A Guide To BREEAM

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STUART BARLOW Guide to BREEAM
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STUART BARLOW
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IM Guide to
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BREEAM
STUART BARLOW
SP Guide to
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BREEAM
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© Stuart Barlow, 2011
Published by RIBA Publishing, 15 Bonhill Street, London EC2P 2EA
ISBN 978 1 85946 425 0

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Stock code 76424
The right of Stuart Barlow to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in
accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys-
tem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner.
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The trade mark “BREEAM” is owned by the Building Research Establishment Limited and is
registered in the United Kingdom, the European Community and may be pending or regis-
tered in other countries. Guide to BREEAM is an independent publication and neither it nor
RIBA Enterprises Ltd is endorsed, sponsored, affiliated with or otherwise authorized by BRE
Global Ltd, the Building Research Establishment Ltd, or their affiliated companies.
The symbols on the cover are copyright 3DReid and have been used with their kind permission.
British Library Cataloguing in Publications Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Commissioning Editor: James Thompson

Project Editor: Alex Lazarou
Designed and typeset by Alex Lazarou
Printed and bound by Hobbs the Printers, Hampshire
While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given
in this publication, neither the Author nor the Publisher accept any responsibility for the
subsequent use of this information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any
misunderstandings arising from it.
RIBA Publishing is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.

www.ribaenterprises.com
Contents
Introduction 1
1 Background to BREEAM 3
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1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 Why undertake a BREEAM Assessment? 4
1.3 The BREEAM Assessment process 6
1.4 The structure of a BREEAM Assessment 9
1.5 BREEAM Schemes 15
1.6 Schemes not covered in this Guide 15
1.7 Other rating systems 16
References
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2 The Assessment process: an overview 19

2.1 Providing evidence to an Assessor 19
2.2 Weighting of Issue credits 22
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2.3 Minimum performance standards 24

2.4 Topping up a score with Innovation credits 27
2.5 When do Issues have to be considered and who leads the process of providing evidence? 29
2.6 Issues that should be first addressed during RIBA Preparation Stages A (Appraisal) 32
and B (Design Brief)
2.7 Issues that should be addressed during RIBA Design Stages C (Concept), 34
D (Design Development) and E (Technical Design)
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2.8 Issues that can be dealt with during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages 39
F (Production Information), G (Tender Documentation) and H (Tender Action)
2.9 RIBA Construction Stages J (Mobilisation) and K (Construction to Practical Completion) 43
2.10 Post-construction stage 43
2.11 How a shell-only approach impacts on the BREEAM Assessment 44
References 45
3 Maximising the benefits and some quick wins 47

3.1 Measuring a site’s impact on an Assessment 48
3.2 Issues whose performance standards are more easily achieved 63
through good design and specification
3.3 Issues for which the architect is normally responsible 66
3.4 Issues for which the service engineer is normally responsible 86
3.5 Issues for which the structural engineer is normally responsible 112
Contents
3.6 Tender specifications to ensure that the principal contractor operates 114
in an environmentally friendly way
3.7 Benefits of appointing specialist consultants 124
3.8 Appointing an ecologist 126
3.9 Appointing an acoustic consultant 133
3.10 Appointing a highway engineer 139
3.11 Appointing a specialist commissioning manager 142
3.12 Appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP) 142
3.13 Overall impact of good design and specification 144
References 145
4 Difficult BREEAM Issues 147

4.1 Issues with complex scoring and where best practice design is required 147
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4.2 Issues which are difficult to achieve in certain buildings 184
4.3 Issues requiring the client to instruct the design team to undertake 192
additional activities outside their normal terms of appointment
4.4 Issues which are building-type specific 202
References 211
5 The cost of BREEAM 213

5.1
5.2
The cost of undertaking an Assessment
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The extra cost required to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating
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215
5.3 The cost impact of a site’s location 219
5.4 Which credits cost more? 220
5.5 Principal contractor operating in an environmentally friendly manner 220
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to the benefit of the BREEAM Assessment

5.6 Good practice architectural design and specification 221
5.7 Good practice services design and specification 221
5.8 Reducing CO2 emissions 222
5.9 Summary of cost impact of certain credits 224
References 224
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Index 225
iv
Introduction
This independent guide provides property industry professionals, whether architects, consultants,
contractors or clients, and those who fund developments, with an overview of the sometimes con-
fusing BREEAM 2011 process. It explains the scoring system, reveals ‘quick wins’ and clarifies the
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standard of evidence needed, articulating the rationale for and cost of BREEAM along the way. In
short, it focuses on the practical aspects of achieving a respectable rating rather than just promot-
ing the benefits of green building.
Chapter 1 explains why BREEAM Assessments are on the increase, how they are structured and
what types of building can be assessed. Although still not mandatory, decent ratings are increas-
ingly being required by planning authorities, funding agencies or by clients who invest in corporate
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social responsibility. Knowing how to get the most out of BREEAM will obviously enhance the
chances of winning work from these sources.
Chapter 2 explains the background to the Assessment process. What needs to be considered
before starting? What evidence should be provided to the Assessor? Who does what, and when?
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In particular, the chapter explains the underlying principles of the scoring system, revealing how
Categories are weighted, and the concepts of minimum standards and Innovation credits. Finally,
and importantly, it shows when different Issues need to be considered to maximise the final score,
and how works carried out by landlords and tenants can impact on the Assessment.
Chapter 3 is structured from the design team’s point of view and focuses on those credits which
might be considered easier to achieve – the so-called ‘quick wins’. Organised Issue by Issue, the
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guidance identifies three key classes of quick win: smart site selection, design and specification;
requiring contractors to adopt environmentally friendly methods; and strategic commissioning of
specialist consultants. The information is laid out in a consistent format covering every aspect of the
process – prerequisite conditions, lists of required evidence pre- and post-completion, building-
type variations, and so on.
Chapter 4 deals with the Issues which are not covered in the previous chapter and which, for one
reason or another, are more difficult to capitalise on. These reasons include design complexity or
expense, specific building-type requirements, and the need to undertake unusual or specialised
design activities or services. Again, the information here is laid out in the consistent and accessible
format adopted in Chapter 3.
Finally, Chapter 5 looks at the cost of BREEAM. It explores the benefit of targeting good scores –
especially the Excellent rating – and the comparative costs of different credits.
1
Introduction
Note that this guide specifically addresses the BREEAM 2011 Scheme for newly constructed build-
ings. There are other schemes, all of which fall outside the scope of this guide. These include:
UÊ BREEAM In-Use, used to assess and improve the environmental performance of existing
commercial, industrial, retail and institutional buildings
UÊ BREEAM Communities, used to assist planners and developers to improve, measure and
independently certify the sustainability of development proposals at the planning stage
UÊ BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment scheme, being developed for use in assessing the
sustainable refurbishment of existing housing developments
UÊ The Code for Sustainable Homes, used to assess new housing
UÊ EcoHomes 2006, currently used to assess the refurbishment of homes in England and all
housing developments in Scotland
UÊ ECOHomesXB, used by housing landlords to assess and monitor the environmental per-
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formance of their existing housing stock.
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chapter one
Background to BREEAM
1.1 Introduction
Over its 20 years of existence, the Building Research Establishment’s Environment Assessment
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Method (BREEAM) has aimed to provide:
UÊ a credible, independently assessed sustainability label for buildings

