CALDERDALE M B C
WARDS AFFECTED: ALL
CABINET
29th OCTOBER 2007
NEW AFFORDABLE ZERO CARBON HOMES FOR CALDERDALE
REPORT OF THE GROUP DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES
1.
ISSUE
1.1
This report considers whether accrued sums of money received in lieu of
affordable housing provision ‘on site’ within qualifying developments (commonly
known as ‘commuted sums’) should be used to stimulate the development of
affordable homes, designed to 'zero carbon' standards,1 in Calderdale. This is a
real opportunity for the Council to secure much-needed affordable housing and,
at the same time, to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development by
facilitating a leading edge, exemplar project addressing two of the key housing
issues of the moment - affordability and climate change.
2.
NEED FOR A DECISION
2.1
Agreements secured through the planning process have resulted in ‘commuted
sums’ of money being available to the Council for affordable housing. The
proposal in this report seeks to secure good quality, affordable, environmentally
friendly homes by committing a level of resources that makes it a key decision
within the Council's Constitution.
3.
RECOMMENDATION
3.1
It is recommended that
(a) The principle of using commuted sums to stimulate and add value to the
development of affordable homes in Calderdale, built to zero carbon standards,
is supported and up to £300,000 is allocated for this purpose;
(b) Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and developers be invited to submit
expressions of interest on the basis of the brief attached at Appendix 1.
(c) A further report is brought to Cabinet in the New Year in order to decide
whether to pursue the project following the assessment of submissions received.
1The
definition of a zero carbon home is one that generates as much power as it uses over a year and
therefore has zero net emissions of carbon dioxide from all energy use in the home.
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8
4.
BACKGROUND
A.
Commuted sums
4.1
Calderdale Council normally seeks provision of affordable housing ‘on site’ as
part of larger planning applications. However, in specific circumstances,
‘commuted sums’ are agreed as an alternative. Taking into account what has
been received and what has been spent, the Council has currently £573,000
available to spend on affordable housing provision and the terms of the
agreements do not restrict this spending to specific areas, thus recognising the
district-wide need for affordable housing. A further £1,113,607 is due from
agreements that have been signed but where development has not yet
commenced or reached the stage where a commuted sum is payable.
4.2
A report on ways in which commuted sums can be deployed to secure additional
affordable housing was presented to Cabinet on 10th April 2006. Cabinet
approved the list of options in the report for spending commuted sums for the
provision of affordable housing (minute ref B144/218).
B.
Climate change and sustainable homes
4.3
It is widely recognised that climate change,
caused by a build up in greenhouse gases, and
maintaining a stable and affordable energy supply
in an increasingly unstable world are the greatest
environmental challenges we face today. In the
UK, the energy we use in our homes and for
personal transport is responsible for almost half of
the country's carbon dioxide emissions, with
domestic dwellings alone accounting for 27% of
the total.
4.4
The blanket of gases that surrounds the earth
and keeps the surface of the planet warm and
able to sustain life is getting thicker as human
activity increases the level of these ‘greenhouse’
gases, especially carbon dioxide, and this thickening of the blanket that traps in
heat is the phenomenon known as global warming.
4.5
Each year in Calderdale, nearly 8 tonnes of carbon dioxide are released for every
person living here, around 1.5 million tonnes in total, enough to create a layer of
gas more than two metres thick across the whole of Calderdale.
4.6
Surveys2 have shown that in Calderdale around a third of this carbon dioxide
comes from our homes, around a third from the places we work and the
remainder from travelling about, so housing design clearly has an important role
to play in a comprehensive local response to tackling global warming.
2
www.calderdaleclimatechallenge.org.uk
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4.7
Government responses to the climate change challenge have included a
progressive tightening of Building Regulations, the introduction of a new Planning
Policy Statement on Climate Change and the launching of a new ‘Code for
Sustainable Homes’, which is designed to enable a step change in sustainable
building practice for new homes.
4.8
The Code is intended as a single national standard to guide industry in the
design and construction of sustainable homes. It is a means of driving
continuous improvement, greater innovation and exemplary achievement in
sustainable home building. In the short-term the Code is voluntary but the
