If you’re planning to construct or renovate, there are several things to take into account. The effect you are going to have on the environment, though, ought to be at the top of the list. The leading ecological assessment approach and assessment system for master-planning initiatives, structures, and buildings is called BREEAM (Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Evaluation Methodology). To guarantee that a building project complies with strict sustainability and environmental performance standards, it must meet the BREEAM assessment criteria. What then would it take to get a great BREEAM rating?
1. Begin Early
A BREEAM AP offers valuable input on project designs. Involving an assessor from the start will earn you 3 simple credits, so be sure not to miss out. You will be one-third of the way there to obtaining a BREEAM pass grade with these three credits. Other ‘easy win’ credits are incorporated at the beginning of the design phase. If you don’t take advantage of these early credits, you might subsequently have to make costly “bolt-on” investments. And they could not help your development’s viability. As soon as you anticipate a project, get in touch with an assessor—it all comes down to preparation!
2. Select Your Assessor Carefully
See what your money is supporting. Knowing what you are receiving for your money is crucial. The project is a key factor in many BREEAM assessors’ fee quotes. Therefore, the amount you pay could stay the same whether you hire an assessor early in the process of design or late in the building process. However, not every assessor offers the same calibre of assistance. To guarantee you don’t receive any unpleasant charge surprises, confirm what your price covers.
3. Employ Your Appraiser
Only licenced BREEAM Assessors are authorised to conduct BREEAM assessments. A competent assessor will collaborate with your design team & be available to you for assistance if needed. They are going to keep you informed of the status of your assessment, but it’s crucial that you also keep your assessor up to date. They’ll be better able to identify possible problems early on if you keep them informed about how your project is progressing. You might save time, money, & your grade by doing this.
4. Comprehension And Dedication
It is crucial that every member of the design team ‘buy into’ the BREEAM assessment procedure because even one member’s lack of understanding or dedication might lead the project to encounter problems. This is also true whenever choosing subcontractors because they could not be conversant with BREEAM. Once more, selecting the appropriate BREEAM assessor may help you get beyond these obstacles because they may help with writing the content for the employer’s requirements/specification paperwork. Additionally, it’s important to check to see if your assessor is prepared to host seminars for the design/construction teams to better inform them of the BREEAM procedure and what is expected of them.
5. Toss Responsibilities Out
Selecting the credits to be sought and allocating the necessary measures in that regard is crucial. It needs to be completed and approved as early in the design procedure as possible, and it ought to be regularly evaluated. All members of the design team will be aware of what is required of them and will be held accountable for completing it if there is a list of predetermined goals and objectives. Issues typically arise when ‘maybes’ go unanswered and/or when everyone assumes that another person is to blame for a certain behaviour.
6. Send The Appropriate Data
The provision of appropriate evidence constitutes one of the major problems in finishing a BREEAM assessment. To grant a BREEAM credit, the assessor must present an auditable trail of proof that the relevant BREEAM requirements were successfully met. The design team frequently receives from the BREEAM assessor both a list of the pertinent proof needs and a full description of the precise performance standards for each credit. Generally speaking, this material is a condensed version of the BREEAM scheme guidance booklet. Issues typically arise whenever the design team does not create the properly documented proof because it did not take the evidence demands into account early enough. The BREEAM assessor needs the appropriate documentation that satisfies all of the credit standards to grant credit. To make sure that everybody knows the requirements, we advise the design team to collaborate with the assessor.
7. Get Things Right The First Time; Taking Shortcuts Is Expensive
Your assessor is going to attempt to give the design team enough direction so that you can make sure that the project complies with BREEAM criteria and that the design team can offer the appropriate documentation to get the credits. In general, specific credit can be earned if the assessor’s instructions are adhered to and the proof is presented in the format and amount of detail required.
8. Don’t Assume; Instead, Consult Your Assessor
It is true to state that presumptions and BREEAM don’t mix. Thus, the best advice is to approach your BREEAM assessor if a credit is unclear to you or if you are unsure of what is necessary.
9. Select The Appropriate BREEAM Plan
The BREEAM rating system offers comparisons with other BREEAM-rated structures as a benchmark rating system for new building and interior fit-out projects. The programme contains ten ecological performance parts, and credits are given for each one according to data demonstrating performance levels consistent with best practices. (Note: New construction and fit-out projects have different weightings and credits available.)
10. Complete Your Post-Construction Evaluation
Any work done during the building phase must adhere to the design brief. It also makes sure that there is information accessible for the BREEAM post-construction assessment.
Conclusion
These ten fundamental guidelines offer a road map for obtaining a high BREEAM assessment, which demonstrates a dedication to environmentally conscious and sustainable building practices.