UÊ recognition of a building’s sustainability credentials
UÊ a driver to stimulate demand for sustainable buildings
UÊ assistance to clients and designers in mitigating life-cycle impacts of buildings.
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The auditing process undertaken by independent Assessors certainly meets BREEAM’s first ambi-
tion. BREEAM-rated buildings (from the 2008 Scheme onwards) are now listed on the Green-
BookLive website1 and, with the introduction of the annual BREEAM Awards, BREEAM has begun
to make its mark as a vehicle for recognising sustainability credentials in buildings. The Building
Research Establishment (BRE) has always promoted BREEAM as a driver for change, and the sus-
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tainability performance standards required to achieve BREEAM ratings have certainly risen over
the years. Whether it has been solely responsible for stimulating the demand for more sustainable
buildings over recent years is debatable, but certainly each successive launch of a BREEAM Scheme
has driven up the standards of assessed buildings. BREEAM is increasingly used to audit levels of
sustainability performance, both by those who commission buildings and those who regulate their
construction. The need to undertake a BREEAM Assessment at the post-construction stage, intro-
duced as part of the BREEAM 2008 Scheme, has extended the auditing process to cover more of
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the stages of a building’s life cycle. The extended influence of BREEAM on the ongoing operation
of buildings is a recent development and is yet to be fully quantified.
As with all audit systems, BREEAM is not perfect, but it does offer a verifiable and independent
assessment of the sustainability performance of building design and construction. The requirement
for a BREEAM Assessment at the post-construction stage, before the final BREEAM certificate can
be issued, has overcome the problem of Assessments being carried out only at the design stage.
Yet the requirements of any audit system are, to some extent, arbitrary and BREEAM is no excep-
tion. For example, contaminated sites that are treated score better than uncontaminated sites,
which therefore do not require treatment, regardless of location. Such anomalies seem illogical to
many clients.
The aim of this Guide is to provide those who commission, design and construct buildings with
an overview of the 2011 version of the BREEAM UK New Construction Scheme (BREEAM 2011).
BREEAM 2011 has responded to the changing context of legislation and new standards by:
3
UÊ accommodating the revised methodology used to calculate compliance in the 2010 ver-
sion of Part L2A: Conservation of Fuel and Power in New Buildings other than Dwellings
of the Building Regulations. The requirement to achieve a 25 per cent aggregate reduc-
tion in carbon emissions meant that it was no longer possible to use a single benchmark
scale based on an Energy Performance Certificate Carbon Index Rating. Continuing this
approach might have resulted in some buildings which just comply with the Building
Regulations scoring better in a BREEAM Assessment than buildings with lower carbon
emissions
UÊ aligning BREEAM’s methodologies with the emerging raft of European construction sus-
tainability standards which will operate at the framework, building and product levels.
BS EN 15643: Part 1 Sustainability of Construction Works – Sustainability Assessment of
Buildings: General Framework has already been published. It establishes a framework
of principles, objectives and requirements for the sustainability assessment of buildings.
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More standards will be published throughout 2011 and 2012 to establish frameworks
for the environmental, social and economic assessment of buildings, core rules for the
environmental assessment of construction products and calculation methods for the envi-
ronmental assessment of buildings
UÊ aligning BREEAM with international standards such as the United Nations Environment
Programme Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative’s Common Carbon Metric
for Measuring Energy Use and Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Building
UÊ
Operations
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satisfying the requirements of BRE’s own recently launched Code for Sustainable Environ-
ment, which requires an integrated approach to design, management, evaluation and
certification of environmental, social and economic impacts of buildings
UÊ responding to industry feedback through BRE’s own survey and the consultation under-
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taken by the UK Green Building Council to provide market-focused but science-led

procedures.
BRE wants BREEAM to be the barometer of sustainable construction within the UK by measuring,
evaluating and recording a building’s performance during construction and operational life-cycle
stages against best practice sustainability benchmarks. In addition to the current list of BREEAM-
certified buildings, BRE intends to make data relating to metrics, such as carbon emissions, water
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consumption, waste generated and indoor air quality, available to the public in the future, which
could prove very useful to designers and clients.
1.2 Why undertake a BREEAM Assessment?
There are a number of reasons for carrying out a BREEAM Assessment to audit the sustainability
performance of a building. For example, it might:
UÊ be a requirement of the client organisation, to help them to demonstrate that they are
meeting their corporate social responsibility objectives
UÊ be a prerequisite for receiving public or private development funding
UÊ demonstrate an acceptable level of sustainability performance to regulatory approval
bodies, such as planning authorities
UÊ provide a marketable, sustainable asset.
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The private sector property landlord and developer, British Land, is an example of a client organ-
isation using BREEAM to assess and report on progress towards achieving its corporate social
responsibility objectives.2 British Land requires its major office developments to achieve a BREEAM
Excellent rating and landlord areas of major retail developments to aim to achieve BREEAM Very
Good.3 Land Securities, another private sector client organisation, also requires its new major office
and retail shopping centre developments to achieve BREEAM Very Good.4 Similarly, the retailer
Marks and Spencer set a target of BREEAM Excellent for the fitting out of their new stores and
warehouses.5
Just as the Homes and Communities Agency requires housing to achieve a minimum Code for
Sustainable Homes performance standard in order to receive public funding, in 2005 the then
Department for Education and Skills made it a condition of any grant of capital funding that schools
be designed and constructed to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. This applied to all new major
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school buildings and refurbishment of existing schools over a certain capital value.6
In 2007, a BRE study found that over 200 local authorities intended to use or were considering using
BREEAM to set a sustainability performance standard of BREEAM Very Good for non-residential
developments, within their Local Development Frameworks, core polices or supplementary
planning documents.7 Examples of this can be seen in:
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UÊ Manchester City Council’s ‘Guide to Development in Manchester – Supplementary Plan-
ning Document and Planning Guidance’ which encourages developments to achieve
BREEAM Very Good.8
UÊ South Gloucestershire Council’s ‘Design Checklist Supplementary Planning Document’,
which requires developments to achieve BREEAM Very Good.9
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UÊ Ashford Borough Council’s ‘Local Development Framework Sustainable Design and Con-
struction SPD’, which requires all major developments to achieve various BREEAM ratings
depending on location.10
UÊ More recently, in 2010, the new Welsh Assembly Government’s Planning Policy Wales:
Edition 3 (July 2010) required all non-residential planning applications for buildings over
1,000 m2 or for sites of 1 hectare or more to achieve BREEAM Very Good standard, and
the mandatory credits for Excellent in relation to the reduction of CO2 emissions.11
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While slow in coming, there is now growing evidence that sustainable buildings are already, and
will increasingly become, more marketable than those which are not sustainable. A survey in 2007
showed that while 30 per cent of property investors and agents felt that sustainability issues affected
property yields at that time, 60 per cent felt they would do so in the future. Subsequent research in
2008, by CB Richard Ellis, found that in Central London energy efficiency was an essential require-
ment for 58 per cent of tenants and green attributes an essential requirement for 50 per cent of
tenants. More specifically, recent research into the London property market shows clear positive
impacts relating to the use of BREEAM. It found that offices designed and constructed to meet the
performance standards required for BREEAM Excellent are attracting a 22–27 per cent premium
on their rents.12
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1.3 The BREEAM Assessment process
The typical process of undertaking a BREEAM Assessment comprises a number of key stages.
Figure 1.1 sets these against a typical building design and procurement timeline to show when key
decisions have to be made by the client and the design team. These key stages are:
UÊ deciding to carry out a BREEAM Assessment

UÊ appointing a BREEAM Assessor
UÊ appointing an Accredited Professional (AP)
UÊ carrying out the pre-assessment
UÊ registering the project
UÊ carrying out the design stage assessment
UÊ undertaking the post-construction stage assessment.
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Preparation Design Pre-Construction Construction Use
A B C D E F G H I K L1 L2 L3
Pre-Appraisal Stages
Initial Occupation
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Post-Occupancy
Documentation
Development
Post-Practical
Mobilisation
Design Brief
Completion
Information
Production
Construction to
Evaluation
Appraisal
Technical
Concept
Practical Completion
Design
Design
Tender
Tender
Period
Action
Ideal Latest
Decision to undertake a
time decision
BREEAM 2011 Assessment
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point
Ideal Latest
Appoint BREEAM Assessor time to time to
appoint appoint
⁄
Appoint BREEAM AP
1 credit
to set BREEAM target
⁄
Appoint BREEAM Appointed BREEAM AP monitors and reports
1 credit
Accredited Professional progress to BREEAM target up to Stage E
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Appointed BREEAM AP monitors and reports progress

to BREEAM target up to practical completion
1 credit
Hold BREEAM BREEAM Assessor issues minutes

