The Government's revised Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guidance will encourage private and social housing developers to specify micro-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) when seeking Code Level 4 compliance, according to low and zero carbon heating and hot water systems specialist Baxi Group.
The company said: 'Replacing the 'May 2009 Version 2' Technical Guidance, this new Communities and Local Government document sets out the process by which a Code assessment is reached, aiming to make the task as simple, transparent and rigorous as possible. These amendments align the Code with the recent changes to Part L of the Building Regulations. They reflect the 25 per cent improvement in CO2 emissions required to comply with Part L 2010 and meet Code Level 4, and in doing so, provide a boost for the specification of low carbon micro-CHP technology.'
Simon Osborne, Baxi Group's Specification Channel Manager, added: 'Currently, micro-CHP units, such as the Baxi Ecogen, offer around a 20 per cent improvement in the DER (Dwelling Emission Rate)/TER (Target Emission Rate) under SAP 2005/Part L 2006. Even though this DER/TER improvement remains under SAP2009 and Part L 2010, the new Guidance clarifies that the DER baseline is helpfully reduced. As a result, developers can now specify micro-CHP with confidence, knowing that they can now reach the 25 per cent target and comply with Code Level 4 requirements'.
The new Code Technical Guidance introduces a requirement for certification under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme or assurance under the CHPQA. The Code 2010 update is effective immediately.
The Code for Sustainable Homes is a single national standard to guide housing developers in the design and construction of sustainable homes. It requires social housing developers to meet Level 4 whilst private developers must satisfy Code Level 3 (Part L 2010) then Level 4 by 2013. All house builders will be required to comply with Level 6 of the Code and deliver Zero Carbon homes by 2016.