On the 27 February 2008 the Government confirmed that from 1 May 2008 it would be mandatory for all new homes to have a rating against the Code.
In April 2007 the Code for Sustainable Homes replaced Ecohomes for the assessment of new housing in England. The Code is an environmental assessment method for new homes based upon BRE’s Ecohomes and contains mandatory performance levels in 7 key areas.
The Code aims to protect the environment by providing guidance on the construction of high performance homes built with sustainability in mind.
BRE and CLG have worked closely together to ensure that the Code meets the latest regulatory requirements and addresses issues that emerged from an earlier industry wide consultation.
Code assessments are carried out in two phases:
• An initial assessment and interim certification is carried out at the design stage
• Final assessment and certification is carried out after construction
Based on design drawings, specifications and commitments
Results in interim certificate of compliance
Based on the design stage review
Confirmation of compliance including site records and visual inspection.