mandatory (PDF 551 Kb) on proposals to make rating against the Code for Sustainable Homes mandatory. This consultation also asks about the future of the Code, including whether Lifetime Homes standards should be made mandatory at progressively lower levels of the Code over time.
On 16 November 2007 the Department published a summary of responses to this consultation: The Future of the Code for Sustainable Homes - Making a Rating Mandatory: Summary of Responses (PDF 304 Kb). The principle message is that as a result of consultation, the Government confirmed it would be proceeding with the implementation of mandatory rating against the Code for all new homes.
Background
The Code for Sustainable Homes was launched as part of a package of measures towards zero carbon development, including an overarching consultation: Building A Greener Future on the shift to zero carbon; and a consultation on the draft of a new Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change.
Communities and Local Government (then ODPM) carried out a public consultation on the code between 4 December 2005 and 6 March 2006. The consultation document, summary of responses to the consultation and the Regulatory Impact Assessment can be viewed on the Communities and Local Government website.
Related Publication
Carbon Reductions in New Non Domestic Buildings: UK-Green Building Council (UK-GBC) Report
Archived Publication
The publication below is now out of date and therefore should no longer be referred to.
Code for Sustainable Homes - A step-change in sustainable home building practice (PDF 264 kb)
Code for Sustainable Homes - A step-change in sustainable home building practice (WORD 3022 kb)
