Everything about Ecohomes totally explained
EcoHomes is an environmental rating scheme for homes in the
United Kingdom. It is the domestic version of the
Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method
BREEAM, which can also be applied to a variety of non-residential buildings.It was replaced by the
Code for Sustainable Homes in April 2007.
EcoHomes can be applied to new private and
social housing schemes, as well as in the case of major refurbishment. Special assessments can be made of communal housing such as student halls of residence and care homes.
EcoHomes was first developed and used commercially in 2000, EcoHomes Assessments fall under one of four versions, Pre-2002, 2003, 2005 or the current version 2006.
The rating system has gone through four major revisions, the latest being
EcoHomes 2006. As a consequence, it isn't possible to compare homes built under one revision of the standard with homes built under another.
EcoHomes 2006
In particular, the
2006 version of EcoHomes increases the standards for energy efficiency, following the 2006 revisions energy efficiency requirements of the
Building Regulations. It also incorporates a number of other changes.
Under the scheme, credits are first given for standards reached in the following areas:
Transport
Pollution
Materials
- Mat 1 - Environmental impact of materials
- Mat 2 - Responsible sourcing of materials: basic building elements
- Mat 3 - Responsible sourcing of materials: finishing elements
- Mat 4 - Recycling facilities
Water
- Wat 1 - Internal potable water use
- Wat 2 - External potable water use
Land Use and Ecology
- Eco 1 - Ecological value of site
- Eco 2 - Ecological enhancement
- Eco 3 - Protection of ecological features
- Eco 4 - Change of ecological value of site
- Eco 5 - Building Footprint
Health and Wellbeing
Management
- Man 1 - Home user guide
- Man 2 - Considerate constructors
- Man 3 - Construction site impacts
- Man 4 - Security
A weighting system is then used to designate the home as Pass, Good, Very Good, or Excellent.
All homes funded by the Housing Corporation or by English Partnerships are required to meet the 2006 Very Good standard. Previously a Good designation sufficed. It is expected that this requirement will be replaced by compliance with the Government's proposed Code for Sustainable Homes, currently being finalised, which is expected to be 'closely aligned' to EcoHomes (External Link
).
Criticisms
EcoHomes has been criticised by some for getting the balance wrong between the various elements, and for valuing low embodied energy over the whole life performance of the building.
Previous versions were criticised for allowing illogical trading-off between areas of the standards, so that, for example, homes with poor energy efficiency standards could still receive a high designation.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Ecohomes'.
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