Code for Sustainable Homes higher standards demand

The Government has announced its intention to strengthen the Code for Sustainable Homes alongside the introduction of new and tougher building regulations.

The Government has announced its intention to strengthen the Code for Sustainable Homes alongside the introduction of new and tougher building regulations.

Ministers have approved new building regulations which set mandatory standards that every new home must meet.

The regulations, due to come into effect on 2006-04-06, raise the energy efficiency requirement for new buildings by 40 per cent compared to 2002.

They will also improve compliance by introducing air pressure testing for new buildings.

The Code for Sustainable Homes will set higher standards for new homes to be rated against, in order to increase environmental sustainability and give home owners better information about running costs.

A series of revisions to the Code will be introduced, as well as further research into future improvements.

Energy efficiency ratings - which form one component of the Code - will be made mandatory for both new and existing homes.

The ratings will be included in energy performance certificates set out to EU standards.

The Government has decided to set minimum standards of energy and water efficiency for every level of the Code, rather than allowing builders to trade different kinds of improvements against each other.

The lowest levels of the Code will also be raised above the level of mandatory building regulations.

In order to further promote on-site energy generation, new homes that use micro-renewable technology such as wind turbines and solar panels will also gain extra points in the revised Code, which will form the basis for the next wave of improvements to building regulations.

In addition the Government will be doing further analysis of other issues raised in the consultation including proposals for further ways to increase the take-up of the Code, such as incentives in the planning system and for new developments, and the possibility of mandatory assessments against other Code requirements.

These improvements will be developed over the coming months.

As an interim measure all homes with English Partnerships or Housing Corporation funding will meet the new EcoHomes Very Good standard from 2006-04-01, broadly equivalent to the Code level three.

The Government is also supporting amendments to the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Private Members Bill to further support micro-renewable technology, encourage more action on micro-generation by local authorities, and improve compliance with building regulations.

Housing and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper commented: "Strengthening the Code gives us the chance to promote high standards for new buildings on top of the 40 per cent reduction in emissions since 2002 from this April".

"Alongside making new homes more sustainable, we are also looking at further measures to improve the sustainability of existing homes and new planning guidance to further promote micro-renewable technology and tackle climate change." ODPM explains that the Code's minimum standards will be raised above the requirements of mandatory building regulations and each level of the Code will set minimum requirements for energy and water efficiency.

New homes that use micro-renewable technology such as wind turbines and solar panels will gain extra Code points to further promote on site energy generation.

The revised Code will form the basis for the next wave of improvements to building regulations and all new homes and those sold or let will have a mandatory energy efficiency assessment providing a comparable Code rating.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is publishing new voluntary building standard EcoHomes 2006 which will operate as the interim standards while improvements to the Code are developed over the coming months.

ODPM will set out a further response to the Code consultation as part of the cross government Climate Change Review.

The Department is also looking at wider ways to improve the sustainability of existing homes and better use of the planning system to tackle climate change, including drawing up new planning guidance.

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