The Code for Sustainable Homes

The Code is a standard designed to improve the sustainability of new homes.

It sets a single framework for the home-building industry to design and construct homes to higher environmental standards by addressing features of sustainability that aren't currently covered in the Building Regulations. It also gives new homebuyers better information about the environmental impact of their new home and its potential running costs.

The Code is a major tool in the Government's target for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016. Since April 2008 all new social housing must be built to a minimum of Code level 3. The Code is voluntary in the private sector but since May 2008 all new homes must have the Code rating in the Home Information Pack (HIP). For homes that have not been assessed this is shown as a nil-rating.

How does it work?

The Code uses a Sustainability Rating System with six levels:

• Level 1 is the entry level, achieving standards above the Building Regulations.
• Level 6 is the highest level, reflecting an exemplary sustainable development.

The points required to achieve each level are based on nine categories of environmental impact, shown in the table opposite. These are then sub-divided into "issues". Some of these "issues" are mandatory requirements - for example, at Code level 3, 15 points must be achieved through delivery of mandatory "issues". The remaining 42 points can be achieved using many sustainable options - some of which will have a lower cost than others.

Benefits the Code will Deliver

Environmental:

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions


• Our future housing stock will be better adapted to cope with the already inevitable impacts of climate change
• Reduced impact on the environment overall.

Benefits for house builders:

• A mark of quality providing differentiation from competitors and a demonstration of sustainability credentials
• More certainty over future Building Regulations
• Flexibility to find cost-effective solutions to meet and exceed minimum requirements.

Benefits for consumers:

• Provides information on the sustainability performance of different homes, aiding choice
• A more sustainable choice will help the homeowner to reduce their own carbon footprint
• Lower running costs from greater energy and water efficiency
• Homes built to Code standards will provide a more pleasant and healthy place to live - for example with more natural light - and adaptability for future needs

Jewson offers products across all areas of construction that help to meet some of the requirements of the Code.

The table below lists the categories and shows just some of the available products that contribute to them.

These categories are weighted based on their ability to impact on more sustainable construction, for example Energy and CO2 Emissions has been awarded the highest weighting at 36.4%.