Government is considering making assessment under Code standards
mandatory in the future.
4.9
Government has also recently published a new Green Paper on housing,
“Homes for the Future: more affordable, more sustainable”. This reaffirms the
Government’s commitment to all new homes being zero carbon rated from 2016,
with strengthened building regulations proposed and new minimum standards for
water use to be introduced. Proposals are detailed in a policy statement
accompanying the Green Paper - “Building a Greener Future”.
C.
Zero carbon homes
4.10
The Code for Sustainable Homes measures the sustainability of a home against
design categories and then rates the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. The
design categories are:
Energy/carbon dioxide
Surface water run off
Health & well being
Water
Waste
Ecology
Materials
Pollution
4.11
The Code is closely linked to Building Regulations, which are the minimum
building standards required by law. Minimum standards for Code compliance
have been set above the requirements of Building Regulations.
4.12
The Code uses a sustainability rating system - indicated by stars (1 to 6) - to
communicate the overall sustainability performance of a home. A home can
achieve a sustainability rating from one to six stars depending on the extent to
which it has achieved Code standards. One star is the entry level - above the
level of Building Regulations - and six stars is the highest level, reflecting
exemplar development in sustainability terms.
4.13
Minimum standards are set for a number of the design categories and these
must be achieved to gain a one-star sustainability rating. In addition, energy
efficiency and water efficiency also have minimum standards that must be
achieved at every level of the Code, recognizing their importance to the
sustainability of any home.
4.14
Level 6 is a completely zero carbon home (i.e. zero net emissions of carbon
dioxide (CO2) from all energy use in the home). However, the consultation
document that accompanies the Code for Sustainable Homes recognizes
situations, such as small infill developments, where ‘zero carbon’ will be
genuinely impossible to achieve because all technological options may not be
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available. Hence, it would seem logical to allow for a fall back position for a
developer to achieve a lower code level 5 definition of ‘zero carbon’ (zero
emissions in relation to current Building Regulations issues i.e. zero net
emissions from heating, hot water, ventilation and lighting) [this does not include
the electricity consumed by appliances].
4.15
The design criteria required to meet a zero
carbon home standard would include improving
thermal and energy efficiency, reducing water
usage, and using ‘green’ materials and zero
carbon technologies, such as solar panels and
wind turbines (see Appendix 1 for more detail
on the precise requirements).
4.16
Clearly, these design requirements will add to
construction costs. At present there is little definite information on the likely
addition costs of ‘zero carbon’ homes. The best available estimate from the
Energy Savings Trust (EST) is about £35,000 per home to achieve a ‘code level
6’ (zero net carbon) home. Other information suggests that there may be a
doubling of additional construction costs at each increase of code level.
Assuming that the home referred to by the EST is an average 3-bed semidetached house then the following could be used to give some indication of the
potential additional costs to meet zero carbon standards, i.e. five or six stars:
For 6 stars (a total zero net carbon home) :
Per bedroom - £10,000
Per study/home office - £5,000
i.e.
3-bed home + office/study = £35,000
2-bed home + office/study = £25,000
1-bed home
= £10,000
For 5 stars (a zero carbon home) :
Per bedroom - £5,000
Per study/home office - £2,500
i.e.
3-bed home + office/study = £17,500
2-bed home + office/study = £12,500
1-bed home
= £ 5,000
D.
Affordable homes and affordability
4.17
The Calderdale Housing Strategy identifies the need for additional affordable
housing in the district, based upon the findings of the Housing Requirements
Study, and sets a target of 20% of all completions to be affordable homes by
2008/9.
4.18
The Calderdale Housing Requirements Study was published in 2005 and its
headline finding was that there was a shortfall of 720 units of affordable housing
across the district, with a high proportion (around two-thirds) of people wanting to
move unable to afford to purchase in the open market. A recent regional study3
put the House Price Affordability Ratio (average income to average house price)
3
Yorkshire and Humberside’s Housing Time-bomb, National Housing Federation, 2006
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for Calderdale in 2005 at 6.1 and there has been a 133% increase in property
prices between 2000 and 2006, the second largest increase (after Craven) of the
10 authorities in the Leeds City Region.
4.19
The Council has used the Housing Requirements Study, together with other
