CODE for SUSTAINABLE HOMES LEVEL 3 – The new minimum standard
A number of local authorities are setting Code Level 3 as the new standard for planning applications. A step up from the Merton Rule and Code Level 1 set by some authorities, which move us closer to the zero carbon target set by the Government.
The question is how best to do it? And like most things there is a hard way and an easier way.
To achieve Code 3 will require 4 things:
- A 25% improvement on Part L (Conservation of Fuel & Power) 2006 Building Regulations.
- Water use to a maximum of 105 litres per person per day.
- Meet minimum requirements for surface water run-off, waste management and materials.
- Obtain 46.7 points in “other” items.
25% Improvement on Part L
Hitting the 25% target can be done with insulation alone but in some circumstances it may be difficult. The SAP calculation will tell you exactly what needs to be done but generally upgrading insulation to the roof, walls and floor is enough. Improving the air-tightness and the U-value of windows and doors has a relatively small impact and can be expensive.
Fitting a solar panel can be the easy option. It will give an immediate 10% improvement to the average house, and together with low energy lighting and A-rated appliances means that only a small improvement to loft insulation will be needed to hit the target.
Reduce Water Use
Typical UK water use is around 150 litres per person per day. But in this case it is the house that is measured, not the people in it. So a house with 4 double bedrooms with 2 people living in it will still be counted as 8 potential occupants. Hitting the target of 105 litres per person per day can involve things like low-flow showers, aerated taps, low-flush WC and no baths.
The easy, and cheapest, way is to install a rainwater harvesting system and connect it to the WC’s and washing machine. Cost will be £2,000 to £3,500 and will allow decent showers, the odd bath and better taps.
Minimum Requirement
The requirement is to hit a minimum standard for surface water run-off, site waste management and sustainable materials.
Surface water run-off – what falls on the site stays on the site (actually, no more runs off the site than before the house went up). In reality if you have installed the rainwater harvesting system suggested above the problem goes away. If not then you need to think about water permeable hard surfaces like drives and patios and perhaps a rainwater soakaway.
Site waste management can be a problem but an organisation called WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) can help. They will provide a template, free of charge, to help you deliver best practice.
Using sustainable materials is the most difficult of all the requirements – to fail at. The requirement is to achieve at least a D rating from the BRE Green Guide on 3 of the key elements of the build (walls, roof, floor, windows & doors, etc.). The vast majority of ratings in the guide are A, some A+. It is really only concrete that gives a problem. Traditional cavity walls and timber frame are both A-rated. Focus on roof, external walls and upper floors and any but extraordinary construction will easily qualify.
The Other 46.7 Points
You will find that some things are already being done, some areas are relatively easy and some very hard. You can get “free” points for the rainwater harvesting, low energy lighting and solar panels installed for other reasons and pick up cheap points for installing a rotary clothes dryer in the garden or putting recycling bins in the kitchen. If you have a room called a study, it can qualify as a “home office”; if you have a garage with room for a bike or two it can qualify as a secure cycle store. There are likely to be many things that you plan to do anyway that with little or no change can gain points. Reducing the ecological impact of the house may not be on the agenda and can be very difficult and expensive – as a minimum it needs a comprehensive report by an ecological expert – and may best be avoided.
The answer is to do your homework and find all the free and cheap points that are available before moving on to the areas that can be expensive or require significant change to your plans.
Getting Assessed
A Code assessment is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a bureaucratic process, involving lots of paperwork. But necessary to allow building control to issue the completion certificate.
Talk to the assessor at the outset and find out exactly what documentation will be needed. Assemble all the necessary plans, specifications, certificates, invoices and manufacturer’s brochures as the project progresses. This will reduce the time and effort the assessor has to put in, and reduce the assessor’s bill.
Whether hitting Code Level 3 is a good idea or not is open to question. The fact is that ALL new houses form 2016 (2011 in Wales) will need to be Code Level 6. Maybe Code Level 3 can be seen as an easy ride in to a more difficult, but necessary, goal.