BREEAM pre-assessment pre-assessment from pre-assessment meeting
meeting
Register
Register BREEAM Assessment BREEAM
Assessment
Client and design team collate design

stage BREEAM evidence to issue to
Design stage BREEAM Assessor
BREEAM assessment
BREEAM Assessor writes design stage ⁄ BRE issues BREEAM
BREEAM assessment interim certificate
Client, design team and contractor collate as-built ⁄

BREEAM evidence to issue to BREEAM Assessor
Post-construction stage
BREEAM assessment
BRE issues
BREEAM Assessor writes post-construction ⁄
BREEAM
stage BREEAM assessment
final certificate
FIGURE 1.1: BREEAM timeline

Deciding to carry out a BREEAM Assessment

On any project the client is ultimately responsible for deciding whether or not to undertake a
BREEAM Assessment. As already described, there are a number of drivers that influence this deci-
sion. The earlier the decision is taken, the easier it will be to achieve the required standard without
affecting either the client’s aspirations or the design solution (as described in Chapter 2). Ideally,
the decision should have been taken before any appraisal work begins (that is, before RIBA Stage
A as indicated on Figure 1.1) and certainly before the client’s brief is started. There will also be less
impact on costs (as explained in Chapter 5).
Appointing a BREEAM Assessor

Once the decision is made, the client will have to appoint an Assessor, qualified for the Scheme
appropriate for the proposed building, and who works for a licensed organisation (whether as a
sole trader or for a larger company). All Assessors are registered under the BRE Global Compe-
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tent Persons Scheme and must have completed a training course (each Scheme requires separate
training), passed the BREEAM examination and undertaken a test Assessment. Assessors are also
audited by BRE to ensure they achieve a satisfactory standard. Details of all licensed organisations,
their Assessors and the Schemes that they are qualified to undertake are available through BRE’s
GreenBookLive website.13
The Assessor should be appointed as early as possible, ideally before any appraisal work (RIBA
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Stage A as indicated on Figure 1.1) and never after the completion of the Design Brief (RIBA Stage
B as indicated on Figure 1.1). This will allow the Assessor to advise the design team on what is
required to achieve the required rating. It should be remembered, however, that the Assessor is
there to audit information provided by the design team and client; it is not their job to generate
the information.
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Appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP)

A BREEAM AP is a consultant with specialist skills in sustainability and environmental design and a
high level of competence in the Assessment process. Their role goes beyond that of an Assessor
by providing expert advice, on a more regular basis than an Assessor, on the Issues that need to be
addressed to achieve a particular rating. Appointing a BREEAM AP is worth up to three credits in
the Assessment, depending on when and for how long the BREEAM AP is appointed, as indicated
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on Figure 1.1 (see Chapter 2 for details). This service will involve an additional fee for the client.
A list of BREEAM APs can also be found on BRE’s GreenBookLive website.14
The pre-assessment
This is the most important stage of the BREEAM process and should, ideally, be done before
undertaking any feasibility work (as indicated on Figure 1.1) and certainly before the design brief is
completed. The pre-assessment is carried out during a meeting in which the Assessor explains the
process to the client and the design team. The client and the design team also agree a target rating
with the Assessor. This meeting provides an opportunity to understand which BREEAM Issues and
associated credits will have to be considered to achieve the target. The Assessor uses the BREEAM
pre-assessment estimator tool to calculate the likely score and rating at the meeting. This stage is
critical. It helps to identify the challenging performance requirements for the various Issues, allow-
ing the design team to plan their design strategies accordingly. It also reveals which Issue credits
simply cannot be achieved, allowing the design team and the Assessor to agree alternative Issue
credits to be targeted to compensate for their loss.
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The Assessor will issue minutes of this meeting, and usually a report, to the client and design
team confirming the agreed rating and what evidence will be required to achieve the Issue credits
targeted. This allows the client and the design team to programme the collation of the required
evidence in time for the Assessor to complete the Assessment.
Registering the project

This is a simple online process which the Assessor undertakes using the BREEAM extranet website
for Assessors. The following information is required:
UÊ details of the client and Assessor

UÊ address of the proposed building
UÊ the Scheme to be used for the Assessment
UÊ whether the project is new build, refurbishment, part new build and part refurbishment or
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a fit-out of an existing building
UÊ the number of buildings being assessed – this can be important when a single assessment
is proposed to cover a number of similar buildings on a site
UÊ the net floor area of the building
UÊ a brief description of the building and its services.
In some Schemes it is possible to assess a number of separate but similar buildings or units on the
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same site to provide a single rating for the whole site. To do this, however, the buildings must fulfil
the same function and be completed to a similar specification. Credits will be awarded based on
the worst performing building on the site.
The design stage assessment

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Armed with the information that the client and design team agreed to provide at the pre-
assessment meeting, the Assessor can then write the Design Stage Assessment Report. This
is ideally completed just before construction starts on site or shortly afterwards. The Assessor
audits the design intent in the design team’s drawings, specifications and tender documenta-
tion. He or she also tests the client’s commitment to meeting the requirements to achieve the
criteria of the various Issues. Finally, he or she determines whether the evidence provided
complies and awards the appropriate number of credits, thus determining the Interim BREEAM
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score. The Design Stage Assessment Report is usually issued to the client and design team as
a draft in the first instance, typically including requests for missing information that is prevent-
ing the design from achieving a particular credit or credits. Once the client or the design team
has provided the missing information, the Assessor can re-evaluate the Assessment and the
final Design Stage Assessment Report will be completed. This will confirm the interim BREEAM
score and rating, and will be submitted to BRE. Following quality assurance checks, BRE will
issue the Interim BREEAM Certificate to the Assessor, who will pass it on to the client and the
design team.
The post-construction stage assessment

At the end of the construction phase, the Assessor must audit the evidence of the building’s
as-constructed condition against the performance standards achieved in the Design Stage
Assessment Report and the requirements for post-construction evidence. This will involve the
Assessor visiting the site and completing a site inspection report, with photographs, to verify that
the required standards have been achieved, and meeting with the principal contractor, design
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team and client to review the as-constructed information. This audit forms the basis of the Post-
Construction Stage Assessment Report in which the Assessor will determine a final score and is
carried out after practical completion.
It is possible to undertake a post-construction assessment without a Design Stage Assessment

Report by simply auditing information provided at the post-construction stage against the criteria
of all of the BREEAM Issues. This is an extremely bad idea and should not be contemplated unless
unavoidable. It will be very difficult, however good the intentions, to achieve a high BREEAM rating
because the award of certain credits requires activities or decisions, in relation to certain Issues, to
be undertaken or made at the right time within the design process. These deadlines are unlikely to
be met if an Assessment is left to this late stage in the process.
Occasionally, the as-constructed information supplied is inadequate and the Assessor is unable to
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award credits that had been provisionally awarded in the Design Stage Assessment Report. The
Assessor will usually issue requests for any missing information in a draft Post-Construction Stage
Assessment Report before finalising it. On receipt of any missing information, the Assessor will
amend the Post-Construction Stage Assessment Report if appropriate, confirm the final score and
rating and then submit it to BRE for quality assurance checks. BRE will then issue the final BREEAM
Certificate to the Assessor, who passes it to the client and the design team.
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1.4 The structure of a BREEAM Assessment
While BREEAM 2011 covers many different non-domestic building types, they are all assessed in
essentially the same way. BREEAM 2011 consists of nine BREEAM Categories (plus an Innovation
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Category) divided into 48 Issues. The categories are:
UÊ Management, which deals with sustainable procurement, responsible construction prac-

