Housing and
Planning Minister John Healey has today launched proposals for a
more consumer-friendly green rating for homes that will help
green-proof properties and reduce future utility bills by up to
nearly £1,500 a year in the most energy efficient homes.
The Code for Sustainable Homes was introduced in April 2007 as a
standard to improve the overall sustainability of new homes.
"The Code" scores against a star rating system,
using one to six stars depending on how the property performs
against categories such as energy use, waste, materials and water.
Mr Healey has pledged to improve the Code so that it's
easier for consumers, whether they are developers or individuals
simply wanting to grade and track the sustainability of their
properties.
The Code is rated from one to six, one being the entry level –
above the level of the standard, mandatory Building Regulations –
and six as highest, reflecting exemplar sustainable development.
In the first two years, over 300,000 have been registered to build
to Code standards, and nearly 2,000 homes have completed Code
certificates.
The improved star rating system will also take into account the
tougher new rules for energy efficiency in the building
regulations, coming into force from 2010 and the longer term
proposals for energy efficiency standards in zero carbon homes.
The Code will reflect these mandatory requirements giving people
the opportunity to build to tomorrow’s standards today and save
more on bills.
John Healey, said:
"Our homes account for a quarter of UK carbon emissions,
so it's clear they are a vital part of our efforts to
tackle climate change.The talks in Copenhagen have underlined the
need for us to act now, so we need to ensure that people who want
to greenproof their homes get a helping hand, not red tape.
"The Code has proved its worth but now is the time to
make it a more user-friendly standard for consumers. In the
future, this will help drive uptake so people will save more money
on bills and reduce the carbon footprint of new homes."
A consultation document will outline three areas for improvement:
aligning the Code with the latest developments in the zero
carbon homes policy - to enable it to continue to reflect the
future regulatory trajectory and provide practical experience for
developers and inform the development of detailed regulatory
proposals for 2013 and beyond. This includes consulting on the new
energy efficiency standard to be required of zero carbon
homes;streamlining the standard and processes - learning from
experience to date, to ensure that the Code is focused on the
issues of greatest significance and that we eliminate unnecessary
bureaucracy; andresolving problems that have arisen in use -
seeking to find practical solutions to barriers that have arisen
in the use of the Code so far, balancing sustainability policy
aims with the practicalities of house building in the current
economic climate.
The Code has a key role in helping people cut their carbon
emissions and lead more sustainable lifestyles.The standards
reflect the future goals for zero carbon homes and include
measures for reducing energy consumption, minimising and recycling
waste, reducing potable water demand, reducing the risk and impact
of flooding, reducing carbon intensive travel by providing cycle
storage as well as facilities for working at home. It encourages a
reduction in embodied energy through the choice of building
materials as well as the energy used during the construction.
The rating standards are assessed against nine categories:
PollutionHeath and WellbeingManagementEcologyEnergy and CO2
EmissionsWaterMaterialsSurface Water Run-offWaste
So far, building to higher standards set out in the Code has
taught developers a considerable amount about low and zero carbon
homes, which in turn has helped develop proposals for the next
regulatory step in 2010 on the way to zero carbon homes as well as
the zero carbon definition for 2016. It is also saving developers
money - for Code level 3, the most common level built, there has
been reduction in additional building costs of around 6% since
2007 as builders gain experience and supply chains are established.
Last month, Mr Healey confirmed that tougher proposals for energy
efficiency standards will mean that all new homes from 2016 will
have all round better insulated walls, windows, ceilings and
floors to avoid any loss of energy. The consultation seeks views
on the standard and on the interim standards that will apply from
2013.
Notes to Editors
1. The Code is a voluntary standard with flexibility for
developers to determine the most cost-effective mix of issues to
cover to achieve any particular level, subject to a limited number
of mandatory requirements. However, it is also used as a condition
of funding (at Code level 3) for the Homes and Communities Agency
National Affordable Housing Programme and by local authorities
when they want to set sustainability-based planning conditions on
housing developments in their area.
2. On 1 May 2008, CLG introduced a mandatory rating policy for
all new homes. This means that all new homes designed and built
after that date need to give the homebuyer either a Code
certificate (with between 0 to 6 stars) if the home was assessed
against the Code or if it was not, a ‘nil rated certificate’ that
clearly state it was built to current Building Regulations.
3. Practical experience of working with the Code is also
informing the development of other aspects of sustainability
policy (for example the development of surface water management
proposals in the current Floods and Water Management Bill).
