Code for Sustainable Homes Awards recognises green housing pioneers

St Edmunds Developments was one of nine organisations awarded for their efforts in delivering homes under the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) scheme at a BRE event in Westminster.

The developer built the 100,000 home to the Code which when introduced in 2007 challenged the sector to design and build with significantly lower environmental impacts. Other award winners included, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Southern Housing, Fairview New Homes, Victory Housing, Leazes Homes, Stock Woolstencroft, Richard Hodkinson Consultancy, Michael Axtell from Queensbury Design and Bill Dunster of Zed Factory.

The 2013 Code for Sustainable Homes Awards recognises the wide range of stakeholders across the housing sector that have made tremendous progress in delivering against the environmental, business and customer challenges in green housing provision. They ranges from private and social housing developers, planning authorities, specifiers and funding bodies, to architectural practices, engineers, product manufacturers and Code assessors.

Alan Yates, Technical Director for Sustainability at BRE, said: “The Government is currently reviewing housing standards. Before the regulatory landscape changes we need to recognise the significant time, effort and investment of all the stakeholder groups, involved in delivering sustainable homes as well as appreciate the many tangible benefits that sustainable housing brings: householders can enjoy smaller utility bills, greater security, reduced flood risks, increased natural lighting, improved sound insulation, and many other benefits not currently recognised within Building Regulations.

"Furthermore, we must not forget that the houses we build today have to remain future proofed in order for them not to have a significant longer term, negative impact upon local communities, our economy and the infrastructure that supports them."

During the event, DCLG data was released which shows that costs of delivering homes to Level 3 & 4 of the CSH have significantly decreased since its introduction in 2007 as the supply chain for products and services has increased, in line with the volume of homes delivered.

Yates said: "Alongside the primary benefits: vital reductions in carbon emissions, resources and waste, enhanced biodiversity and improvements for the homeowner, the Code has also given us a framework for innovating and developing new green products, technologies and design solutions, allowing UK manufacturers and consultants to be competitive in exploiting these within emerging overseas markets such as China, Brazil and other European countries."

During the awards ceremony a special lifetime achievement award was presented to British Architect Bill Dunster OBE for his contribution to low carbon and sustainable housing, with his pioneering Zedfactory zero-carbon design housing developments.  Bills latest Zedfactory product ‘Zero Bills Home’, aims to deliver an affordable and beautiful home that costs less to live in than a home built to the minimum standards of Building Regulations.

Richard Hardy, Managing Director of BRE concluded: "Looking ahead, the Government has set out its intention for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016.

"Whatever the result of the standards review, the UK housing sector will continue to require the sort of framework, benchmarks and guidance currently provided by CSH. We look forward to continuing to work with both Government and industry stakeholders to further develop CSH and its successors for the benefit of householders and house builders, the wider UK industry and economy and of course, our environment."