Achieving Environmental Performance Standards
How we are addressing this issue:
We use environmental performance standards, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes, to make sure our homes are designed and built with low environmental impact. We also use environmental performance standards as a way of communicating the environmental performance of our homes to our customers and other stakeholders.
Our industry-leading commitment to certify all homes to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes led to the completion of 832 certified homes during 2010/11 and a further 5,980 homes committed to achieve Level 3 through the planning applications that we submitted. A Code Level 3 home may include the following features: ecology assessments, A-rated appliances, water and energy saving fixtures and fittings, and waste minimisation infrastructure. It also ensures that all developments explore the viability of environmental infrastructure and install technology where appropriate.
There is a growing push towards developing higher performing homes and we are already designing a number of projects to Level 4 of the Code due to local planning requirements. At Berkeley we are committed to staying at the forefront of the industry and whilst challenging, these projects give us experience in delivering homes to this higher standard that we can apply to all of our future schemes.
Berkeley has formed a number of development committees to identify key business challenges or aspects of operational concern and promote operational solutions. Our Technical Committee has been looking at the technical and cost implications involved in moving from Level 3 to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. The findings will inform our ambition to certify all homes to Level 4 of the Code from May 2012.
We continue to proactively engage with Government to develop the Code and ensure its deliverability for the industry and sit on a number of industry working groups.
Our performance:
In 2010/11:
- Planning applications were submitted for a total of 8,151 homes. Of these, 5,932 homes were committed to Code Level 3 and 1,068 to Code Level 4.
- Four schemes did not commit to Code Level 3.
- 832 completed homes were certified to Code Level 3.
GRI Indicator EN26
Data qualification notes for this KPI can be found here.
Our Vision2020 commitments and ambitions:
As part of delivering Vision2020 we have set specific objectives for continuing to ensure the achievement of high environmental performance standards.
Our commitment from May 2011:
- Design all new homes to achieve at least Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes
Our ambitions from May 2012:
- Design all new homes to achieve Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes
- Develop (or adopt) a standard equivalent to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes to be applied to refurbishment schemes
Case studies:
Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3: Slade Park
Slade Park is located on the edge of Oxford in a residential suburb. The site is being redeveloped to provide a mixture of residential housing and dedicated student housing. The entire site was developed with sustainability in mind and the residential buildings are the first in the Group to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. This was achieved through the use of renewable technologies to provide water and space heating to the residential units and student accommodation, although overall demand for energy will be reduced due to an energy efficient building fabric. Reliance on cars will also be reduced as dwellings will be provided with secure cycle parking, and we will be providing all residents with information to encourage and inform them how to reduce their environmental impacts in the home.
Different strategies were employed in the houses and flats but features incorporated into the scheme to achieve the Code Level 3 rating include:
- Highly energy efficient building fabric
- Solar photovoltaic roof tiles – an innovative form of solar power which were used to not only provide the required renewable energy for the scheme but also replaced the need for roof tiles
- Recycling bins
- Lifetime Homes
- Water saving devices to achieve a water use of 105 l/p/d
Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4: Ropetackle
Our first project to deliver homes to Level 4 of the Code is Ropetackle, a 226 unit mixed-use development in Shoreham-by-Sea. In July 2011, 48 Housing Association homes were completed and handed over. This project has provided an excellent opportunity for us to fully understand the costs and realities of achieving Level 4 in advance of our Vision2020 ambition to apply this standard to homes on developments submitted for planning from May 2012.