information that is more readily available and which can be updated on an annual
basis, to produce 12 Area Needs Statements for Calderdale. These needs
statements help to determine the type and nature of affordable housing provision
required at a sub district level and will be a useful tool in assessing proposals for
affordable zero carbon housing. Affordable housing includes social rented,
shared ownership or shared equity and intermediate housing, provided to
specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.
4.20
It is suggested that the tenure of the proposed zero carbon homes is not
prescribed, i.e. they could be social rented or intermediate affordable housing,
but it should be made clear that a mix of rented and low cost home ownership
options will probably be appropriate in most cases and that proposals must
reflect local need. There also needs to be some guide as to what is acceptable
in terms of affordability if costs other than rent (i.e. mortgage repayments, service
charges etc.) are to be borne by the occupant. For the purposes of expressions
of interest it is suggested that the properties must be affordable with
reference to average local incomes (it is widely accepted that households
should not be required to devote more than 30% of their net household income to
rent and/or mortgage payments in order to have a realistic chance of sustaining
tenancy/ownership).
E.
Proposed way forward
4.21
The commuted sums secured in lieu of affordable housing provision on site have
now reached a ‘critical mass’ sufficient to be able to ‘add value’ through the
provision of exemplar or ‘showcase’ environmentally friendly affordable homes in
Calderdale.
4.22
Essentially the proposal is to invite Registered Social Landlords or developers to
submit expressions of interest in developing affordable zero carbon homes in
Calderdale, to indicate what contribution is sought from commuted sums, and for
what number, type and tenure of units in which location(s).
4.23
There would be options for RSLs or developers to use the money available from
the Council to ‘top up’ other public sector support from the Housing Corporation
and elsewhere and to deploy these sums alongside their own resources,
including private borrowing. Submissions would be assessed using criteria
including affordability and how well local housing need would be met, eco-rating
and design quality, value for money and the potential to showcase the housing
product as an exemplar project.
4.24
Bidders would be encouraged to pursue innovative schemes, for example mixed
use, in an attempt to create a modern and iconic affordable housing project.
4.25
An outline brief is attached at Appendix 1, together with further information on
zero carbon homes and the Code for Sustainable Homes.
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5.
OPTIONS CONSIDERED
5.1
The ‘do nothing’ option is not realistic as the commuted sums need to be used in
a creative and cost-effective manner to support the objectives within the
Calderdale Housing Strategy and some of the agreements contain time limits
within which the commuted sums must be spent.
5.2
The commuted sums could be offered directly to an RSL to provide affordable
housing to lower environmental standards but the proposal to offer commuted
sums on a competitive basis should result in a more cost-effective and innovative
approach to delivering high quality affordable housing in Calderdale which will
address additional priorities within the Housing Strategy.
6.
CONSULTATION
6.1
The proposed uses of commuted sums set out in this report are consistent with
the objectives set out in the Calderdale Housing Strategy 2005 - 2010 which, in
turn, incorporate the findings of the Calderdale Housing Requirements Study
2005. Both of these documents were based upon extensive consultation and
research with the public, Councillors and stakeholders.
7.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1
The financial receipts available from the Section 106 agreements can only be
used for affordable housing provision, and must be spent in accordance with the
specific terms of each agreement. There is no extra cost to the Council, other
than the staff resources required to secure commuted sums and develop
proposals for their use. Agreements now attempt to capture some of these costs
as necessarily incidental to the provision of affordable housing.
7.2
The project will drive forward the Council’s commitment to both affordable
housing and sustainability agendas.
It will also secure additional local
investment from RSLs and/or private sources and contribute to the regeneration
of the Borough.
8.
CORPORATE IMPLICATIONS
8.1
The Calderdale Local Area Agreement contains actions and targets aimed at
addressing housing needs, including the securing of affordable housing through
the planning system and meeting the particular needs of the rural parts of the
Borough.
Similarly, the Calderdale Community Strategy (Futures Plan)
acknowledges the importance of increasing access to good quality affordable
and sustainable housing in the Borough.
