The Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment

The Code for Sustainable Homes (the Code) was introduced in England in April 2007.  It is a voluntary national standard that sets a single framework within which the home building industry can design and construct homes to higher environmental standards. The Code also gives buyers information about the environmental impact of their new home and its potential running costs.

The Code measures the sustainability of a home against nine design categories, rating the 'whole home' as a complete package. The design categories are:

• Energy and CO2 emissions

• Water

• Materials

• Surface Water Run-off

• Waste

• Pollution

• Health and well-being

• Management

• Ecology

The Code uses a rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a home. A home can acheive a sustainability rating from one to six stars depending on the extent to which it has achieved Code standards.

One star is the entry level - above the level of the Building Regulations and six stars is the highest level - reflecting exemplar development in sustainability terms.

Since May 2008 all new homes will have to have a sustainability certificate in the Home Information Pack (HIP). That can be in the form of a Code Certificate if the home has been assessed against Code standards or if it has not been assessed a 'nil-rated' certificate. More information about the code can be found on this link  www.communities.gov.uk/thecode