Press Releases
CODE FOR SUSTAINBLE HOMES MANDATORY 1ST MAY 2008
28th February 2008
The Government announced yesterday (27th February 2008) that a Code for Sustainable Homes rating will be mandatory for all new homes from May 1st 2008.
Requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes
This rating measures nine categories of sustainable design including energy, water and waste. It measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design including energy, water and waste, and will provide buyers and developers will have a common standard on sustainability to inform homes that they buy and build respectively. The Code also contains the standards for constructing new homes to age friendly designs, as set out earlier this week in the Department's Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society. Those homes that have not been assessed against the Code will score a nil-rating. Homes which exceed the sustainable standards in existing Building Regulations will be awarded up to six stars.
Assessment
The government will monitor uptake against the Code and ensuring all those building new homes are both aware of the requirement to provide a Code rating to buyers and encourage them to build Code homes. To meet the initial demand for assessments the government has ensured that there are already enough trained and licensed Code assessors, and more will be trained in the coming months.
John Packer Associates have been approved Code for Sustainable Homes Assessors since 2nd April 2007 and have a number of projects already registered and undergoing assessment.
Which developments will fall under the Code?
Ratings will apply to those homes being newly designed and built from April 2008, specifically when the builder reaches the stage of submitting a building notice, a full plans application or an initial notice for the purposes of building regulations after 6 April 2008. This will mean that builders can choose now to design and build to the Code and give themselves time to do so, rather than opting for a nil rating.
Welcoming the announcement Paul King of the UK Green Building Council said:
"The Code for Sustainable Homes will fundamentally change the way we build and buy new homes in this country. Buyers of new homes, for the first time, will see how green their home is - not just on its carbon emissions, but on other vital issues such as water consumption and impact on biodiversity. This will help stimulate the market for green building as consumers demand more sustainable homes that have lower energy bills, are built producing less needless waste and that are great places to live…”
The Code is part of a package of measures aimed at improving the sustainability of new homes, which includes:
o Tightening of the minimum energy performance standards in building regulations: 25% in 2010 and by 44% in 2013 (up to the zero carbon target in 2016).
o Introducing new minimum standards in Building Regulations to make new homes more water-efficient.
o The Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change, which puts climate change at the heart of the planning system - by ensuring that new communities are located and designed in a way which reduces the need to travel and makes best use of low carbon and renewable energy. The PPS will apply to all development, not just homes and makes clear references to the Code for Sustainable Homes.
o The stamp duty exemption for zero carbon homes, which came into effect on 1 October 2007 for houses, will act as a further incentive for developers to build zero carbon homes.
o Additionally, every home being bought and sold already needs an Energy Performance Certificate to show buyers how energy efficient it is.
o All Government-funded new homes will be built to Code level 3
Source: Communities and Local Government
For further information see www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
Note to editors:
Source: Communities and Local Government
For further information see www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
« Back
28th February 2008
The Government announced yesterday (27th February 2008) that a Code for Sustainable Homes rating will be mandatory for all new homes from May 1st 2008.
Requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes
This rating measures nine categories of sustainable design including energy, water and waste. It measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design including energy, water and waste, and will provide buyers and developers will have a common standard on sustainability to inform homes that they buy and build respectively. The Code also contains the standards for constructing new homes to age friendly designs, as set out earlier this week in the Department's Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society. Those homes that have not been assessed against the Code will score a nil-rating. Homes which exceed the sustainable standards in existing Building Regulations will be awarded up to six stars.
Assessment
The government will monitor uptake against the Code and ensuring all those building new homes are both aware of the requirement to provide a Code rating to buyers and encourage them to build Code homes. To meet the initial demand for assessments the government has ensured that there are already enough trained and licensed Code assessors, and more will be trained in the coming months.
John Packer Associates have been approved Code for Sustainable Homes Assessors since 2nd April 2007 and have a number of projects already registered and undergoing assessment.
Which developments will fall under the Code?
Ratings will apply to those homes being newly designed and built from April 2008, specifically when the builder reaches the stage of submitting a building notice, a full plans application or an initial notice for the purposes of building regulations after 6 April 2008. This will mean that builders can choose now to design and build to the Code and give themselves time to do so, rather than opting for a nil rating.
Welcoming the announcement Paul King of the UK Green Building Council said:
"The Code for Sustainable Homes will fundamentally change the way we build and buy new homes in this country. Buyers of new homes, for the first time, will see how green their home is - not just on its carbon emissions, but on other vital issues such as water consumption and impact on biodiversity. This will help stimulate the market for green building as consumers demand more sustainable homes that have lower energy bills, are built producing less needless waste and that are great places to live…”
The Code is part of a package of measures aimed at improving the sustainability of new homes, which includes:
o Tightening of the minimum energy performance standards in building regulations: 25% in 2010 and by 44% in 2013 (up to the zero carbon target in 2016).
o Introducing new minimum standards in Building Regulations to make new homes more water-efficient.
o The Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change, which puts climate change at the heart of the planning system - by ensuring that new communities are located and designed in a way which reduces the need to travel and makes best use of low carbon and renewable energy. The PPS will apply to all development, not just homes and makes clear references to the Code for Sustainable Homes.
o The stamp duty exemption for zero carbon homes, which came into effect on 1 October 2007 for houses, will act as a further incentive for developers to build zero carbon homes.
o Additionally, every home being bought and sold already needs an Energy Performance Certificate to show buyers how energy efficient it is.
o All Government-funded new homes will be built to Code level 3
Source: Communities and Local Government
For further information see www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
Note to editors:
Source: Communities and Local Government
For further information see www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
« Back
For further information:
Dianne Bowles; Sustainability Consultant, JPA dianne.bowles@jpa.uk.com
Other Press Releases:
Dianne Bowles; Sustainability Consultant, JPA dianne.bowles@jpa.uk.com
Other Press Releases: