EcoHomes Certificate of Compliance

An EcoHomes Certificate of Compliance is a requirement in some planning permissions for home renovations. This page explains EcoHomes, and how it affects the build process and the resulting home. While EcoHomes does add yet another layer of complexity (with all its attendant paperwork) to the self-build process, Eco-Rating aims to shoulder most of this burden, leaving the designer to get on with the design and the Client to enjoy the benefits.


WHAT IS ECOHOMES?
EcoHomes is a method of evaluating a major home refurbishment project against a set of standards for environmental sustainability. Both the design and the construction process are evaluated. It has a wide scope, covering energy, water conservation, construction waste, security, recycling facilities, sourcing and choice of materials, flood risk, ecological protection and many other issues.

The performance of the design in each issue is evaluated against standards laid out in the EcoHomes technical guidance. The results for all the issues are then collated, giving a total which results in one of the following ratings: “Pass”, “Good”, “Very Good” or “Excellent”. Typically “Very Good” is currently required for home renovations.


An EcoHomes assessment is a rigorous process which requires collection of documentary evidence to support the evaluation of each issue. Much of this evidence is obtained from the drawings and specifications. It follows that these documents will have to include features that EcoHomes introduces. Because an EcoHomes rating indicates a quality standard which is rigorously applied, it is reasonable to expect it to increase the market value of the dwelling.

Assessments are conducted by individuals licensed by the BRE. There are many ways to achieve a given rating because EcoHomes is a scoring method, which allows flexibility – it means that if you do well in some issues you can relax in others. With Building Regulations on the other hand it is simply a matter of complying.


HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE BUILD PROCESS?
Before granting planning permission (for either Outline or Full Planning), planners may require a “pre-assessment”, which confirms that the required EcoHomes rating is feasible and outlines how it may be achieved, along with constraints and opportunities. From the self-builder’s perspective, a useful output of this stage is a schedule of the design features to be included and the construction practices to be adopted. Eco-Rating produces this document after full discussion with the developer and/or designer. In the self-build situation it can be particularly valuable for the assessor to be in regular contact with the client or designer, raising any issues that need to be dealt with urgently. Even if this stage does not have to be dovetailed into the planning process it must still be performed, to ensure that the required rating is obtained. “If you fail to plan you’re planning to fail,” as they say.

With the plan in place, the next stage is to collect the evidence. As well as the drawings and specifications already mentioned, copies of correspondence, invoices, web pages and other such documentation will be needed.

When all is in place the assessor will lodge the assessment with the BRE. After checking the information they issue a “Design-Stage Certificate” giving the rating achieved at design stage. It is often one of the conditions on the planning permission that this Design-Stage Certificate is obtained before building work can begin.

Eco-Rating recognises that self-builders may not be familiar with Eco-Homes certification, and one of my special contributions in home renovation projects is to work closely with the key players through these processes.

It may be that a Design-Stage Certificate is all that is required. It is more likely, however, that a Post-Construction Review (PCR) will also be requested. For the PCR, while the building work is progressing, documentation will be collected as evidence that the agreed EcoHomes features are being implemented. Construction practices may also affect the EcoHomes result. One or more site visits may be conducted. If there are changes (as sometimes occur), these will be evaluated and a partial re-assessment will take place. The assessor lodges the PCR with the BRE, who will issue the Post-Construction Certificate. The EcoHomes rating attained will depend on the post-construction evidence provided, and is not necessarily the same as the design-stage rating. There may be a planning condition that the dwelling cannot be occupied until the Post-Construction Certificate with the required rating is obtained.


HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE RESULTING DWELLING?
If the Client wants a sustainable home, achieving “Very Good” will probably make little difference to the finished dwelling. Higher ratings will have more effect.

A SAP Assessment according to Part L1B of the Building Regulations will be required. It will help the EcoHomes result if the SAP Assessor proposes a solution which provides good energy-saving performance balanced with feasibility and installation cost. The outcome will then also be a home which is more economical to run. Renewable energy systems are often recommended.

Daylighting calculations can be carried out to quantify levels of natural light in the main rooms. If the results are good, not only will the Client be benefitting from the natural light, but the EcoHomes result will also be improved.

A Home User Guide – written in plain language for the dwelling, to encourage and enable its occupants to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle – will also (if it meets the requirements) improve the EcoHomes result. The Guide is a rich source of local information, especially useful if you’re new to the area.

Eco-Rating offers many of these additional services, and for the more specialised services I am developing a network of trusted suppliers who are geared up to work with self-builders.


In difficult cases an ecological survey and report, aimed at protecting existing features of ecological value and enhancing the ecological value of the site, may be necessary. In most cases it will give a helpful boost to the EcoHomes result. The benefits of this exercise are mainly to the natural environment, although this in turn benefits us all. Those with interests in that direction will have the resulting enhancement to look forward to.


Generally a rainwater harvesting system will be recommended, to reduce the projected potable water consumption. Other recommended features, most of which improve security or reduce running costs, are as follows:
• Secure By Design certification
• secure cycle storage facilities protected from the weather
• energy-efficient and water-efficient white goods
• energy-efficient internal lighting using fluorescent technology or LEDs
• fixed internal storage for recycling

As can be seen, EcoHomes will ensure features are introduced which reduce running costs, enhance quality, improve health & wellbeing, and improve security. Thus, even though it can be regarded as an unwelcome additional burden on the self-builder, EcoHomes brings with it many advantages. It is therefore reasonable to expect it to increase the market value.

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