Code for sustainable homes - Great Britain Department for Communities and Local Government.

Increased public awareness regarding environmental issues is driving change in the construction sector. Building sustainable homes requires us to minimise environmental impacts in addition to carbon dioxide emissions such as water use, waste generated and materials for building.The Government's Code for Sustainable Homes is a national environmental assessment method for rating and clarifying the performance of new homes in key areas such as carbon dioxide emissions and water use. The Code will become the single national standard for the design and construction of sustainable homes, and will drive continuous improvement in home building practice. A Code rating and certificate will be mandatory for all new build homes from 1 May 2008.This "Code for Sustainable Homes: Technical Guide" sets out the requirements for the Code, and the process for achieving a Code assessment. It aims to make gaining a Code assessment as simple, transparent and rigorous as possible, inspiring confidence in Code assessors, home builders, product manufacturers and consumers.Written by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), the "Code for Sustainable Homes: Technical Guide" offers invaluable advice on how to achieve a good Code rating in the nine measurable categories: Energy and emissions; water; materials; surface water run-off; waste; pollution; health and wellbeing; and management and ecology. "The Technical Guide" provides insights into what the assessor will be looking for, including lists of issues associated with the building process for which performance issues can be measured. "The Technical Guide" provides a comprehensive list of definitions relevant to each section of the Code and is an essential reference for anyone involved in the design and construction of new build homes.