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Code for Sustainable Homes Code for Sustainable Homes The Code for Sustainable Homes provides a comprehensive measure of the sustainability of new homes, ensuring that sustainable homes deliver real improvements, in key areas such as carbon dioxide emissions and water use. This Technical Guide sets out the requirements for the Code and the process for achieving a Code assessment. It aims to make gaining a Code assessment as simple, transparent and rigorous as possible. It also aims to inspire confidence in Code Code for Sustainable Homes assessors, home builders, product manufacturers and consumers. Technical Guide This new full-colour 2010 edition follows a recent wide-ranging Government consultation that sought views on updating and streamlining the Code, to take November 2010 account of changes to Part L of the Building Regulations, and to resolve some problems that had arisen during its use. Technical Guide November 2010 The previous version was published under ISBN: 978 1 85946 330 7 Further copies available from: RIBA Publishing 15 Bonhill Street London EC2P 2EA Tel: 020 7256 7222 Fax: 020 7374 2737 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ribabookshops.com ISBN 978-1-85946-331-4 Price: £40 www.communities.gov.uk ISBN: 978 1 85946 331 4 9 7 8 1 8 5 9 4 6 3 3 1 4 Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guide November 2010 November 2010 Department for Communities and Local Government Copyright in the contents, the cover, the design and the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. This document/publication is value added. If you wish to re-use this material, please email: [email protected] Department for Communities and Local Government Eland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5DU Telephone: 0303 444 0000 Website: www.communities.gov.uk © Crown Copyright, 2010 Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. This publication, excluding logos, may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation. This is subject to it being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the publication specified. E-mail: [email protected] If you require this publication in an alternative format please email [email protected] Communities and Local Government Publications Tel: 0300 123 1124 Fax: 0300 123 1125 Email: [email protected] Online via: www.communities.gov.uk November 2010 ISBN 978 1 85946 331 4 Acknowledgements | 3 Acknowledgements The Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guidance has been drafted by the BREEAM Centre at the Building Research Establishment (BRE) under contract to the Department for Communities and Local Government. Contents | 5 Contents Acknowledgements 3 Preface 7 1 Purpose of the Technical Guide 9 1.1 Summary of the assessment system 9 1.2 Weightings, credits and percentage points 12 1.3 Calculating an assessment score 15 1.4 Total percentage points score and resulting Code level 16 2 Obtaining a Code rating – The Process 18 2.1 Registering a site (before detailed designs are finished) 18 2.2 Performing Code assessments 18 2.3 Evidence Requirements 25 2.4 Using the Schedule of Evidence Required 25 2.5 Roles and Responsibilities 25 2.6 Definitions of Terminology Used in the Evidence Requirements Tables 26 2.7 Assessment Routes 27 2.8 Certifying Code for Sustainable Homes assessments 28 3 Keeping This Guide up to Date 29 Organisations delivering the Code for Sustainable Homes 30 Category 1: Energy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions 32 Dwelling Emission Rate 32 Fabric Energy Efficiency 40 Energy Display Devices 46 Drying Space 50 Energy Labelled White Goods 54 External Lighting 58 Low and Zero Carbon Technologies 63 Cycle Storage 72 Home Office 77 Category 2: Water 82 Indoor Water Use 82 External Water Use 87 6 | Code for Sustainable Homes Category 3: Materials 92 Environmental Impact of Materials 92 Responsible Sourcing of Materials – Basic Building Elements 97 Responsible Sourcing of Materials – Finishing Elements 113 Category 4: Surface Water Run-off 124 Management of Surface Water Run-off from Developments 124 Flood Risk 143 Category 5: Waste 150 Storage of Non-recyclable Waste and Recyclable Household Waste 150 Construction Site Waste Management 162 Composting 169 Category 6: Pollution 175 Global Warming Potential (GWP) of Insulants 175 NOx Emissions 182 Category 7: Health & Well-being 192 Daylighting 192 Sound Insulation 199 Private Space 204 Lifetime Homes 208 Category 8: Management 213 Home User Guide 213 Considerate Constructors Scheme 219 Construction Site Impacts 224 Security 231 Category 9: Ecology 234 Ecological Value of Site 234 Ecological Enhancement 240 Protection of Ecological Features 245 Change in Ecological Value of Site 250 Building