EcoHomes is the homes version of BREEAM. It provides an authoritative rating for new, converted or renovated homes, and covers both houses and apartments. EcoHomes balances environmental performance with the need for a high quality of life and a safe and healthy internal environment.
Like BREEAM, it covers issues related to management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, water, materials, land use, ecology and pollution. Ecohomes is often required by Social Housing Developers and forms part of the minimum standards required by English Partnerships and the Welsh Development Agency for new housing.
3 Planets have experienced assessors (accredited under UKAS as competent persons) who can advise you quickly and accurately on the likely rating a particular residential development will achieve, no matter how complex the development.
We will focus quickly upon the worst case dwellings which often strongly influence the overall performance under Ecohomes, and work with your design team to identify cost effective improvements to the scheme.
Bespoke Ecohomes
Residential Developments which cannot be assessed under Ecohomes should be assessed with a Bespoke Ecohomes methodology. Examples of developments requiring Bespoke Ecohomes include residential care homes and student accommodation.
We can provide a full design stage assessment service including the management of the BRE input into the assessment.
Code for Sustainable Housing
The Code for Sustainable Housing, devised by the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was developed to enhance the requirements of the Building Regulations on residential dwellings.
It covers six main elements - energy efficiency, water efficiency, surface water management, site waste management, household waste management and the use of materials - and sets minimum standards for performance for each issue which must be met.
The rating is provided from one star (lowest standard) through to five stars (the highest standard).
We can undertake the assessments as either a stand alone exercise, or combined this into a single service which will provide both Ecohomes and Code for Sustainable Housing ratings for your development.