8.2
The provision of affordable housing helps to create mixed and sustainable
communities, and homes that meet zero carbon standards are in line with the
Council’s Environmental Policy and its Carbon Management Action Plan.
8.3
The Calderdale Housing Strategy seeks to address the housing requirements of
all members of the community, and recognises that some individuals and
communities will have different needs. The Housing Strategy’s objectives are
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organized to support broader Council priorities including regeneration, supporting
vulnerable people and improving community safety.
8.4
In terms of equality implications, no adverse impacts have been identified from
the proposed initiative and it will have positive effects in terms of increasing
access to affordable housing for people with lower incomes and ensuring the
design will incorporate accessibility to Lifetime Homes standards.
9.
CONCLUSION
9.1
Section 106 agreements are an important strategic tool to secure much-needed
affordable housing in the district. The 2005 Housing Requirements Study
identified a shortfall of 720 affordable units in Calderdale. To date, affordable
housing contributions totalling over £14m have been obtained through Section
106 agreements, and have enabled around 150 units of affordable
accommodation to be agreed. On-site provision of units is preferred, but there
are occasions when off-site provision or a commuted sum represents the best
option from the Council's perspective and considerable commuted sums have
now been accrued.
9.2
The proposal to use some of these resources as set out in this report would
enable the Council to get added value from the commuted sums it has taken in
lieu of on site provision by pulling in additional investment, whilst at the same
time encouraging the early construction of ‘zero carbon’ homes in the area, and
take a lead in acting locally to tackle a global issue.
Ref: AP/Housing/CSRpt0707
Date: 18th October 2007
Kersten England
Group Director, Community Services
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT CONTACT:
Andrew Pitts, Housing and Community Partnerships Manager
01422 - 393264
[email protected]
DOCUMENTS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE REPORT:
Calderdale Housing Strategy 2005 - 2010
Calderdale Housing Requirements Study, Outside UK, 2005
Cabinet report 10th April 2006 : “Use of S106 commuted sums for affordable housing”
Cabinet minutes 10th April 2006
Code for Sustainable Homes, Communities and Local Government, December 2006
Domestic Micro-generation, Northern Housing Consortium, June 2007
Calderdale Local Area Agreement, March 2007
Service files
DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT:
Northgate House, Halifax.
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APPENDIX 1
AFFORDABLE ZERO CARBON HOMES
PROJECT BRIEF
Introduction
The UK Government has recently announced an ambitious new target of achieving zero
carbon new homes by 2016. Calderdale Council is committed to this target and to the
delivery of affordable, environmentally sustainable housing.
Calderdale Council has funding available to help partners meet the additional costs
required in building affordable homes to a standard that is well in advance of the current
building regulations. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for a development,
which should include a mix of tenures that reflects the housing need in the area, and
which incorporates innovative designs.
National definition of ‘zero carbon’ homes
Any ‘zero carbon’ homes that are built in the future will have to be built to a defined
code level under the new ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’, which came into effect from
April 2007.
There are two levels of ‘zero carbon’ homes under the new code.
Level 5 - Zero emissions in relation to current Building Regulations issues (i.e. zero net
emissions from heating, hot water, ventilation and lighting) [this does not include the
electricity consumed by appliances].
Level 6 - A completely zero carbon home (i.e. zero net emissions of carbon dioxide
(CO2) from all energy use in the home).
Setting local targets
The Government’s target of having all new housing development to 'zero carbon’
standards by 2016 is set at code level 6 and therefore any scheme to promote the early
construction of zero carbon homes in Calderdale should ideally be set at level 6.
However, within paragraph 2.46 of the consultation document that accompanies the
Code for Sustainable Homes, situations are identified such as small infill developments
where ‘zero carbon’ will be genuinely impossible to achieve because all technological
options may not be available. That being the case it would seem reasonable to allow
for a fall back position from the ‘full’ level 6 and so the lower code level 5 definition of
‘zero carbon’ will be acceptable as an absolute minimum. It will be reasonable to
expect proposals for the lower target of code level 5 to require a lower level of subsidy.
Primary Requirements

