RAINWATER HARVESTING
WPL Rainwater Harvesting and The Code for Sustainable Homes
What is The Code?
It is a single, national standard for sustainable homes used by home designers and builders as a guide to new developments and by home buyers to assist in their choice of home.
The Code uses a sustainability rating system indicated by stars to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a enw home. A 1 Star rating is the Code's entry level, and a 6 star rating (the best) is the Code's highest performance level.
There are nine categories which make up the Code and one of the most important is water efficiency. Within this category there are minimum standards which must be achieved at every level of the Code, recognising its importance to the sustainability of a home.
Furthermore, the Code has a specific time line to zero carbon sustainable construction by 2016, for both the public and private sectors. It will also form the basis for future developments in Building Regulations relating to carbon emissions from, and energy use in all homes.
The table below shows when the minimum, mandatory Code level for a new home comes into effect in each sector:
| DATE |
PUBLIC SECTOR |
PRIVATE SECTOR |
| 2008 |
Code level 3 stars |
Assessment mandatory* |
| 2010 |
Code level 4 stars |
Code level 3 stars |
| 2013 |
Code level 6 stars |
Code level 4 stars |
| 2016 |
|
Code level 6 stars |
(*Since May 2008 all homes which do not achieve the Code entry level 1 star rating, must include a nil-rated certificate in the compulsory HIPs (Home Information Packs). A Code rated certificate or nil-rated certificate complements the Energy Performance Certificate (EPS) in the HIPs.)