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Housing scheme has level 5 sustainability

21 November 2008

A two-flat housing scheme in Surrey has been awarded a level five certification under the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The Mid Street project built by Osborne for Raven Housing Trust is 100 per cent more energy efficient than existing building regulations require and performs highly on air tightness and thermal efficiency.

Heat for both flats is created by a shared wood chip biomass boiler, while electricity is generated from 16 photovoltaic solar panels mounted on the roof.

It demonstrates water efficiency by using harvested rainwater and its baths, basins and taps have a restricted flow.

Colin Mitchell, director at Osborne, said: "Mid Street is now officially the first Code 5 home in the UK and should set the example for other projects. It shows that Code 5 is not only achievable but also that it doesnt need to be cost prohibitive or require lots of gadgets it comes down to the fabric of the building itself."

He added: "The energy consumption of the flats will be monitored to identify areas for improvement for future projects."

The Code for Sustainable Homes, which gives homes a maximum rating of 'Level 6' was introduced earlier this year.

By 2016 all new homes will have to be built to zero-carbon specifications.