Code For Sustainable Homes & Ecohomes
Since the 1st May 2008, Government legalisation has made it compulsory for all new homes in England and Wales to have a rating against the Code for Sustainable Homes.. The Code is an environmental assessment method for new homes based upon BRE’s Ecohomes and contains mandatory performance levels in 7 key areas.
The Code aims to protect the environment by providing guidance on the construction of high performance homes built with sustainability in mind.
The Scope of the Code For Sustainable Homes
Many house builders who currently use Ecohomes will find the credit system of the Code familiar. Users will notice that there are new mandatory minimum levels of performance that have been introduced across 7 key issues:
Energy efficiency /CO2
Water efficiency
Surface water management
Site Waste Management
Household Waste Management
Use of Materials
Lifetime homes (applies to Code Level 6 only
The Code Scoring System
The Code has a scoring system of six levels. The different levels are made up by achieving both the appropriate mandatory minimum standards together with a proportion of the ‘flexible’ standards.
Compliance with the Code For Sustainable Homes
Code assessments are carried out in two phases:
- An initial assessment and interim certification Is carried out at the design stage design drawings, specifications and commitments
Results in interim certificate of compliance.
- Final assessment and certification is carried out after construction Based on the design stage Review.
Confirmation of compliance including site records & visual inspection.
We are accredited to provide full Code for Sustainable Home Assessments for all property types to meet the required Code Level. As M&E consultants we can use our expertise to advise on suitable solutions to meet the code requirements.
For details of BREEAM Offices & Retail, please visit BREEAM Commercial Assessments
