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Sustainable Homes Code Consultation Closes

Posted: 08/03/2006

The consultation period for the Governments draft Code For Sustainable Homes has ended among a hail of criticism. The proposed scheme has been branded "totally inadequate" by the Town and Country Planning Association, Friends of the Earth and Renewable Energy Association. The organisations have warned the Government that the Code will have to be strengthened considerably if it is to have a significant impact in tackling climate change, to include:

Tougher standards aimed at major reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from new homes, including reductions in carbon emissions produced by new commercial buildings as well as the refurbishment of existing buildings.

Making the Code mandatory, instead of the proposed voluntary 'star rating'.

The organisations have also been leading a campaign for a new Planning Policy Statement on climate change. The Government is widely expected to make an announcement shortly.

TCPA Director Gideon Amos said: "We are disappointed the draft Code applies only to new homes, since this will affect just 1 per cent of the entire stock, and also that the Code remains voluntary. This looks like fiddling while Rome burns. A strong, mandatory Code would ensure good developers who choose to build well aren't undercut by those who don't. This will help to stimulate innovation, provide certainty for industry, and create a model for a low-carbon future."

The NGO's stressed that meeting better standards need not cost the earth. Achieving BRE `excellent' costs around an extra 1 per cent of the average UK house price, whilst bringing enormous benefits for the consumer, cutting CO2 emissions by more than a quarter compared with "typical" new-build homes, and saving occupants around £138 a year in utility bills.

Seb Berry Head of Micro-Renewables at the Renewable Energy Association said: "The Government needn't be so timid. Right now major house builders are incorporating proven renewable energy technology into new estates such as the Barratt Homes developments in Chorley and Chesterfield. We would like to see such developments rolled out as standard across the UK. The Code for Sustainable Homes could make this happen if only ODPM had the political will to put sustainability first and deliver a level playing field for all developers."

The coalition added that the Code should also include minimum space standards, to halt shrinking room sizes, as well as the `lifetime homes' standard, which aims to make houses adaptable for all ages and abilitiies, to help create more inclusive communities.

The TCPA say The Code should be subject to independent assessment as one third of new homes fail to comply with Building Regulations. Government should publish a date by which this will have been achieved.

Secondly, the Government should produce a Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change requiring planning authorities to adopt Code standards. More immediately the Code should be empowered through Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3: Housing). Paragraph 39 (of draft PPS3) should require where appropriate local authorities to incorporate Code into Local Development Frameworks.

Building For A Future magazine has also published a survey of responses to the draft Code in their Spring issue, out now. To order your copy visit the link below.

Green Building Press  
 
www.buildingforafuture.co.uk/catalogue/BFF_selfbuild.php

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