5. Average savings today at Code level 3 for energy and water is
up to £400. In 2010, taking into account feed in tariffs,
households built to Code level 6 could save between £950 for a
flat and up to £1450 for a detached house in energy and water
bills.
6. There are two cost elements to the Code; designing and
building a Code home and employing a licensed Code assessor to
undertake the design stage and post construction assessments.
7. The costs of assessment vary considerably depending on the
number of homes in a site, when they are completed and on who is
offering the service, whether it is a stand alone assessment, part
of a wider package of services or ‘free of charge’ if provided by
component manufacturers (e.g. insulation providers).
8. The Code is a mark of quality that can be used by home
builders to differentiate their product to consumers who have a
growing appetite for more sustainable products and services. Case
studies of developers who have used the Code, include:
Case Study 1: The Old Apple Store, Stawell, Somerset – The Old
Apple store is a Code Level 5 joint development by Pippin
Properties Ltd and Eco Homes Ltd. The development comprises 5
units of private housing. "We are setting our stall out
at Code 5, which I think had a tangible effect on drawing the
buyers. Even if they initially didn't understand the
rating, this benchmark set the development at a measurably high
standard" – Eco Homes. "We were interested in
the low energy bills and buying a 'home' in
which we could live for a long time" – Buyer who bought
one the properties off plan.Case Study 2: Norbury Court,
Staffordshire – This is a Code Level 3 development by
Staffordshire Housing Association in partnership with
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and LHL Developments. It
comprises seven three-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom dormer
bungalow. "As a council, we have nomination rights for
social housing, and the waiting list is unfortunately a long one.
These houses will provide high quality accommodation for nine
families" Councillor Andrew Hart, Staffordshire Moorlands
District Council."These homes are fantastic, especially
with all the green features that have been built in. I
can't wait to move the family in and make the place our
own."- Occupant of one of the houses at Norbury
Court.Case Study 3: One Earth Homes, Upton Park, Northampton,
Northamptonshire. - The One Earth Homes are six houses located on
the Upton Park development (large scale, multi-developer site),
three miles outside of Northampton town centre. These houses are
the UK’s first certified, open-market, Code Level 6 homes.The
Homes form part of the first phase of the Metropolitan Housing
Partnership’s activities on the Upton Park development, during
which 345 homes will be built. Plans for the whole development
include c.1380 units, a primary school, a local centre with
retail; offices; a public house; café and restaurant, a medical
centre, and a nursery.
9. Mr Healey announced a proposed new energy efficiency standard
for all new homes from 2016, following the advice of a specialist
task group commissioned by the Minister in July and co-ordinated
by the Zero Carbon Hub (see www.zerocarbonhub.org/building.aspx?page=2
for a copy of the task group’s report). The task group recommended
that the energy efficiency standard should be 46 kilowatt-hours
per square metre per year (kWh/m2/year) for semi-detached and
detached homes and 39 kWh/m2/year for all other homes. In line
with the Minister’s announcement last month, the Code consultation
document seeks views on these proposals, so as to check there are
no unintended consequences, and also on the interim standard that
should apply from 2013.
10. The task group has made a number of additional
recommendations for further research and modelling to support the
proposed energy standard. CLG will take these recommendations
forward, in collaboration with the Zero Carbon Hub and other
relevant research and industry bodies. One of the particular
recommendations is that industry will need design guidance to
support the standard. We will be working to take these ideas
forward in conjunction with industry. More details on the
standards and the work of the hub can be found here: www.zerocarbonhub.org
11. The energy efficiency standard means that new homes will be
well insulated (walls, windows, ceiling, floor) and will not be
draughty (ie air coming in from outside will come in because of
deliberate ventilation rather than draughts from unintended gaps
in walls, windows, etc.).
12. There are lots of different combinations of walls, windows,
construction details etc that can meet the standard. But,
indicatively, think of an exterior masonry wall that has around 7
– 8 inches of glasswool insulation (approximately double that of a
home built today) or 13 – 16 inches of mineral wool insulation in
the attic (versus around 11 for a home built today).
13. This does not mean that new homes will need to be
mechanically ventilated or that the windows need to be
triple-glazed or cannot be opened for ventilation.
Contacts:
Communities and Local Government Out of hours
Phone: 0303 444 1201
press.office@communities.gsi.gov.uk