Module B1 Study Book - the Graduate School of the Environment

practices by requiring buildings that use:
• Energy resources more efficiently
• Water resources more efficiently
• Material resources more efficiently
• Practices and materials designed to safeguard occupants' health
“The principal objective of the code is to become the single national standard
for sustainable building that all sectors of the building industry will subscribe
to and consumers demand. To promote more sustainable building practices
so that: today's best practice becomes tomorrow's standard practice.
3.9.1 Guiding Principles for the Code:
• Properties built to the code should be perceived by stakeholders as
more marketable than other properties.
• Builders using the code will want to differentiate themselves in the
market place as 'builders of quality'.
• Properties built to the code should be perceived by consumers as
'better built with lower running costs'.
• Compliance criteria should be simple, concise and clear.
• Compliance verification process should be perceived as reasonable,
manageable and worthwhile - not burdensome.
The aim is to complete development and testing of the code by the end of
2005, and to take action on the national rollout by early 2006. The first phase
of the development work will focus on new build housing. Resources have
been committed to establish demonstrations of the code across the Thames
Gateway and within a HMR pathfinder area.”
Following robust responses to the consultation, in April 2006, the Code was
finally launched in December 2006.
From April 1st 2007 the Code for Sustainable Homes will replace EcoHomes for
new homes in England. EcoHomes will continue to be used for refurbishment
projects, and new housing in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
3.9.2 REQUIREMENTS
• The Code will initially be introduced on a voluntary basis for the private
sector
• The Housing Corporation have confirmed that they will require Level
3 for compliance with Scheme Development Standards applying to
its next bidding round for 2008-2010. The bidding round will launch in
Spring 2007.
• The government proposes that by 2008 all new publicly-funded
housing meets Level 3 of the Code. As well as Housing Corporation
funding, this also covers homes developed by English Partnerships or
with the direct funding support from the Department’s housing growth
programmes.
• Deadline for EcoHomes 2006 registration is 30.03.07. EcoHomes
2006 registration is valid for 5 years, until March 30th 2012. Any
developments registered with EcoHomes should be assessed under
34 Lecture: Building performance assessment methods