There is concern growing within the industry that the publication timetable for the new Code for Sustainable Buildings may not be realistic.

The document is due to be issued to industry for consultation prior to its publication in April 2006, and Cabinet Office guidelines call for a minimum 12-week consultation period for responses beforehand.

Consultants are concerned that the government will shorten the consultation period in order to meet the April publication date. One said: “If the consultation document is published in December as the ODPM has promised, it cannot possibly follow the Cabinet Office guidelines and still be published in April”

A spokesman for the ODPM denied that the consultation period would be shortened. He said that the code would follow the full 12-week consultation period, but was unable to give a publication date for the final document, only saying it was the government’s “intention” to publish the document in April 2006.

The Code is being drawn up by the Sustainable Buildings Task Group in conjunction with three government departments: ODPM, DTI and DEFRA. It is intended to provide a means of getting government and industry to improve the quality and sustainability of new and refurbished buildings, following the Better Buildings Summit in 2003.

The minimum standard for energy use in the Code will be above current building regulations standard. The government is considering incorporating this into future revisions of the building regulations.

Calculation methods for compliance with the energy target will be compatible with the building regulations to prevent confusion.

What is the Code for Sustainable Buildings?

The code is a voluntary initiative that the government hopes will become a single national standard for sustainable building.

To comply with the Code, buildings will need to use less energy and water than the minimum required under the Building Regulation, to use construction materials more effectively and utilise recycled materials.

The government is expected to adopt the code’s standards for all new buildings in the public sector.

Source

Building Sustainable Design