On 3 March 2015, the leading building science centre BRE introduced a voluntary, national Home Quality Mark for new housing that will transform the way consumers choose the homes they buy and rent. The consumer focused standard will enable house builders and developers to differentiate their homes in the marketplace and independently demonstrate performance and attributes beyond the minimum requirements of the building regulations.

Using a simple 5-star rating, the Home Quality Mark will illustrate the home’s overall running costs and the impact of the home on the occupant’s health and wellbeing. It will also demonstrate the home’s environmental footprint and its resilience to flooding and overheating in a changing climate. As reliance on new technology becomes ever more critical, the mark will also evaluate the digital connectivity and performance of the home.

“New Home Quality Mark puts consumers at the heart of house building.”

Homes built to the mark will be independently evaluated by licensed BRE Global assessors and developments built to standards like Passivhaus and the Code for Sustainable Homes can  be credited under the mark where compatible criteria apply. As a voluntary mark, it hopes to signal a significant departure from previous codes and standards.

 Chief Executive of BRE, Dr Peter Bonfield said, It is our long term goal that the Home Quality Mark will become the de facto sign of a better home – something that home buyers can rely on and use in their purchase decisions. It will also be used by house builders to demonstrate the quality and performance of the homes they deliver.

The mark was formally launched to the house building industry on 3rd March at Ecobuild. House builders can register developments under the Home Quality Mark from June 2015.