tices, construction site impacts, stakeholder participation (including consultation with
relevant parties, accessible design, building user information and post-occupancy evalu-
ation), life-cycle costing and service-life planning
UÊ Health and Wellbeing, which deals with those aspects of a design that impact on the
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health or wellbeing of building occupants, including visual and thermal comfort, indoor air
and water quality, acoustic performance, and providing low-risk, safe and secure access
to and use of buildings
UÊ Energy, which deals with the reduction of carbon emissions, including the use of energy-
efficient building services, plant and equipment, low- or zero-carbon energy-generating
technologies, and the ability to monitor energy use by sub-metering
UÊ Transport, which deals with access to adjacent public transport networks and local ameni-
ties, along with the provision of information on travel options to building occupants, the
provision of cyclist facilities and the limitation of car parking
UÊ Water, which deals with opportunities for reducing water consumption through the use of
efficient sanitary ware, the reuse and recycling of water, the provision of leak detection and
prevention of leaks, monitoring controls and the provision of water-efficient equipment
UÊ Materials, which considers the embodied life-cycle environmental impacts of materials,
the use of responsibly sourced materials and the robustness of the building fabric
UÊ Waste, which deals with reducing construction waste, the possible use of recycled
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aggregates, the provision of space to encourage operational recycling and encouraging

the specification of finishes by the building’s occupants
UÊ Land Use and Ecology, which considers the environmental impact of site selection includ-
ing its ecological value and the protection of existing ecological features, mitigating the
impact on and enhancing the ecological value of a site and limiting any long-term impacts
on a site’s biodiversity
UÊ Pollution, which deals with the impacts of refrigerants and nitrous oxide emissions, the
impacts of surface water run-off from a site and the impact of light and noise pollution
on neighbours
UÊ Innovation – the BREEAM 2008 Scheme introduced additional credits that could be
awarded in recognition of achieving either exemplary levels of performance (above best
practice performance currently recognised by BREEAM) in certain Issues or for incorporat-
ing innovative sustainability solutions within a building’s design. This can help to boost a
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building’s BREEAM performance (see Chapter 2 for a detailed explanation).
The Assessor has to consider whether the evidence provided by the client, design team and con-
tractor demonstrates that a building’s design and as-constructed condition complies with the per-
formance criteria given for each of the Issues, in each of the above Categories in order to determine
how many credits can be awarded in relation to each Issue. The Assessor will employ a number of
proprietary assessment tools and calculators for use with BREEAM 2011 to do this.
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BREEAM is structured to allow what BRE calls a ‘balanced score card’ approach to the assessment
of a building’s performance against Issues. This allows non-compliance in one Issue to be offset
against another. Of course, certain Issues are so fundamental to achieving minimum performance
standards that they cannot be offset in this way (see Chapter 2 for more detail).
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Table 1.1 shows which Issues, and the number of credits available, could be applied to the differ-
ent building types. This can vary between specific Assessments to reflect what facilities might be
present with a particular building. It can be seen that each of the Categories, with the exception
of one, has a similar number of Issues against which each project’s performance will be assessed.
The exception is the Energy Category, which contains nine Issues. This reflects the importance of
energy consumption in buildings and the resultant carbon emissions.
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Issues can have different values, measured in credits, ranging from one to, in one instance, 15. Of
the 60 per cent of Issues in any Assessment that are awarded either one or two credits, around
half are awarded one credit and the other half, two credits. A total of 19 per cent have between
three and four credits, and another 17 per cent between five and six credits. Only two Issues can
score more than six credits. One is in the Management Category, Man01: Sustainable procurement,
which has eight credits available; the other is Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions, in the Energy
Category, where up to 15 credits are available.
Before the 2011 edition, each Scheme had its own separate manual containing specific assessment
criteria relating to that building type. This meant that there were between 90 and 100 separate
Issues (plus Innovation Issues) across all of the Schemes. BREEAM 2011 has consolidated these
into a single BREEAM manual with just 48 Issues. This has been achieved partly by merging around
55 Issues from BREEAM 2008 into 17 Issues in the 2011 edition. Even so, the 2011 edition still
includes different assessment criteria specific to the different building types. Some Issues only
10
TABLE 1.1: BREEAM 2011 – Categories and Issues, credits and schemes
Commercial Non-housing
buildings buildings
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Management Category 12% weighting towards BREEAM score
Man01: Sustainable procurement 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
EN
Man02: Responsible construction practices 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Man03: Construction site impacts 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Man04: Stakeholder participation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total credits available in Management Category IM 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Management Category 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55
Health and Wellbeing Category 15% weighting towards BREEAM score
Hea01: Visual comfort 3 4 3 3 4 5 3 3 3 3
Hea02: Indoor air quality 4 4 4 6 6 6 4 4 4 6
Hea03: Thermal comfort 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

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Hea04: Water quality 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hea05: Acoustic performance 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 2
Hea06: Safety and security 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Total credits available in Health and Wellbeing Category 14 15 14 17 17 18 14 14 16 16
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Health and Wellbeing Category 1.07 1.00 1.07 0.88 0.88 0.83 1.07 1.07 0.94 0.94
Energy Category 19% weighting towards BREEAM score

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Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Ene02: Energy monitoring 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
Ene03: External lighting 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 2
Ene06: Energy-efficient transportation systems 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 5
Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ene09: Drying space 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total credits available in Energy Category 27 29 29 28 34 29 26 26 27 34
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Energy Category 0.70 0.66 0.66 0.68 0.56 0.66 0.73 0.73 0.70 0.56
Table 1.1 continued overleaf
11
TABLE 1.1 continued
buildings buildings
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Transport Category 8% weighting towards BREEAM score
Tra01: Public transport accessibility 3 5 3 3 5 5 2 5 3 5
EN
Tra02: Proximity to amenities 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 2 1
Tra03: Cyclist facilities 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 2
Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity 2 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 2 2
Tra05: Travel plan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Transport Category IM 9 9 9 7 11 10 4 9 9 11
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Transport Category 0.89 0.89 0.89 1.14 0.73 0.80 2.00 0.89 0.89 0.73
Water Category 6% weighting towards BREEAM score
Wat01: Water consumption 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Wat02: Water monitoring 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Wat03: Water leak detection and prevention 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

EC
Wat04: Water-efficient equipment 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Water Category 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Water Category 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67
Materials Category 12.5% weighting towards BREEAM score
Mat01: Life-cycle impacts 5 5 2 6 6 6 4 6 6 6
Mat02: Hard landscaping and boundary protection 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Mat04: Insulation 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Mat05: Designing for robustness 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Materials Category 12 12 9 13 13 13 11 13 13 13
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Materials Category 1.04 1.04 1.39 0.96 0.96 0.96 1.14 0.96 0.96 0.96
Waste Category 7.5% weighting towards BREEAM score
Wst01: Construction waste management 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Wst02: Recycled aggregates 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Wst03: Operational waste 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Wst04: Speculative floor and ceiling finishes 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total credits available in Waste Category 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Waste Category 1.07 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25
12
buildings buildings
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Land Use and Ecology Category 10% weighting towards BREEAM score
LE01: Site selection 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
EN
LE02: Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
LE03: Mitigating ecological impact 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
LE04: Enhancing site ecology 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3
LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2
Total credits available in Land Use and Ecology Category IM 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Land Use and Ecology Category 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Pollution Category 10% weighting towards BREEAM score
Pol01: Impact of refrigerants 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Pol02: NOx emissions 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Pol03: Surface water run-off 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

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Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pol05: Noise attenuation 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Pollution Category 13 13 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Pollution Category 0.77 0.77 0.83 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77
Innovation credits
Total credits available in Innovation Category 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

