Code for Sustainable Homes The Code for Sustainable Homes has been introduced to drive a step-change in sustainable home building practice. It is a standard for key elements of design and construction which affect the sustainability of a new home. It is the single national standard for sustainable homes, used by home designers and builders as a guide to development, and by home-buyers to assist in their choice of home.
The Code for Sustainable Homes was launched on April 10th, 2007 and has replaced EcoHomes assessments and sustainability certifications of residential properties in the UK. Unlike EcoHomes, the Code contains minimum mandatory sustainability standards that have to be met before even the lowest level of the Code can be achieved. The Code builds upon EcoHomes in a number of ways, for example:
- The Code introduces minimum standards for energy and water efficiency at every level of the Code.
- The Code uses a simpler system of awarding points with more complex weightings removed.
- The Code includes new areas of sustainable design, such as Lifetime Homes and the inclusion of composting facilities, and removes references to transport links.
Developments are given a score from 1 to 6 stars depending on the level of performance overall and within selected credits. A six star rating will be awarded to carbon neutral homes that also include a substantial range of eco-friendly features:
CODE LEVEL ECO HOMES EQUIVALENT Level 1 * 36 Points PASS Level 2 ** 48 Points GOOD Level 3 *** 57 Points VERY GOOD Level 4 **** 68 Points EXCELLENT Level 5 ***** 84 Points EXCELLENT Level 6 ****** 90 Points EXCELLENT
Premier Assessors Energy and Sustainability Consultants as Code for Sustainable Homes Assessors can help developers, architects and self-builders to achieve the required level on the Code for Sustainable Homes. For help and friendly advice contact us by telephone or email.
The Code for Sustainable Homes - 2010 Update Communities and Local Government (CLG) are aiming to publish and implement the revised 2010 version of Code for Sustainable Homes (Code) Technical Guide in the second half of October. As soon as the release and implementation date is established by CLG, we will communicate full details to assessors. Once the Code 2010 scheme version is implemented the following transition arrangements will apply and should be used to determine which scheme version new developments are registered against:
1. For a period of one month following implementation of the October 2010 Technical Guide it will be possible to register new developments under either the May 2009 V2 OR October 2010 scheme versions. 2. Where evidence is provided showing that all dwellings are eligible to be assessed for compliance with the 2006 version of Part L of the Building Regulations, it will be possible to register developments against the May 2009 V2 version of the Code indefinitely. 3. After the period of one month from the implementation date of the 2010 version of the Code, it will be necessary for all developments, apart from those that meet the requirements described in point 2 above, to register against the October 2010 version of the Code.
The transition arrangements above are designed to allow alignment between the Part L and the Code versions applied to developments. This is intended to minimise the number of instances where it is necessary to use both SAP 2005 and SAP 2009 to assess the energy performance of the same dwelling. In all cases developments registered against the May 2009 V2 or previous scheme versions will be required to use SAP 2005 to assess energy performance regardless of the requirements of Part L.
Given the above, it is advised that developments registered against the May 2009 V2 or previous Code scheme versions are submitted for approval against Part L 2006, to avoid the requirement for two different versions of SAP to be used.
From 1 October 2010, it is no longer possible to register new schemes against Part L version 2006, except where work has already (physically) commenced before 1 October 2010, OR where a Building notice, full plans, initial notice or plans certificate has been given to a Building Control Body before 1 October 2010 so long as work is physically commenced by 1 October 2011.
Alternatively, developments registered against previous Code scheme versions can be re-registered against the October 2010 scheme version without charge.
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