Guide to Breeam

BREEAM is the leading environmental assessment method for buildings, setting the standard for best practice in sustainable design. Yet many professionals find BREEAM difficult to understand and often miss out on opportunities to optimise the credits that can be scored from a scheme.

This practical, accessible guide comes to the rescue ¿ providing a much-needed explanation of BREEAM for all building professionals, whether architects, clients, contractors or engineers.

Focusing on those key areas to the assessment that can frequently cause confusion, it explains who needs to do what, and when ¿ and also includes useful tips for 'quick wins' in relation to the 2011 BREEAM update. This guide provides a clear introduction to how to make the most of BREEAM.

Author Notes

Stuart Barlow is a vastly experienced architect, qualified Accredited Professional, and Assessor for the BREEAM Offices, Retail Industrial schemes. Until recently 3DReid's Head of Sustainability, he now runs SPB Sustainability Ltd (www.spb-sustainabilty.com)

Introduction	p. 1
1 Background to BREEAM	p. 3
1.1 Introduction	p. 3
1.2 Why undertake a BREEAM Assessment?	p. 4
1.3 The BREEAM Assessment process	p. 6
1.4 The structure of a BREEAM Assessment	p. 9
1.5 BREEAM Schemes	p. 15
1.6 Schemes not covered in this Guide	p. 15
1.7 Other rating systems	p. 16
References	p. 17
2 The Assessment process: an overview	p. 19
2.1 Providing evidence to an Assessor	p. 19
2.2 Weighting of Issue credits	p. 22
2.3 Minimum performance standards	p. 24
2.4 Topping up a score with Innovation credits	p. 27
2.5 When do Issues have to be considered and who leads the process of providing evidence?	p. 29
2.6 Issues that should be first addressed during RIBA Preparation Stages A (Appraisal) and B (Design Brief)	p. 32
2.7 Issues that should be addressed during RIBA Design Stages C (Concept), D (Design Development) and E (Technical Design)	p. 34
2.8 Issues that can be dealt with during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F (Production Information), G (Tender Documentation) and H (Tender Action)	p. 39
2.9 RIBA Construction Stages J (Mobilisation) and K (Construction to Practical Completion)	p. 43
2.10 Post-construction stage	p. 43
2.11 How a shell-only approach impacts on the BREEAM Assessment	p. 44
References	p. 45
3 Maximising the benefits and some quick wins	p. 47
3.1 Measuring a site's impact on an Assessment	p. 48
3.2 Issues whose performance standards are more easily achieved through good design and specification	p. 63
3.3 Issues for which the architect is normally responsible	p. 66
3.4 Issues for which the service engineer is normally responsible	p. 86
3.5 Issues for which the structural engineer is normally responsible	p. 112
3.6 Tender specifications to ensure that the principal contractor operates in an environmentally friendly way	p. 114
3.7 Benefits of appointing specialist consultants	p. 124
3.8 Appointing an ecologist	p. 126
3.9 Appointing an acoustic consultant	p. 133
3.10 Appointing a highway engineer	p. 139
3.11 Appointing a specialist commissioning manager	p. 142
3.12 Appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP)	p. 142
3.13 Overall impact of good design and specification	p. 144
References	p. 145
4 Difficult BREEAM Issues	p. 147
4.1 Issues with complex scoring and where best practice design is required	p. 147
4.2 Issues which are difficult to achieve in certain buildings	p. 184
4.3 Issues requiring the client to instruct the design team to undertake additional activities outside their normal terms of appointment	p. 192
4.4 Issues which are building-type specific	p. 202
References	p. 211
5 The cost of BREEAM	p. 213
5.1 The cost of undertaking an Assessment	p. 213
5.2 The extra cost required to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating	p. 215
5.3 The cost impact of a site's location	p. 219
5.4 Which credits cost more?	p. 220
5.5 Principal contractor operating in an environmentally friendly manner to the benefit of the BREEAM Assessment	p. 220
5.6 Good practice architectural design and specification	p. 221
5.7 Good practice services design and specification	p. 221
5.8 Reducing CO 2 emissions	p. 222
5.9 Summary of cost impact of certain credits	p. 224
References	p. 224
Index	p. 225

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Author Notes

Table of Contents