Building for Life, the national standard for well designed homes and neighbourhoods, is to be relaunched this month (September) to focus on community and urban design.<br> <br> The new version reduces the 20 criteria questions to 12, reflecting the industry's priorities and acknowledging that new standards such as the Code for Sustainable Homes now cover some of the areas on which the original Building for Life was focused.<br> <br> The 12 headings in the new version include community facilities, public transport, local housing requirements and external storage. Whereas previously the questions were scored and a total out of 20 recorded, the new system will use traffic lighting – green, orange and red. There will be no minimum national score and instead of gold and silver standard there will be a basic Building for Life status – but a housebuilder scoring 12 green lights will be accredited as a Building for Life Champion.<br> <br> Building for Life 2012 will be jointly owned by HBF, Design Council Cabe and Design for Homes and will be launched at Stephenson College in Coalville, Leicestershire on September 20.