The homes must be affordable in accordance with PPS3 and with reference to
average local incomes in the area of proposed development (it is widely accepted
that households should not be required to devote more than 30% of their net
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household income to rent and/or mortgage payments in order to sustain
tenancy/ownership).
There is demand in Calderdale for a broad range of discount for sale, shared
ownership, shared equity and affordable rented homes.
The buildings should be constructed using sustainable methods and, where
possible, should achieve level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, or as a
minimum, level 5 - both of which are equivalent to being zero carbon.
Favourable consideration will be given to proposals that incorporate innovative or
exemplar designs and include proposals for ongoing publicity, learning, education
and promotion from the scheme.



Affordability
In line with PPS3, proposals may be for social rented, or affordable sale provided to
specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market, and should:


Meet the needs of eligible households, including availability at a cost low
enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local
house prices.
Include provision or mechanisms for the home to remain at an affordable
price for future eligible households or, if these restrictions are lifted, for the
subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.
Sites
At least three options are available to prospective developers:



Using their own land or ongoing development projects
Purchasing land or existing properties from the public or private sector
‘Eco-renovation’ of any existing property in their ownership, in order to increase
its energy efficiency
Zero-carbon homes - guidance
Achieving a ‘zero carbon’ standard is possible by employing a mix of house design
improvements, energy saving measures and renewable technologies. In general order
of importance these include:






Very high standards of insulation
Attention to “thermal bridges”
Air tightness to avoid warm air leaking out
Heat recovery ventilation returning the warmth from “waste air” back into the
home
Renewable technologies, such as solar and wind
The installation of Energy Saving Recommended appliances and products, such
as fridges, washing machines, dishwashers, and lighting.
Other design features that could play a significant part in achieving ‘zero carbon’ are:
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
Minimising the exposed external elements of each dwelling, e.g. by designing a
modern version of the ‘back to back’ or ‘earth sheltering’ north facing elevations if
the contours of the site lend themselves to this.

Designing window layout to maximise solar gain in winter but providing shading
to prevent overheating in summer.
Sustainable exemplar projects frequently work within the context of other local enviroeconomic aims and objectives. These objectives could include:

The employment and/or training of local trades people in new techniques
involved in the construction of ‘zero carbon’ homes and the skills required to
install domestic renewable energy systems;

Supporting local manufacturers of energy efficient products;

‘Showcasing’ a best practice approach to renewable energy and low carbon
technologies in order that local people become familiar with their existence and
appearance.
In view of the above there will be a general requirement that the new developments will
include the following technologies, if practical:

Grid-connected wind turbines.

Photovoltaic and solar thermal roof tiles.

‘Smart meters’ to help residents to time energy use to minimise energy imports
from the national grid and enable annual monitoring to ascertain that the homes
are achieving a neutral energy balance over the year.

Pavement level information boards showing: the energy rating of the homes; the
current amount of energy being generated and highlighting the main features of
the “zero carbon” homes.
It will also be important to maximise the potential of specific sites in creating/refurbishing
environmentally sustainable housing. For instance, for a site near a river the feasibility
of providing renewable generation by water turbine could be investigated.
For further information and/or an informal discussion please contact Andrew Pitts,
Housing and Community Partnerships Manager on Halifax 393264.
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Code for Sustainable Homes : summary guidance
Category One: Energy /CO2
The aim of this category is to limit emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere
arising from the operation of a dwelling and its services.
In accordance to achieve the desired level 6 rating a 100% improvement in the Dwelling
Emission Rate (DER) is required to achieve the Target Emission Rate (TER) as defined
in the 2006 Building Regulation (Approved Document L1A).
In order to design a true Zero Carbon dwelling where all energy used in the dwelling is
zero, the calculation includes the energy consumed in the operation of the space
heating/cooling and hot-water systems, ventilation, all internal lighting, cooking and all
electrical appliances.
For a true zero carbon home, it will also be necessary to ensure that the fabric of the
building significantly exceeds the standards currently required by Part L of the Building
Regulations 2000 (as amended). The “Heat Loss Parameter” (covering the walls,
windows, air tightness and other elements of the building design) must be no more than
0.8W/m2K.
Category Two : Water
The aim of this category is to significantly reduce the use of potable water sources
within the home.
Water is becoming increasingly scarce as demand continues to increase dramatically.
There are many actions that can be taken to minimise water consumption and all should
be considered. Sanitary use of water within a dwelling is significant and a number of
steps can be taken to minimise consumption. This Issue encourages the use of lowwater-use WCs, showers, taps and appliances, as well as wastewater recycling and
rainwater harvesting.
Credits for this category are awarded based on the predicted average household water
consumption for the Dwelling type in accordance with the table below.
Water consumption (l/person/day)
Levels
Credits
Mandatory
and 2
evels 3
and 4
and 6
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Below is a brief summary of ways in which level 6 can be achieved:
Water Reduction Equipment - flow restrictors may be fitted in taps, showers and
delayed inlet valves may be fitted in WCs.
Rainwater Recycling - the collection and storage of rain from roofs in order to replace
the use of potable water in WCs and/or washing machines. Rainwater recycling will be
accomplished by the use of rainwater collection systems.
Grey water recycling - the collection of shower, bath and tap water in order to replace
the use of potable water in WCs and/or washing machines. Grey water recycling will be
accomplished by the use of grey water collection systems.
Grey-water recycling systems normally collect shower, bath and tap water and recycle
this for toilet flushing. Rainwater recycling systems use collected rainwater typically for
toilet flushing and washing machines.
Category Three : Materials
The aim of this category is to encourage the use of materials with lower environmental
impacts over their life cycle. In order to achieve this an assessment will be made on:





