Planning, building and the environment

Code for Sustainable Homes

Code for sustainable homes logo

On the 27 February 2008 the Government confirmed a mandatory rating against the Code will be implemented from 1 May 2008.

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 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 will provide valuable information to home buyers, and offer builders a tool with which to differentiate themselves in sustainability terms.

Guidance on how to comply with the Code can be found in these publications. 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, and 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.

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 could choose to be assessed against the Code. (Technical guidance on how to comply with the Code can be found below).

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.