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Weighted % score of 1 Innovation credit 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
13
apply to certain building types or buildings that contain certain functions or equipment, such as lifts
or escalators. This reflects different functions, stakeholder and end-user requirements of the various
building types covered. The hope is that this will make the process clearer, more flexible and more
consistent, especially when assessing mixed-use buildings.
Once credits have been awarded for each Issue in a Category, they are totalled and given a weight-
ing to establish a Category score expressed as a percentage. The Category scores are then totalled
to calculate the final score. BRE believes that weighting each Category’s score differently helps to
define and rank the relative importance of each Category’s environmental impact. The weightings
used are the result of consultation with industry stakeholders combined with input from a panel of
experts to gain a consensus. The weightings for each Category are shown in Table 1.1 (see Chapter
2 for further details on the impact of weighting on credits). An additional 1 per cent can also be
added to the final percentage score for each Innovation Category credit awarded. However, the
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maximum number of Innovation Category credits that can be awarded in any Assessment is ten,
so there is the potential to add up to 10 per cent to the final score. The procedure for awarding
Innovation Category credits is detailed in Chapter 2.
Once the final score is calculated, a rating can be determined. The range of ratings that can be
given and the scores required are: IM
UÊ Unclassified for a score of less than 30 per cent
UÊ Pass for a score that is equal to or more than 30 per cent, but less than 45 per cent
UÊ Good for a score that is equal to or more than 45 per cent, but less than 55 per cent
UÊ Very Good for a score that is equal to or more than 55 per cent, but less than 70 per
cent
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UÊ Excellent for a score that is equal to or more than 70 per cent, but less than 85 per cent
UÊ Outstanding for a score that is equal to or more than 85 per cent for exemplar
buildings.
One of the significant changes introduced by BREEAM 2011 is the requirement for buildings that
achieve either a BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding rating to undergo a BREEAM In-Use Assess-
ment15 to certify their ongoing performance. This Assessment must take place within three years
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of completion if the buildings are to maintain their rating. The theory is that this will encourage the
continued high performance of the buildings achieving these ratings, even after they are occupied.
BRE hopes this will provide evidence to clients and tenants of the business benefits of sustainable
buildings. If an In-Use Assessment is not undertaken, or not certified, then the building’s rating will
be downgraded from Excellent and Outstanding to Very Good and Excellent respectively. This is
published on the GreenBookLive’s list of certified schemes and a new BREEAM Certificate will be
issued to the client.
Exemplar buildings that achieve a BREEAM 2011 Outstanding rating will also be required to pro-
vide either a case study of the assessed building, or information to allow BRE Global to write one.
The case study will then be published on the BREEAM and GreenBookLive websites. Clients will
have to commit to providing this information in the Post-Construction Stage Assessment Report
when it is submitted to BRE if an Outstanding rating is to be achieved. If the client fails to supply the
information then the building’s 2011 Outstanding rating will be downgraded to Excellent.
14
1.5 BREEAM Schemes
BREEAM 2011 sets out a way to assess the environmental life-cycle impacts of a range of newly
constructed non-domestic building types within four key sectors:
UÊ commercial buildings – offices (including offices with research and development areas),
retail (such as individual shops, shopping centres, retail parks, restaurants) and industrial
buildings (warehouses, process/manufacturing units and vehicle service buildings)
UÊ public (non-housing) buildings – educational establishments (including pre-school, pri-
mary and secondary schools, sixth-form colleges, further education/vocational colleges
and higher education institutions), healthcare buildings (such as hospitals, health centres/
clinics, GP surgeries), prisons and courts
UÊ multi-residential buildings – student halls of residence, sheltered accommodation, resi-
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dential care homes, key worker accommodation and military barracks
UÊ other buildings – other residential buildings (hotels, hostels, guest houses, secured train-
ing centres, etc., which cannot be assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes), non-
residential institutional buildings (including art galleries, museums, libraries, community
centres, places of worship), assembly and leisure buildings (cinemas, theatres, concert
halls, conference/exhibition halls, indoor/outdoor sports/fitness facilities) as well as any
other building types, such as transport hubs, research and development facilities and
crèches.
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Further guidance on the types of healthcare, educational and multi-residential buildings covered
by BREEAM 2011 is given in the appendices to the online BREEAM Technical Manual.16 The build-
ings listed under the commercial buildings, public (non-housing) buildings and multi-residential
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sectors are classed as ‘standard type buildings’, which previously had their own BREEAM manuals.
The Other Buildings sector covers what are classed as ‘non-standard building types’ that were
previously covered by the Bespoke Scheme. They now fall under BREEAM 2011 and there is no
longer a need for separately tailored assessment criteria. In mixed-use buildings that contain
both standard type uses and non-standard uses, the building will be registered as a non-standard
building type.
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1.6 Schemes not covered in this Guide
As BREEAM Data Centres was only launched in 2010, BRE has decided that the 2010 version of the
Scheme will remain in place for the time being and so falls outside the scope of this Guide. BRE
has also developed tailored assessment criteria for specific uses, such as for visitor centres for the
Forestry Commission and fire stations for the UK Fire Service, which are also outside the scope of
this Guide.
Unlike previous Schemes, BREEAM 2011 only applies to new standalone buildings or new exten-
sions to existing buildings in the UK. Refurbishment and fit-out projects will continue to be assessed
with the appropriate 2008 Scheme while BRE develop a new Refurbishment Scheme, which they
intend to launch in 2012.
15
It might be possible, however, to assess major refurbishment projects using BREEAM 2011 if agreed
with BRE. BRE defines ‘major refurbishment projects’ as projects where a building’s envelope and
structure are fundamentally remodelled or adapted and new services (such as lighting, heating,
ventilation and cooling) are provided. It is expected that most of a building’s sub- and superstruc-
ture will be reused in a major refurbishment project, in addition to the retention and renovation
of the façade. If only individual elements of a building’s envelope, structure or services are being
remodelled or replaced, BRE will not class the work as a major refurbishment project. It is important
to obtain advice from an Assessor as early as possible regarding the most appropriate Scheme. If
there is any doubt, the Assessor can clarify the position with BRE. As BREEAM 2011 only applies to
new buildings within the UK, BRE has developed a number of BREEAM Schemes that can be used
in other countries. These include:
UÊ BREEAM Europe commercial, which has been developed to recognise different con-
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struction standards and practices in the European region. It covers office, retail and indus-
trial buildings
UÊ BREEAM Gulf, which was launched in 2009 to deal specifically with environmental issues
of the Gulf region
UÊ BREEAM International Bespoke, which can be used for either single or multi-building
schemes anywhere in the world. IM
Further details of these Schemes can be found on the BREEAM website.17 The Netherlands18 and
Spain19 have also chosen to base their sustainable building assessments on the BREEAM methodol-
ogy. BREEAM schemes are also being developed for use in Norway and Sweden. These schemes
are all beyond the scope of this Guide.
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1.7 Other rating systems
BRE has to compete in the international market with a range of other sustainability audit systems.
BREEAM’s principal international competitor is the United States Green Building Council’s Leader-
ship in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification scheme which was
launched in 1998.20 Although it originates in the USA, it is used by a number of international corpo-
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rations across the world, including some in the UK. It has separate rating systems for new construc-
tion (including major renovations), the operation and maintenance of existing buildings, commercial
interior fit-out works, schools, retail, health care, homes and ‘neighbourhood development’.
One of the key differences between LEED and BREEAM is the method of assessment. BREEAM
uses licensed Assessors to audit the evidence provided by the client and design team in order to
determine compliance. The Assessors submit their Assessment to BRE, which issues the BREEAM
Certificate. Evidence for LEED assessments is normally collated by the design team, although a
LEED Accredited Professional can be used to assist in this task, and then submitted to the US
Green Building Council which assesses it before issuing the LEED Certificate. While certain industry
critics praise LEED for its greater transparency, claiming that it promotes innovation, others feel
that BREEAM offers both a better scientific basis and a broader remit because it covers the social
aspects of sustainability. There has also been some criticism of LEED’s consensus-based approach,
which some say is overly responsive to manufacturers’ needs.21
16
The Australian Green Building Council operates the Green Star rating scheme22 for evaluation of
the environmental design and construction of building in Australia. This has been in operation for
approximately six years and has been adopted for use in New Zealand and South Africa.
A number of other environmental rating schemes have been launched around the world, providing
country-specific assessment procedures such as:
UÊ Green Building Index – Malaysian Green Building Council23

