Code For Sustainable Homes
With climate change, global warming and diminishing energy resources, governments around the world have introduced challenging targets to reduce associated CO2 emissions from the way we live in our modern world. These targets are supported by strict legislation and will have an influence on many aspects of our lives over the coming years.
Buildings are responsible for around 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions. A substantial proportion of this is as a direct result of using energy within our buildings to create a comfortable environment. Heating, hot water and lighting all demand energy consumption and contribute to emissions. Effective insulation to the building fabric cuts the energy demand for heating, which on its own is the largest proportion of our energy demand.
The Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) is an environmental assessment method for rating and certifying the performance of new homes in terms of CO2 emissions. It is a UK national standard for use in the design and construction of new homes, which sets out a timeline for the reduction in building CO2 emissions based upon current Part L 2006 Building Regulations.
This guide suggests practical solutions to common construction elements that will help you to meet level 3 and level 4 of the Code for sustainable homes.
In addition, it highlights the correct Recticel Insulation required in these situations. Recticel Insulation is Europe’s largest producer of PIR insulation products. Striving for excellence in quality of both product and service, Recticel Insulation will raise the standards and product demands of the customer by delivering to the UK unparalleled PIR product and service quality. Recticel Insulation deliver ‘a better way’ of meeting the code for sustainable homes.
Recticel’s range of high performance PIR insulation materials benefit the environment as they help to reduce this energy consumption, which contributes to lowering carbon dioxide emissions and reducing global warming. Recticel’s products are designed and manufactured to result in the lowest environmental impact.
Thermal conductivities as low as 0.022 W/mK, zero ozone depletion potential across the entire range, low global warming potential, and the reassurance of using a product that will repay the energy used in it’s manufacture many times over during its lifetime in use.
In order to assist you in making the right choice of insulation and complying with the new regulations, Recticel has its own in-house CSH Assessor, available as part of the technical support team.
The Code for Sustainable Homes became operational in England in April 2007 and a Code rating for new build homes became mandatory from 1 st May 2008. Note : Developments where notice or plans were received by a local authority prior to 1st May 2008 are exempt.
Also from the 1st of May 2008, a minimum of Code Level 3 is required for all new housing promoted or supported by the Welsh Assembly Government or their sponsored bodies and from 2nd June 2008, Code Level 3 is required for all new self-contained social housing in Northern Ireland. The Code does not apply in Scotland
In order to obtain a code rating, code assessments are normally carried out in two stages:
• Design Stage (DS), leading to an Interim certificate.
• Post Construction Stage (PCS), includes site visits, leading to a final certificate.
Evidence is collated by the assessor to determine how many credits are to be awarded for each issue. A summary report is submitted to the Code service provider for quality assurance and certification.
Recticel provide products that ensure you comply with the Code for Sustainable homes, making Recticel a reliable choice every time.
Download our "Meeting the Code For Sustainable Homes" literature.