NEWSFLASH: Code for Sustainable Homes

Thinking of starting a new build project? Or getting a foot on the ladder with a new-build property? Are you up to date with the Code for Sustainable Homes? This article gives a brief outline for the code and it's benefits. Check back for our next installment; considering which products help achieve which level of sustainability.

Code for Sustainable Homes - Quick Guide

In February 2010, the Government announced that all new private dwellings will have to meet government criteria for low carbon sustainable homes from Spring 2010. The Code for sustainable Homes was introduced in 2007, and has been developed to enable a step change in sustainable building practice for new dwellings. The Code is intended as a single national standard to guide industry in the design and construction of sustainable homes. It is a means of driving continuous improvement, greater innovation and exemplary achievement in sustainable home building. The Code measures the sustainability of a home against design categories, rating the whole home as a complete package. the design categories included within the Code are:
- energy/CO2
- pollution
- water
- health and well-being
- materials
- management
- surface water run off
- ecology
- waste


How Does The Code Work?


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 is has achieved Code standards. It is hoped that all new homes will achieve 6 star, exemplary level by 2020.

The table below shows the minimum standards and the number of points required in order to achieve each level of the code.

Summary of Code benefits


Benefits for the environment

- Reduced  greenhouse gas emissions: With minimum standards for energy efficiency at each level of the Code, there will be a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. This will enable us to reduce the threat from climate change.

- Better adaptation to climate change: The Building Regulations already limit the effects of solar gains in Summer. With minimum standards for winter efficiency at each level of the Code, and other measures in the Code, including better management of surface water run-ff, our future housing stock will be better adapted to cope with the impacts of climate change which are already inevitable.

-Reduced impact on the environment overall: Inclusion of measures which, for example, promote the use of less polluting materials and encourage household recycling, will ensure our future housing stock has fewer negative impacts overall on the environment.

Benefits for the home builder

- A mark of quality: Increasing media attention and public concern over environmental issues, notably climate change, has given rise to a growing appetite among consumers for more sustainable products and services. The Code for Sustainable Homes can be used by home builders to demonstrate the sustainability performance of their homes, and to differentiate themselves from their competitors

- Regulatory certainty: The levels of performance of for energy efficiency indicate the future direction of building regulations, bringing greater regulatory certainty for home builder, and acting as a guide to support effective business and investment planning.


- Flexibility: the Code is based on performance which means it sets levels for sustainability performance against each element but does not prescribe how to achieve each level. Home builders can innovate to find cost effective solutions to meet and exceed minimum requirements.

Benefits for social housing providers

- lower running costs:  Homes built to Code standard will have lower running costs through greater energy and water efficiency than homes not built to the Code standard, so helping to reduce fuel poverty.

- Improved comfort and satisfaction: Home built to Code will enhance the comfort and satisfaction of tenants. Costs may be saved in dealing with complaints.

- Raised sustainability credentials: The Code will enable social housing providers to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to the public, tenants and funding bodies.

Benefits for consumers

- Assisting choice: The Code will provide valuable information to home buyers on the sustainability performance of different homes, assisting them in their choice of a new home.

- Reducing environmental 'footprint': By asking for a new home which meets the Code standard, consumers will be able to encourage industry to build more sustainable homes, and reduce their own footprint on the environment.

- Lower running costs: Homes built to Code standard will have lower running costs through greater energy and water efficiency than homes not built to the Code standard, so helping to reduce fuel poverty.

- Improved well-being: Homes built to Code standard will provide a more pleasant and healthy place to live, for example with more natural light and adaptability for future needs.