UÊ Green Mark – Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority24
UÊ Estidama – Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council25
UÊ Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) – Japan26
UÊ Sustainable Building Certificate – German Sustainable Building Council.27
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None of these rating schemes is covered in this Guide.
References
1 Web link to GreenBookLive – BREEAM Certified Buildings – 2008 Onwards:
www.greenbooklive.com/search/scheme.jsp?id=202
2 For British Land update for ‘Winter 2010’ see:
3
www.britishland.com/index.asp?pageid=501
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For British Land social corporate responsibility policies for 2010/2011 see:
www.britishland.com/index.asp?pageid=501
4 For Land Securities ‘Environmental policy, objectives and targets’ see:
www.landsecurities.com/responsibility/sustainability/environmental-policy-objectives-targets
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5 Marks and Spencer ‘How We Do Business Report: 2010’ see:

http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/publications/2010/How_We_Do_Business_Report_2010
6 See: http://tna.europarchive.org/20081022170523/http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/
resourcesfinanceandbuilding/schoolbuildings/sustainability/breeam/
7 Josephine Prior and Claire Williams (2008) Sustainability Through Planning: Local Authority Use of BREEAM,
EcoHomes and the Code for Sustainable Homes, HIS BRE Press, Watford, UK.
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8 Manchester City Council, ‘Environmental Design: Clause 4.7’ in Guide to Development in Manchester –
Supplementary Planning Document and Planning Guidance’, see:
www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?downloadID=644&fileID=1424
9 South Gloucestershire Council, Design Checklist Supplementary Planning Document: Part 3, page 10 see:
www.southglos.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E26D9144-C40F-45ED-ACA3-1F2812C925DA/0/PTE070520.pdf
10 Ashford Borough Council; Local Development Framework; Sustainable Design and Construction SPD (2009),
available at: www.ashford.gov.uk/pdf/SustainableDesign&ConstructionSPD.pdf
11 See Policy 4.11.4, Chapter 4 in Planning for Sustainability of the Planning Policy Wales, 3rd edition (July 2010) at:
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/desh/publications/100720planningppwchapter4en.pdf
12 Andrea Chegut, Piet Eichholtz and Nils Kok (Maastricht University) (July 2011) The Value of Green Buildings: New
Evidence from the United Kingdom. Available at: www.sirp.se/l/getfile.ashx?cid=280784&cc=3&refid=34
13 For details of BREEAM licensed organisations and Assessors, see:
14 For a list of APs, see: www.greenbooklive.com/search/scheme.jsp?id=172
15 For details of the BREEAM In-Use Scheme, see: www.breeam.org/page.jsp?id=373
16 To view the BREEAM online Technical Manual, go to: www.breeam.org/podpage.jsp?id=414
17
17 For BREEAM International Schemes, see: www.breeam.org/podpage.jsp?id=54

18 See Dutch Green Building Council for details of BREEAM – NL, at: www.dgbc.nl/wat_is_dgbc/dgbc_english
19 News article: ‘BRE Global and ITG sign letter of intent for BREEAM in Spain’, see:
www.breeam.org/newsdetails.jsp?id=574
20 For LEED scheme website see: www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222
21 Inbuilt Ltd, ‘BREEAM versus LEED: White Paper’ (2010), available from:
www.inbuilt.co.uk/media/406565/breeamvsleed.pdf
22 For Australian Green Building Council’s Green Star Rating scheme, see: www.gbca.org.au/green-star/
23 For Malaysian’s Green Building Council’s Green Mark scheme, see: www.greenbuildingindex.org/index.html
24 For Green Mark scheme by the Building and Construction Authority in Singapore, see:
www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/green_mark_buildings.html
25 For Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s Estidama, see: www.estidama.org/
26 For Japan’s ‘Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency’, see:
EN
www.ibec.or.jp/CASBEE/english/index.htm
27 For Germany’s Sustainable Building Council’s ‘Sustainable Building Certificate’, see:
www.dgnb.de/_en/certification-system/DGNB_Certificate/DGNB_Certificate.php
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18
chapter two
The Assessment process:

an overview
Before starting an Assessment and considering what is needed to demonstrate that the perfor-
mance standards of the various Issues are being met so that credits may be awarded, it is important
to understand a number of aspects of the BREEAM process. The areas that will affect the score and,
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consequently, your ability to attain your target rating are:
UÊ the evidence that the client and design team need to provide for the Assessor to award
credits
UÊ the fact that not all credits have the same value when they are totalled to generate the
final score
UÊ the fact that certain BREEAM ratings cannot be achieved even if the final score is greater
IM
than the required threshold, without minimum performance standards in certain Issues
being achieved
UÊ the fact that the score can be topped up with Innovation credits which reward innovative
practice or exemplary performance in relation to certain Issues
UÊ when various Issues need to be considered, which members of the design team are usu-
EC
ally responsible for ensuring the evidence is provided and the client’s role in the process
UÊ how a shell-only design and procurement approach can impact on the process.
2.1 Providing evidence to an Assessor
As explained in Chapter 1, the BREEAM Assessment process is described in detail in a single

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Technical Manual, available to view online.1 Essentially, the Assessor audits the evidence provided
by the design team, client and contractor against the assessment criteria for each of the Issues to
determine how many credits can be awarded in relation to the building being assessed.
Although BRE decided to publish a single manual to simplify the process, different building types
have different good and best practice performance benchmarks. In this context, it is important to
understand the structure of the Issues. In the 2011 edition, each Issue is identified by its reference
number and title (e.g. Man01: Sustainable procurement). The manual also sets out the number of
credits that can be awarded, whether they are building-type dependent and if any minimum stan-
dards apply in relation to various target ratings. There is a brief description of what each BREEAM
Issue aims to achieve and its assessment criteria. This is followed by compliance notes which help
in interpreting the assessment criteria and explain how to assess compliance in specific situations
or in relation to particular building types.
19
The Assessment process: an overview
The number of credits that can be awarded for building-type dependent Issues varies according to the
building being assessed. Table 2.1 shows the 13 Issues affected. In addition there are often building-
specific assessment criteria that must be achieved for an Issue credit to be awarded. For example:
UÊ Man04: Stakeholder participation aims to deliver accessible, functional and inclusive

buildings in consultation with current and future users and stakeholders. In addition to
the general assessment criteria there are separate and specific assessment criteria for
education, healthcare, law courts and major transport node buildings
UÊ Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment aims to encourage the procurement of energy-effi-
cient equipment to optimise operational energy savings and includes specific assessment
criteria for healthcare buildings.
Not all of the 48 Issues will necessarily be included in an Assessment if the building being assessed
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does not contain certain elements. Examples of this include:
UÊ Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage, if the building contains no commercial or industrial-

sized refrigeration and storage systems
UÊ Ene06: Energy-efficient transportation systems, if the building contains no lifts, escalators
or moving walkways. IM
The Issues to be included in an Assessment are normally agreed with the Assessor at the pre-
assessment meeting, as described in Chapter 1. The rating targeted and achievable Issue perfor-
mance standards should also be agreed at this meeting. Making these decisions at an early stage
avoids the design team undertaking unnecessary work gathering information for Issue credits that
cannot be awarded for reasons beyond their control.
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The design team, client and contractor must provide the Assessor with evidence to show that their
building meets the criteria laid down for each Issue. To assist in this, each Issue has a schedule of
evidence table which outlines the types of information and documents that have to be provided for
both the design stage and post-construction stage assessments to assess compliance and award
credits. If these are not provided then the Assessor will have no means of verifying compliance and
will be unable to award any available credits. The range of information and documents that might
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be needed to demonstrate compliance with Issues’ assessment criteria is discussed in more detail
in Chapters 3 and 4.
At the end of each Issue description in the 2011 Technical Manual,1 additional information is pro-
vided to assist those who have to demonstrate compliance with the Assessment criteria. BRE’s
stated policy is only to request evidence that would normally arise in the course of the design and
procurement of a new building. Although in practice many clients, design teams and contractors
find themselves undertaking time-consuming and potentially costly work to gather the missing
information. The necessary evidence should, however, not exceed that required for a best practice
design process.
Crucially, all the performance standards relating to the Issues targeted must be addressed prior to
the design stage assessment. It is always prudent to aim to score more than the minimum for the
target rating agreed since Issue credits awarded at the design stage might not be awarded at the
post-construction stage as a result of:
20
TABLE 2.1: BREEAM 2011 – building-type dependent Issues
buildings buildings
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Management Category No building-type dependent Issues in this Category
Health and Wellbeing Category
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Hea01: Visual comfort 3 4 3 3 4 5 3 3 3 3
Hea02: Indoor air quality 4 4 4 6 6 6 4 4 4 6
Energy Category
Ene02: Energy monitoring IM 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
Transport Category
Tra01: Public transport accessibility 3 5 3 3 5 5 2 5 3 5

