The code for sustainable homes is voluntary rating system to measure the sustainability of the homes apart from standard housing norms in U.K. Though, these rules are not mandatory, they are of great importance as they decide whether the developers are really interested in abiding by this voluntary rating system. Before introducing, this set of conducts, there was the Government-owned scheme called the Building Research Establishment’s Eco Homes. This was a rating scheme first used in 2000. The rating system involves one to six ratings in order to judge the sustainability of the home. In order to measure this sustainability, professional environmental consultancy or environmental engineers can help the developers design and construct the homes. These six points rating system is set against nine major criteria. Depending upon the compliance with this criteria, the ratings are given to the house. Following are these criteria in detail:

  • Energy and CO2 emissions: In this category, it is measured there are standard as to how much energy is  used and what can be the resulting emissions of carbon dioxide. The ratings for code for sustainable homes are decided against whether the criteria has been met or not.
  • Water H2O: Whether there is adequate arrangement of water
  • Surface Water Run Off: These standards include the consumption of drinking water from the public supply systems or other ground water resources
  • Waste: Though there are no compulsory standards set for this category, it stands for the waste as a result of construction process. And, how the domestic waste can be recycled
  • Ecology: The ratings have been given taking into consideration what is the impact of the houses on local ecosystem, bio-diversity and land use. Though there are no standards set for this.
  • Health and Well-Being: These too are without any standards, but code of sustainable homes give ratings to those houses that care about the effect of the  houses’ design and construction on the dwellers.
  • Materials: The ecological impact of construction materials for key construction elements. For these also, there are no minimum standards.
  • Pollution: Code for sustainable homes rates the homes according to its pollution emanating from the operation of the dwelling. There are no minimum standards though.
  • Management