Roof
External Walls
Internal Walls (including separating walls)
Upper and Ground Floors (including separating floors)
Windows
The Green Guide
The production, use and disposal of building materials accounts for large quantities of
energy and resources, both internationally and in the UK. The Green Guide provides a
simple tool to aid specifiers in considering the environmental implications of their
choices. Credits are awarded based on the most recent version of the Green Guide
(2007). The green guide uses an A+ to E rating, used to rank elements and
components, A+ rated specifications having the lowest overall environmental impact.
The ratings are then converted to credits using the following conversion table.
Green Guide Rating
Credits
A+ Rating
A Rating
B Rating
C Rating
D Rating
E Rating
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3
2
1
0.5
0.25
0
Category 4 : Surface Water Run off
The aim is to significantly reduce and delay water run-off from the hard surfaces of a
housing development to public sewers and watercourses, thus reducing the risk of
localised flooding, pollution and other environmental damage.
Specifications required would include:





The use of permeable paving in areas where local geological and hydrological
conditions allow this to function, e.g. block paved surface on permeable subbase over gravel bed to store the water and allow it to seep in to the soil. For
less-permeable soils the gravel layer might be deeper and the water taken to a
soakaway although this is not an option in some areas.
Local or centralised soakaways either as full systems or as ‘overflow’ or ‘holding’
systems, in areas where local geological and hydrological conditions allow them
to function. Confirmation of approval from relevant statutory body needs to be
provided.
Run-off from roofs is collected as a part of a rainwater harvesting system (see
additional guidance on water butts below.)
Run-off from roofs is directed to a local soakaway or other holding facility such
as tanks, ponds, swales etc.
Green roofs. Note: For soil based grass roofs, calculation should be made on the
basis of the infiltration, moisture retention and depth of soil. For sedum roofs,
infiltration data should be provided by the manufacturer/installer.
Category Five : Waste
Nearly 36 million tonnes of municipal waste was generated in the UK in 2004/05. A total
of 30 million tonnes of this was collected from households, which is approximately half a
tonne of household waste per person. Waste from homes is generally collected by Local
Authorities through regular waste collections or recycling schemes. There must be
adequate storage provision for waste to enable its appropriate management.
There are in total 7 credits available that relate not only to the management of
household waste but also site managed waste. Significant reductions in site waste and
better management can be achieved by good design, improved logistics, better on-site
construction practices and reuse/recycling wherever possible. The ability to segregate
waste for reuse/recycling will depend on the construction stage, as the waste will vary in
terms of type and amount. It will also depend on the amount of space available on-site
for segregation.
An essential tool when monitoring waste on site is the SWMP, Site Waste Management
Plan, The primary aim of a SWMP is to minimise waste at source and to ensure that site
engineers, planners and procurement officers assess the use, reuse and recycling of
materials and products both on- and off-site. SWMPs are likely to become a legal
requirement for all construction projects over £200,000 in 2008. They will encourage
contractors to comply with legislation and ensure efficient practices on-site. With over
100 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste generated in the UK every year
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and an estimated 13 million tonnes of completely unused building materials being
discarded as waste every year, it is set to have a major impact on the industry.
Category 6 : Pollution
The aim of this category is to reduce global warming from blowing agent emissions
arising from the manufacture, installation, use and disposal of foamed thermal and
acoustic insulating materials.
Global warming is the name given to the phenomenon whereby trace ‘greenhouse’
gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface,
causing a warming of the atmosphere. It is this natural effect, which is responsible for
maintaining temperatures at the Earth’s surface.
Credits are awarded to insulating materials used in the construction of the dwelling
listed below with a low GWP (Global Warming Potential).






