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The Code for Sustainable Homes was launched in December 2006 with the publication of ‘Code for Sustainable Homes: A step-change in sustainable home building practice’ (Department for Communities and Local Government 2006).

Presently the Code is not mandatory for most developments, though it might be a requirement of a local council or a Housing Association, but this is set to change. In the future, Code for Sustainable Homes is likely to become a necessary part of Building Regulations.

Building sustainable homes is about more than just minimising Carbon Dioxide emissions. Homes need to be built and used in a way that minimizes their other environmental impacts, such as the water they use, the waste they generate, and the environmental impact and thermal properties of the materials they are built from. The Code for Sustainable Homes is designed to provide this overall measure of the sustainability of new homes, ensuring that new dwellings deliver real improvements in all the key areas listed below. The Government aims for the code to become the single national standard, and intends that it drives a step change in sustainable and environmentally friendly building practice.

The code for sustainable homes is a set of sustainable principles covering performance in nine key areas:

• Energy and CO2 Emissions
• Water
• Materials
• Surface water run-off
• Waste
• Pollution
• Health and Wellbeing
• Management
• Ecology

In each of these categories, performance targets are proposed which are in excess of the minimum needed to satisfy Building Regulations, but are considered to be sound best practice, technically feasible and within the capability of the building industry to supply.

The code uses a rating system of one to six stars, and it differs from EcoHomes in several key regards. Code is based on a 'points' system, and whilst some issues are mandatory, and points can be chosen from various issues, it takes comittment on the part of the developer to achieve the required level.

It is assessed at the level of an individual dwelling rather than an overall development (though some areas, such as flood water management are obviously site-wide).

Achieving one of the 'Code for sustainable Homes' levels is not a simple matter of ticking boxes. It is a serious consideration, and a time-consuming exercise on the part of the developer and the assessor. If Code is required by a housing association or local council, then the Code Application needs to be instigated priort to ANY action on site.

More will be uploaded on this respect shortly, but for any developer not familiar with Code, there are three golden rules:

• Do not touch the site in any shape nor form until an ecologist has completed a report on the site. Ensure at this time that photographic evidence of the site prior to build is placed on file, particularly any elements mentioned specifically in the ecology report. The required ecology report template can be found on our downloads page.
• Commission a drainage survey prior to any works. Achieving less run-off into water courses post-development to pre-development is a mandatory element, difficult to prove or achieve post-construction, particularly for a green-field site.
• Employ a Code Assessor.