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Water Category No building-type dependent Issues in this Category
Materials Category
Waste Category

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Land Use and Ecology Category
Pollution Category No building-type dependent Issues in this Category
Innovation credits No building-type dependent Issues in this Category
21
UÊ value engineering
UÊ reducing building costs
UÊ responses to resolve construction stage queries
UÊ principal contractors and subcontractors not being fully aware of required performance
standards for awarding credits.
2.2 Weighting of Issue credits
As explained in Chapter 1, not all the credits in an Assessment are worth the same in the final score
because they are weighted. Each Category has a different number of potential credits within it and,
after the credits within a Category are awarded and totalled, they are given a weighting before being
added to the aggregated final score. The awarded value of an additional credit in one category can
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be worth more to the final score than a credit in another category (see Table 2.2 for examples).
The number of credits available in a particular Category can also vary from Scheme to Scheme. So
the value to the final score of awarding a single credit within a particular Category will vary depend-
ing on the building type being assessed. To understand this more clearly, the percentage value
of a single credit for each Category, in relation to a typical assessment for each building type, is
indicated in Table 2.2.
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Discounting Innovation credits, the weighted percentage value of a single credit is only the same
across all building types in the Management, Water, and Land Use and Ecology Categories. The
weighted percentage value of a single credit in the Waste and Pollution Categories is nearly the
same for all with the exception of one or two building types. There is a greater variation in the
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weighted percentage value of a single credit in the Health and Wellbeing, Energy, Transport and
Material Categories.
Table 2.2 indicates that the most valuable 2011 credits are in the Waste Category, where each
credit is worth around 1.25 per cent for most building types. Each additional credit within the Mate-
rials and Land Use and Ecology Categories adds around one per cent to a final score, similar to an
Innovation Category credit. Credits within the Health and Wellbeing and Transport Categories are
SP
worth around 1.0 and 0.9 per cent respectively, while credits in the Energy, Water and Pollution
Categories are only worth between 0.6 and 0.8 per cent.
Although a single Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions credit may appear to be one of the least
valuable, overall the Issue contributes over 10 per cent to a final score if all the available credits
are awarded.
As the number of Issues has been reduced and reallocated into different Categories in comparison
to BREEAM 2008, this has changed the relative importance of credits in some Categories. Figure
2.1 provides a comparison between the BREEAM 2008 and BREEAM 2011 Offices Schemes. The
value of credits within the Health and Wellbeing, Materials, Waste and Land Use and Ecology
Categories has remained the same, as has the value of Innovation credits. While the value of cred-
its within the Transport Category has increased, the value of credits in the remaining Categories
has decreased. A single credit within the Management Category was worth 1.2 per cent to the
final score in BREEAM 2008, but it is only worth 0.55 per cent in BREEAM 2011. A Management
22
TABLE 2.2: BREEAM 2011 – weighted percentage score of single credit in each Category
buildings buildings
Ed
uca
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BR
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Management Category 12% weighting towards BREEAM score
EN
Energy Category 19% weighting towards BREEAM score
Transport Category IM 8% weighting towards BREEAM score
Water Category 6% weighting towards BREEAM score
Materials Category 12.5% weighting towards BREEAM score
EC
Land Use and Ecology Category 10% weighting towards BREEAM score
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Land Use and Ecology Category 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
SP
Innovation credits
Weighted % score of 1 Innovation credit 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
23
1.40
BREEAM 2008 Offices
1.20 BREEAM 2011 Offices

1.20
1.07 1.07 1.07 1.07
Weighted percentage score of 1 credit
1.04 1.04
1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
1.00
0.91 0.89
0.83
0.80
0.77
0.80
0.70
0.67
0.60 0.55
0.40
0.20
EN
0.00
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ry
ry
ry
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ry
ry
ry
ry
ry
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IM
BREEAM Categories
FIGURE 2.1: Comparison of BREEAM 2008 and BREEAM 2011 Offices Schemes
EC
Category credit has gone from being the most valuable to the least valuable contributor to a final
score. Yet if all the credits are awarded in Man01: Sustainable procurement, that Issue alone will
contribute 4.4 per cent to the final score. In other words, it is still important to target the credits
available from Issues in the Management Category despite their apparently reduced value.
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2.3 Minimum performance standards
In addition to achieving the minimum score for a particular rating, as outlined in Chapter 1, BREEAM
2011 minimum performance standards must also be achieved in a number of Issues. This ensures
that certain fundamental environmental issues are not overlooked. In some Issues this means hav-
ing to achieve a certain number of credits, while in others only the performance standard set out
in a particular assessment criterion has to be achieved. These requirements are highlighted in
Chapters 3 and 4.
As you would expect, the number of Issues in which these minimum performance standards have to
be achieved increases from what is required for a simple Pass rating up to the Outstanding rating
(Figure 2.2). The four Issues in which minimum performance standards have to be achieved even
for a basic Pass rating are:
24
Minimum BREEAM Issue credits / standards required by BREEAM rating level
If the minimum number of credits or BREEAM

performance standards for the Issues Outstanding =
described here are not achieved
BREEAM a score of 85 +
then a particular BREEAM rating will
Excellent = these
not be achieved, no matter how many
points are scored from other Issues a score of 70 + minimum
these standards
minimum BREEAM Issues
standards
1 credit Wst01: Construction waste management
1 credit 1 credit Wst03: Operational waste
BREEAM Very
1 credit 1 credit Ene04: Low- or zero-carbon technologies
Good =
a score of 55 +
6 credits 10 credits Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions
EN
these
BREEAM minimum Man04: Stakeholder participation
1 credit 1 credit
Good = standards (Building user information criterion)
a score of 45 +
1 credit 2 credits Man02: Responsible construction practices
these
BREEAM Pass minimum
standards 1 credit 1 credit 1 credit LE03: Mitigating ecological impact
=
a score of 30 +
1 credit 1 credit 1 credit Ene02: Energy monitoring (first Sub-metering credit)
these
minimum
standards Criterion 1 only
1 credit 1 credit
IM
Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only
1 credit
Criterion 1 only
2 credits
Wat02: Water monitoring
Wat01: Water consumption
Criterion 3 only Criterion 3 only Criterion 3 only Criterion 3 only Criterion 3 only Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials
Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Hea04: Water quality
EC
Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Criterion 1 only Hea01: Visual comfort
1 credit 1 credit 1 credit 1 credit 2 credits Man01: Sustainable procurement
FIGURE 2.2: Minimum performance standards required for each BREEAM rating, © BRE Global Ltd 2011
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UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement – one credit from eight available, for example:
– appoint a project team member/specialist commissioning manager to monitor and
programme the commissioning of a building’s services and
– ensure that building services are commissioned to BSRIA and CIBSE guidance
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort – Assessment criterion 1 has to be achieved:
– all fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps have to be fitted with high-frequency
ballasts
UÊ Hea04: Water quality – Assessment criterion 1 has to be achieved:
– all water systems to comply with the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) Legion-
naires’ disease – The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems: Approved
Code of Practice and Guidance (2000)
UÊ Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials – Assessment criterion 3 must be achieved:
– all timber to be sourced in accordance with the UK Government’s Timber Procure-
ment Policy.
25
To achieve a Good rating, you must to also meet the following two Issues’ minimum performance
standards (as well as those to achieve a Pass).
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption – one credit from five available:

– reduce water consumption by 12.5 per cent
– specify water-efficient sanitary ware
UÊ Wat02: Water monitoring – Assessment criterion 1 has to be achieved:
– provide pulsed water meters to mains water supply to all buildings/units on site.
To achieve a Very Good rating the minimum performance standards of two further Issues must be
met:
UÊ Ene02: Energy monitoring – one credit from first sub-metering credit
– provide sub-meters (with pulsed outputs) or a Building Energy Management System
EN
(BEMS) to monitor major energy-consuming services
UÊ LE03: Mitigating ecological impact – one credit from the two available:
– ensure that there is minimal change to the ecological value of the site, as explained
in Chapter 3.
None of the minimum performance standards required to achieve a Very Good rating should cause
great difficulty in most designs. The possible exception is to achieve the one credit in LE03: Mitigat-
IM
ing ecological impact, which might prove tricky and entail careful consideration on certain sites.
To achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, however, requires the minimum performance standards for a
further five Issues to be met. The requirements of the following four should be met with relative ease:
EC
UÊ Man02: Responsible construction practices – one credit from two available:

– require the principal contractor to participate in the Considerate Constructors
Scheme2 and
– achieve an Assessment score of between 24 and 31.5.
UÊ Man04: Stakeholder participation (building user information criterion) – one credit from
one available:
– provide a Building User Guide to help the building’s occupant/non-technical facility
SP
managers to operate it efficiently.

