The government has announced that all new homes are to be rated on their green credentials from 1 May.

A rating against the Code for Sustainable Homes, which measures nine categories of sustainable design, including energy, water and waste, will be required for all new homes.

Houses that exceed the sustainable standards in existing Building Regulations will be awarded up to six stars.

Homes that have not been assessed against the code will score a nil rating.

Housing minister Caroline Flint said: “We need to tackle climate change by improving how green and energy-efficient our homes are.

“New-build housing will play an important part in this, and we are already committed to all new housing being zero-carbon from 2016. These measures are essential in tackling climate change.”

The move was welcomed by the UK Green Building Council. Spokesman Paul King said: “The code will fundamentally change the way we build and buy new homes. Buyers will see how green their home is.”

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor