Online tool aimed at green housebuilders

Bury-based environmental consultancy, The LK Group, has launched Code4homes, an online product designed to help enable more effective management of the Code for Sustainable Homes process.

Dr Scott Elliott, managing director of LK, said: "The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental assessment method, which has been introduced to drive change in sustainable home building practice. It's a national standard for use in the design and construction of new homes, with a view to encouraging continuous improvement in sustainable home building. It also ensures that new homes meet the minimum criteria in areas such as: energy, water, materials, pollution and ecology.

"Because of this, we saw a great opportunity to help make the lives of those building new homes, and the assessors who monitor and approve their ratings, much easier. The result is a unique, and user-friendly, online management tool that enables multi-user access and the uploading of all documents that can be stored in one central and easily accessible place for all of those involved in working with The Code for Sustainable Homes."

Cruden Construction, based in Warrington and Salford, is using the software on its sustainable housing developments. Dave Woodward, contracts manager at Cruden Construction said: "Adhering to The Code for Sustainable Homes requires in-depth information, phased updating of data and constant monitoring. Fortunately, the Code4homes website is proving an invaluable tool for us, by streamlining the management and reporting of our housing projects, from inception to compliance, all in an easy to use online environment."

The government remains committed to achieving a zero carbon energy rating for all new housing by 2016 and to comply with the code, those building new homes will have to work with an appropriately accredited code assessor to ensure they meet necessary standards.