A Home Quality Mark certificate shows that a home has been independently verified and goes beyond the minimum standards for quality and sustainability.
These basic standards of quality and sustainability are reflected in the HQM minimum requirements which need to be met by all buildings. Once these minimum requirements are met, a simple 1-5 star rating can be achieved in a variety of ways which demonstrates high quality in a way which is both flexible and reliable.
In addition to the star rating, there are 3 key indicators reflecting key areas of concern to the house holder, policy maker and other stakeholders which give greater confidence that aspects of sustainability have been addressed. These are as follows:
My Costs:
This gives an indication of how much your home will cost to run. A higher score will mean lower energy bills, less maintenance and lower insurance risk, which could mean a better mortgage deal.
My wellbeing:
As we spend a large amount of time in our homes its important to understand how this could impact on our wellbeing and health. A high score in this area will mean a home would typically have lots of natural light, good indoor air quality and good sound insulation. It will be easy to regulate the temperature.
My footprint:
This demonstrates the environmental impact of both constructing and running the home. A high score here means a home that produces a low level of CO2 from heating and hot water. Construction materials with a low environmental impact will have been used and the ecology of the site has been protected and improved.
The benefits of a HQM certificate can be used by a number of different groups.
Consumers can compare new homes in terms of their likely running costs and environmental footprint.
Home builders can use the HQM to evaluate their operations and can set their homes apart form others by explaining the benefits of their homes to customers.
Public and private sector landlords can use HAM to set priorities and monitor performance in new build properties throughout the design and construction process. This ensures the properties they take on meet their expectations and their tenants needs.
Financial service providers can use HQM to help manage risk. The effect the cost of running a new home has on a home owners financial outgoings can accurately reflect their lending and affordability criteria.
Planners and community groups can use HQM to ensure that objectives relating to sustainability and quality of developments are being achieved and monitored.
For more information please visit https://www.homequalitymark.com/ or get in touch with GreenBuild Consult.
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