Planning, building and the environment

Code for Sustainable Homes

Code for sustainable homes logo

The Code is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes. The Code aims to reduce our carbon emissions and create homes that are more sustainable.

The Code measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the 'whole home' as a complete package. The Code uses a one to six 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 will provide valuable information to home buyers, and offers builders a tool with which to differentiate themselves in sustainability terms.

If you attended the Local Authority workshops on the Code the presentations are now available on the BRE website (see 'On Other Sites' links, right).

Consultation

The Code supports the government target that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016 and the step changes in Building Regulations Part L leading to this. We are now consulting on changes to the Code in light of changing regulations and the development of the zero carbon definition as well as further options for streamlining and updating the Code. The Sustainable New Homes: The Road to Zero Carbon: Consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Energy Efficiency standard for Zero Carbon Homes  invites comments on our proposals before 24 March 2010.

Guidance

Communities and Local Government has published the leaflet Greener Homes for the Future, which highlights what the Code is, how it works and what it means to have a mandatory rating for new homes.

The Department has published two case studies which show the different ways of achieving various levels of the Code and also highlights potential pit-falls for developers (see 'Related publications' links, below).

The Department has also funded the production of The Sponge Buyer's Guide To A Greener Home, which gives buyers of new homes the confidence and the knowledge to buy a greener, more sustainable, home (see 'On Other Sites' links, right).

Guidance on how to comply with the Code

  • The Code for Sustainable Homes: Setting the Sustainability Standards for New Homes , which sets out the assessment process and the performance standards required for the Code.
  • The Code for Sustainable Homes: Technical guide , which sets out the requirements for the Code, and the process by which a Code assessment is reached. The latest version is the 'May 2009 Version 2' guide which comes into effect on 22 June 2009. For homes registered on or after this date, the May 2009 Version 2 will apply. The October 2008 version (which is available in the achived section) will only apply to homes registered before this date.
  • The Code for Sustainable Homes: Summary of Changes to the Technical Guidance May 2009 Version 2 , records the changes between the October 2008 version of the Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guide and the May 2009 version.
  • CLG and BRE Global Ltd have produced twoTechnical Guidance Notes that provide further clarification of the interpretation of the Technical Guide requirements for Surface Water Run-off,  and addresses some of the complexity of the evidence requirements which are required within the current Technical Guides issued to date (see 'On Other Sites' links, right).  

Cost analysis

In November 2007 we published an Impact Assessment which was part of the Housing and Regeneration Bill Impact Assessment paper, that analysed the costs and benefits of introducing mandatory ratings against the Code which included updated modelling data on the costs of building Code homes.  Further details of the cost modelling undertaken can be found in the report Cost Analysis of The Code for Sustainable Homes: Final report. An updated cost analysis, based upon 2009 research, can be found in the report Code for Sustainable Homes: A Cost Review.

Background

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.

On 16 November 2007 the Government confirmed that it would be proceeding with the implementation of mandatory ratings against the Code for all new homes following responses to the consultation on making a rating mandatory.  From 1 May 2008 it is now mandatory for all new homes to be rated against the Code and include a Code or nil-rated certificate within the Home Information Pack.

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