Help with building sustainable homes

The Code for Sustainable Homes has been introduced by the Department for Communities and Local Government and gives developers the opportunity to gain points in nine key areas including energy efficiency, waste, water usage and other important factors. They then get a rating from one star to six stars depending on the extent to which the home has achieved code standards. At the moment housing associations must reach code level 3, but there is no mandatory requirement level for private developers.

Wellingborough Council now has a qualified Code Assessor who can explain the code to developers and advise them on ways to gain points and achieve the desired rating. Following site inspections the assessor will submit a report and arrange for official certification. Advice could include measures such as how to improve the thermal efficiency of walls, windows and roof, installing a high efficiency condensing boiler, including adequate space for waste and recycling storage, and installing flow reducing taps and a smaller, shaped bath. Other ways developers could meet the standards include providing drying space so tumble driers aren't needed, as well as providing energy efficient lighting, cycle storage, and a room that can easily be set up as a home office. The code is very flexible and there are many ways to gain enough points to achieve the ratings.

Building to code level 3 or above offers many benefits for the environment, the residents, and the developers themselves. Sustainable homes will help reduce the threat from climate change, they will have lower running costs and reduce fuel poverty, and developers can use the ratings to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Steven Wood, Head of Built Environment at Wellingborough Council said: "We are in increasingly environmentally-aware times and there is a growing appetite for sustainable products and services. There is a greater demand for homes that offer reduced environmental impact, lower running costs and with features that enhance health and wellbeing. This code offers a way for developers to demonstrate the sustainability performance of their homes, and we are delighted that we can now assist and advise on how to do this."