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Code for Sustainable Homes 'will not save water'

Posted: 15/10/2008

Water consumption levels will be unaffected by the Code for Sustainable Homes, according to the Good Homes Alliance (GHA), a group of developers committed to building and monitoring sustainable homes.

By looking at the performance of the whole household rather than setting ratings for individual fittings and by failing to take user behaviour into consideration, the GHA believes that the Code is driving developers to install impractical fittings, such as spray taps in kitchens and baths that are too small

The inadequate water volumes supplied will be unacceptable to the majority of residents and, as a result, say the GHA, homeowners will turn their back on the adjustments, replacing the ‘sustainable’ technologies with inefficient products.

The higher levels of the Code from three to six typically require further reduction in performance and the reuse of water, which is very questionable in practical, economic and environmental terms and offers limited water savings.

However, the water consumption targets of 80 litres per person per day can actually be met with efficient fittings and sensible consumer behaviour. The Good Homes Alliance recommends that the current system is abandoned and replaced by a fittings performance standard for each individual appliance, which would be measured on meeting the users’ needs, level of sustainability and cost effectiveness.

Neil May, Chairman of the Good Homes Alliance, comments: “Rather than encouraging a change in consumer habits to reduce water consumption, the system attempts to use design to enforce behaviour and limits the volume of water available. This is unnecessary and undesirable. Targets set by the Code can actually be achieved with efficient bathroom and kitchen fittings and care from consumers, such as showering rather than taking baths and turning off the tap when brushing teeth.

“There is no evidence to support the predictions of the current system or the effectiveness of the measures that it forces developers to install. We need an urgent overhaul in favour of an evidence based system which offers value for money solutions and ensures that sensible resident behaviour is encouraged and rewarded.”

The Good Homes Alliance (GHA) is a group of housing developers, building professionals and other industry supporters whose aim is to close the gap between aspiration and reality by showing how to build and monitor good homes which are sustainable in the broadest sense.

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