Footprint 261 Annex 1: Acronyms 266 Annex 2: References 270 Annex 3: Sources of further information 283 Preface | 7 Preface The Code for Sustainable Homes (the Code) is an environmental assessment method for rating and certifying the performance of new homes. It is a national standard for use in the design and construction of new homes with a view to encouraging continuous improvement in sustainable home building. It was launched in December 2006 with the publication of Code for Sustainable Homes: A step-change in sustainable home building practice (Communities and Local Government, 2006) and became operational in April 2007. Where Building Regulations apply, compliance is necessary at all times. The implementation of the Code is managed by BRE Global (formerly BRE Certification Ltd) under contract to Communities and Local Government under arrangements based on the EcoHomes© operating systems. BRE Global is the main licence holder. Under the terms of its agreement with Communities and Local Government, BRE Global issues licences to both assessors and other Code service providers. BRE Global provides training, licensing and registration of Code assessors to standards ISO 17024 and EN 45011, within a UKAS accredited ‘competent person’s certification scheme’. Code service providers are licensed organisations offering all or part of the range of Code services, including assessor training; registration and monitoring; quality assurance of assessments; certification; investigation and resolution of complaints; and maintenance of records (BRE Global, 2007). At the time of publishing, Stroma Certification Ltd and Robust Details Limited are the other organisations licensed to provide Code services. Further information about Code service providers can be found at www.communities.gov.uk/thecode. The Code for Sustainable Homes covers nine categories of sustainable design: • Energy and CO2 Emissions • Water • Materials • Surface Water Run-off • Waste • Pollution • Heath and Well-being • Management • Ecology. Each category includes a number of environmental issues, see table 1.1. Each issue is a source of environmental impact which can be assessed against a performance target and awarded one or more credits. Performance targets are more demanding than the minimum standard needed to satisfy Building Regulations or 8 | Code for Sustainable Homes other legislation. They represent good or best practice, are technically feasible, and can be delivered by the building industry. In addition to meeting mandatory standards, achievement of the requirements in each design category scores a number of percentage points. This establishes the Code level or rating for the dwelling. The Code certificate illustrates the rating achieved with a row of stars. A blue star is awarded for each level achieved. Where an assessment has taken place and no rating is achieved, the certificate states that zero stars have been awarded. Figure 1.1: Final Code Certificate Front Back Purpose of the Technical Guide | 9 1 Purpose of the Technical Guide The purpose of this technical guide is to enable Code service providers and licensed assessors to deliver environmental assessments of new dwellings on the basis of the Code scheme requirements. The guide includes a list of issues associated with the building process which are known to impact on the environment, and for which performance measures to reduce their impacts can be objectively assessed, evaluated and delivered in a practical and cost-effective way by the construction industry. Results of the Code assessment are recorded on a certificate assigned to the dwelling. The process of gaining a Code assessment rating and certificate is described in Section 2. The guide includes a comprehensive list of definitions and reference material for everyone involved in the process. The system of evaluating environmental performance in the Code is both transparent and open to scrutiny. A Technical Group consisting of industry representatives, sustainability specialists and Government representatives advise on the content of the guidance and any necessary updates. Significant future changes will be subject to consultation. This technical guide includes: Part One • The Code for Sustainable Homes assessment procedure • The scoring system. Part Two • The environmental issues to be assessed • Performance requirements and their evaluation • Evidence required to confirm performance evaluation • Calculation algorithms, checklists and other tools used in the assessment method. 1.1 Summary of the assessment system The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental assessment rating method for new homes which assesses environmental performance in a two-stage process (design
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