Roofs: Including loft access
Walls, internal and external including lintels and all acoustic insulation)
Floors (including ground and upper floors)
Hot water cylinder, pipe insulation and other thermal storage
Cold water storage tanks where provided
External Doors
Further credits are awarded for the NOx emissions arising from the operation of space
heating and hot water systems for each Dwelling, in accordance with the table below:
Dry NOx level (mg/kWh)
Credits
≤ 100
≤ 70
≤ 40
Boiler class (BS EN 297: 1994)
4
5
–
1
2
3
Category 7 : Health and Well Being
Daylight makes an interior look more attractive and interesting, as well as providing light
to work or read by and is also beneficial to health. Access to sunlight and daylight also
helps to make a building energy efficient; effective daylighting will reduce the need for
electric lighting, while winter solar gain can meet some of the heating requirements.
There are obvious contributory factors relating to the amount of daylight a dwelling
receives and these include design of the interior environment, for example design and
layout of rooms, size and position of windows. There are also external factors to
consider, for example the potential of obstructing buildings.
There are three credits available for daylight:


Kitchens must achieve a minimum average daylight factor of at least 2%.
All living rooms, dining rooms and studies (including any room designated as a
home office) must achieve a minimum average daylight factor of at least 1.5%.
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
80% of the working plane in kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and studies
(including any room designated as a home office) must have a view of the sky.
Sound insulation also relates to this category. The purpose of this is to encourage
higher standards of sound insulation through a commitment to design and build
constructions that exceed the minimum performance standards. This carries 4 credits.
In order to attain a Zero Carbon development this would require a commitment to use
constructions for all relevant building elements that have been assessed and approved
by Robust Details Limited. It would also be necessary to carry out a programme of precompletion testing, and to achieve airborne sound insulation values that are at least 8dB
higher, and impact sound insulation values that are at least 8dB lower, than the
performance standards setout in the Building Regulations for England and Wales.
Credits are issued as follows:
Credits
1
3
4
Airborne Sound
+3
+5
+8
Impact Sound
–3
–5
–8
The following points should be considered when addressing the issue of sound
insulation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Keep services away from bedrooms in houses and flats;
Keep stairs, lifts and circulation areas in apartment buildings away from sensitive
rooms such as bedrooms;
Corridors in apartment buildings should have acoustically absorbent ceilings.
Carpets can also help to reduce disturbance in adjacent apartments;
Separating walls between bathrooms and sensitive areas should be designed to
minimise acoustic transmissions;
Isolate pipe work and ductwork from the building structure to avoid vibration
being transmitted and all penetrations of services should be sealed.
A further credit is available through the provision of external private space for an
individuals’ use, which must be at least partially private.
This can be achieved where outdoor space (private or semi-private) has been provided
that is:
●
●
●
Of a minimum size that allows all occupants to sit outside
Allows easy access by all occupants, including wheelchair users
Accessible only to occupants of designated dwellings
The fourth criterion in this category relates directly to the design of the property, a
design that enables occupants a degree of flexibility through a layout that can be easily
adapted, the terminology for which is known as Lifetime Homes. Developed in 1991 by
a group of housing experts who came together as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Lifetime Homes Group, the standard involves the incorporation of 16 design features
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that together create a flexible blueprint for accessible and adaptable housing in any
setting. The 16 design features are:
1) Car Parking - Where car parking is adjacent to the home, it should be capable of
enlargement to attain 3.3m width.
2) Access from Car Parking - Where a car parking space is provided, the distance from
the car parking space to the home should be kept to a minimum and should be level or
gently sloping.
3) Approach - The approach to all entrances should be level or gently sloping
4) External Entrances - All entrances should be illuminated, have level access over the
threshold and have a covered main entrance.
