The 20 criteria
The 20 Building for Life criteria embody our vision of functional, attractive, and sustainable housing.
The Building for Life criteria are a series of 20 questions which are used to evaluate the quality of new housing developments.
Watch our video explaining the 20 criteria or browse them individually below:
Environment and community |
| 01. |
Does the development provide (or is it close to) community facilities, such as a school, parks, play areas, shops, pubs or cafes? |
| 02. |
Is there an accommodation mix that reflects the needs and aspirations of the local community? |
| 03. |
Is there a tenure mix that reflects the needs of the local community? |
| 04. |
Does the development have easy access to public transport? |
| 05. |
Does the development have any features that reduce its environmental impact? |
Character |
| 06. |
Is the design specific to the scheme? |
| 07. |
Does the scheme exploit existing buildings, landscape or topography? |
| 08. |
Does the scheme feel like a place with distinctive character? |
| 09. |
Do the buildings and layout make it easy to find your way around? |
| 10. |
Are streets defined by a well-structured building layout? |
Streets, parking and pedestrianisation |
| 11. |
Does the building layout take priority over the streets and car parking, so that the highways do not dominate? |
| 12. |
Is the car parking well integrated and situated so it supports the street scene? |
| 13. |
Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly? |
| 14. |
Does the scheme integrate with existing streets, paths and surrounding development? |
| 15. |
Are public spaces and pedestrian routes overlooked and do they feel safe? |
Design and construction |
| 16. |
Is public space well designed and does it have suitable management arrangements in place? |
| 17. |
Do the buildings exhibit architectural quality? |
| 18. |
Do internal spaces and layout allow for adaptation, conversion or extension? |
| 19. |
Has the scheme made use of advances in construction or technology that enhance its performance, quality and attractiveness? |
| 20. |
Do buildings or spaces outperform statutory minima, such as building regulations? |
Watch our video guide to the 20 criteria
Read the transcript of the video.
