Energy Plus Online/Ecohomes
Ecohomes
EcoHomes balances environmental performance with the need for a high quality of life and a safe and healthy internal environment. The issues assessed are grouped into seven categories:
- Energy
- Water
- Pollution
- Materials
- Transport
- Ecology and land use
- Health and well-being
Many of the issues are optional, ensuring EcoHomes is flexible enough to be tailored to a particular development or market. All of our EcoHomes Assessments are carried out by independent assessors who are trained and licensed by BRE. The assessment is based on a series of sheets to be completed by the developer/designer. The cost of assessment will depend upon the level of advice and assistance required from the assessor, and the complexity of the scheme (See price guidance here). For example, each different house type on a development requires a degree of separate assessment. For the first few EcoHomes sites a developer builds, it is advisable to have the maximum involvement of an assessor from the earliest design stage. The assessor's advice helps to ensure that simple, cost-effective measures are adopted at the outset, and that the highest possible rating can therefore be achieved for minimum capital costs. Once the EcoHome Assessment is part of your build programme on a continual basis, you will reduce the amount of time spent liaising with your assessor thus reducing costs.
Documents for further research:
For further information on Ecohomes & Sustainability in Homes, you may find the following links useful :
What do we offer?
Full EcoHomes Rating
A fully licensed EcoHomes Assessment completed on your project performance at a "pass" to "excellent" standard. The result will be offered as a BRE Certificate.
EcoHomes Review Assessment
A complete assessment without the formal BRE certification. A full report will be produced with improvement options to bring the project up to the required standard. The report format can be issued for use in the Licensed Assessment to remove duplication of cost.
EcoHomes Design Advice
Design advice is offered to ensure that all options are considered from concept to build stage and is available to all parties involved in the supply chain or design team. Issues such as :
- Identifying features
- Sustainable material options
- Ecological aspects
- Basic design guidance for EcoHome Assessment
Post construction Review
A full review can be offered to ensure that the design advice has been implemented with complete accuracy.
General guidance
A desk top study, working from development documents can be given to take the potentially detailed study forward in a simple but effective manner. All advice and work is carried out with the intention of making sustainable improvement affordable.
Process
The assessment requires a fairly extensive range of information, and it is advisable to establish the information needs at the earliest opportunity. Compiling the information required early will minimise delays at the latter stages of the assessment.
Failure to provide the necessary information can mean:
- An inferior assessment rating to actual scheme performance
- Time delays in assessment process.
- Increased cost of assessment.
Detailed Process
- Request for information issued - Detailed
- EcoHomes information worksheets for the developer to complete. Information requirements cover a broad range of sustainable issues e.g. SAP worksheets, landscaping details etc.
- Assessment undertaken
- Providing all information requested is provided by the developer, a desk top assessment can be made.
- Pre-certification Review*
- An uncertified copy of the assessment can be issued to the client for comment. This will include the provisional EcoHomes award and suggestions of potential improvements (See design advice)
Note:* - this is not a standard part of the assessment process, but is recommended where a specific rating must be achieved. - Assessment certified by BRE
- The assessment and rating achieved will be certified by BRE and a certificate issued.
- Certified report issued
- A bound report, including official achieved rating, explanation of assessment and advice for improved future performance.