5) Communal Stairs - Communal stairs should provide easy access and, where homes
are reached by a lift, the lift should be fully accessible.
6) Doorways & Hallways - All doorways and hallways should be sufficiently wide to
provide easy access to all rooms
7) Wheelchair Accessibility - There should be space for turning a wheelchair in dining
areas and living rooms and adequate circulation space for wheelchairs elsewhere.
8) Entrance level Living Room - The living room should be at entrance level.
9) Entrance Level Bed space - In houses of two or more storeys, there should be space
on the entrance level that could be used as a convenient bed space.
10) WC - In houses with three bedrooms or more there should be a wheelchair
accessible toilet at entrance level with drainage provision enabling a shower to be fitted
in the future.
11) Bathroom & WC Walls - Walls in the bathroom and WC should be capable of taking
adaptations such as handrails.
12) Lift Capability - The design should incorporate provision for a future stair lift and a
suitably identified space for a through the floor lift from the ground floor to the first floor,
for example to a bedroom next to the bathroom.
13) Main Bedroom - The design and specification should provide a reasonable route for
a potential hoist from a main bedroom to the bathroom.
14) Bathroom Layout - The bathroom should be designed for ease of access to the
bath, WC & washbasin.
15) Window Specification - Living room window glazing should begin no higher than
800mm from the floor level and windows should be easy to open/operate.
16) Fixtures & Fittings - Switches, sockets, ventilation and service controls should be at
a height usable by all.
The points above can be categorized as follows:
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Access to the dwelling- standards 1–5; General standards of accessibility within the
dwelling- standards 6, 7, 11,14, 15 and 16; Potential future adaptability of the dwelling standards 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13.
Category 8 : Management
This category is rather diverse in its nature, and therefore requires a number of sub
categories to be fulfilled in order to reach level 6:
Creating a Home User Guide - this potentially achieves 3 credits. The Code for
Sustainable Homes requires a ‘Home User Guide’ that contains the necessary details
about the everyday use of the home in a form that is easy for the intended users to
understand. This is deemed necessary as without it the home may be used
inappropriately, increasing the potential for wasted resources.
The guide should indicate the following:








Environmental strategy/design and features
Energy
Water use
Recycling and waste
Sustainable DIY
Emergency information
Links, references and further information
Provision of information in alternative formats
In order to achieve the maximum credits the guide will also contain vital information
regarding the site and its surroundings, including:






Recycling and waste
Public transport
Local amenities
Responsible purchasing
Emergency information
Links, references and further information
Further credits are available in this section through the following:
Considerate Constructors Scheme - Encouraging sites to be managed in an
environmentally and socially considerate manner.
Construction Site Impacts - Managing a site that mitigates environmental impacts.
Security - Where the design of the development allow people to feel safe and secure.
Category 9 : Ecology
The principle of this category is to minimise the damage to existing local ecology and
where possible enhance it. The ecological value of a site is affected by previous uses
and the presence of ecological features such as trees, hedges, watercourses, wetlands,
meadows, etc. Therefore, the reuse of existing sites will help to slow down the
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destruction of natural habitats and the wildlife they support, as well as preventing loss of
land used for agriculture, parkland, etc.
Damage can be minimised either by selecting a site of low ecological value or by
developing a site in a way that protects the most important ecological features.
Most credits are available in this section through making further enhancements to the
ecology of an existing site and this is determined using an Ecology Calculator:
The ecological value before and after development is measured, and the overall change
in species per hectare is:
● Minor negative change: between –9 and –3
● Neutral: between –3 and +3
● Minor enhancement: between +3 and +9
● Major enhancement: greater than +9
Credits
1
2
3
4
Further credits are awarded in this category for Building Footprint - ensuring land and
materials used are optimised across the development.
Full details of the Code for Sustainable Homes are available at
www.communities.gov.uk
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