UÊ Ene02: Low- or zero-carbon technologies – one credit from five available:
– instruct an energy specialist to undertake a feasibility study to establish the most
appropriate local (on-site or near site) low- or zero-carbon energy sources and one of
the recommended technologies installed.
UÊ Wst03: Operational waste – one credit from one available:
– include dedicated space(s) for segregation/storage of operational recyclable waste.
The minimum performance standard of the fifth Issue will certainly need more consideration:
UÊ Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions – six credits from 15 available:

– building design has to achieve the equivalent of a 25 per cent improvement on its
compliant Target Emissions Rate (TER) calculated for the 2010 version of the Building
Regulations Part L2A: Conservation of fuel and power in new buildings other than
dwellings.
26
For an Outstanding rating, two things are required. First, the minimum performance standard must
be met in one additional Issue:
UÊ Wst01: Construction waste management – one credit from four available

UÊ produce a Site Waste Management Plan
– require the principal contractor to limit the level of non-hazardous construction waste
to equal to or less than 13.3 m3 or 11.1 tonnes per 100 m2 (gross internal floor area).
Second, for an Outstanding rating the minimum performance standards for four Issues must be
improved as follows:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement – two credits from eight available, so additionally:

– require the principal contractor to carry out a thermographic survey of the com-
EN
pleted building fabric.
UÊ Man02: Responsible construction practices – two credits from two available:
– require the principal contractor to participate in the Considerate Constructors
Scheme2 and
– achieve an Assessment score of between 32 and 35.5.
UÊ Ene01: Reduction in CO2 emissions – ten credits from 15 available
– equivalent to a 40 per cent improvement on a building’s compliant TER calculated
IM
for the 2010 version of the Building Regulations Part L2A: Conservation of fuel and
power in new buildings other than dwellings.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption – two credits from the total of five available:
– reduce water consumption by 25 per cent.
EC
2.4 Topping up a score with Innovation credits
As explained in Chapter 1, it is possible to top up a building’s score with additional Innovation

credits, which can add up to an additional 10 per cent. There are two ways in which Innovation
credits can be awarded.
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The first is by meeting the exemplary level performance standards for the BREEAM Issues, as
indicated in Table 2.3. Achieving exemplary level performance standard means that a building’s
performance in relation to a particular Issue has gone beyond that required by the standard
BREEAM best practice assessment criteria. These credits will generally only be awarded to inno-
vative design solutions. For instance, BRE’s benchmark statistics suggest only the top 5 per cent
of construction projects currently achieve the exemplary level performance standard for Wst01:
Construction waste management, indicating the degree of difficulty. The Innovation credit from
Man02: Responsible construction practices, however, is more easily achieved if working with con-
sensus contractors.
The second way to achieve Innovation credits is to make an application to BRE Global, through
the BREEAM Assessor, to have a particular building feature, system or process recognised as being
innovative. You must be able to demonstrate that the proposal will improve the sustainability per-
formance of a building’s design, operation, maintenance or demolition. The application will have
to include:
27
TABLE 2.3: Issues with exemplary level performance standards, © BRE Global Ltd 2011
Issue Innovation credits Performance standard required for Innovation credit

available
Man01: Sustainable procurement 1 Building’s facility manager committed, for the first three years of the building’s
occupation to undertake, at quarterly intervals:
UÊ ÌÊViVÌÊVVÕ«>ÌÊÃ>ÌÃv>VÌ]ÊiiÀ}ÞÊ>`ÊÜ>ÌiÀVÃÕ«ÌÊ`>Ì>Ê>`ÊÃÃÕiÊ
to BRE for publishing annually
UÊ ÌÊV iVÊ`>Ì>Ê>}>ÃÌÊÌ iÊLÕ`}½ÃÊiÝ«iVÌi`Ê«iÀvÀ>ViÊ>`Ê>iÊiViÃ-
sary adjustments
UÊ ÌÊÃiÌÊÌ>À}iÌÃÊÌÊÀi`ÕViÊLÕ`}½ÃÊiiÀ}ÞÊ>`ÊÜ>ÌiÀÊVÃÕ«ÌÊ>`ÊÌÀÊ
progress towards meeting them
UÊ ÌÊvii`ÊL>VÊiÃÃÃÊi>Ài`ÊÌÊViÌÊ>`ÊìÃ}ÊÌi>ÊvÀÊvÕÌÕÀiÊÕÃi
Man02: Responsible construction practices 1 Main contractor participates in, for example, Considerate Constructors Scheme and
achieves an assessment score of 36 or more
Hea01: Visual comfort 1 Improve daylight factor performance standard in relation to the daylighting criteria
EN
to between 3 and 5%, depending on building type
Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions 5 Building is assessed to be carbon negative – a building that is a net exporter of
zero-carbon energy
1 The building’s EPRNC ≥0.9 and has zero net carbon emissions from the energy
required for space heating/cooling/water heating/ventilation/lighting and 10% of
the building’s regulated energy is generated from carbon neutral on-site/near-site
or accredited external energy sources and is used to meet demand of unregulated
systems/processes
2
IM
The building’s EPRNC ≥0.9 and has zero net carbon emissions from the energy
systems/processes
EC

systems/processes
systems/processes
Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies 1 Where a local low- or zero-carbon technology has been installed which reduces the
SP
regulated or life-cycle CO2 emissions by 30%

Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage 1 The installed refrigeration system is of a type described in the Future Technologies
section of the Carbon Trust’s Refrigeration Road Map and demonstrates a saving in
indirect greenhouse emissions (CO2eq)
Wat01: Water consumption 1 Where the building’s water consumption shows a 65% improvement on the notional
baseline performance calculation
Mat01: Life-cycle impacts 1 Where four or five building elements are assessed and the building achieves at
least 2 points more than the total points required to achieve the normal maximum
number of credits
or
where fewer than four building elements are assessed, the building achieves at
least 1 point more than the total points required to achieve the normal maximum
number of credits
Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials 1 Where 70% of available responsible sourcing points have been achieved
Wst01: Construction waste management 1 UÊ >â>À`ÕÃÊVÃÌÀÕVÌÊÜ>ÃÌiÊ}iiÀ>Ìi`ÊLÞÊÌ iÊìÃ}ÊÃÊ

≤1.6 m3 or ≤1.9 tonnes per 100 m2 (gross internal area)
UÊ nx¯ÊLÞÊÛÕiÊÀÊä¯ÊLÞÊÌ>}iÊvÊìÌÊÜ>ÃÌiÊ>`Ênx¯ÊLÞÊ
volume or 95% by tonnage of demolition waste is diverted from landfill
UÊ ÊiÞÊÜ>ÃÌiÊ}ÀÕ«ÃÊ >ÛiÊLiiÊìÌwi`ÊvÀÊ`ÛiÀÃÊvÀÊ>`wÊÊÌ iÊ«Ài
construction stage Site Waste Management Plan
28
UÊ a description of the innovation and its aims

UÊ its environmental and/or social benefits
UÊ whether the proposed innovation has been made previously and whether it could be
replicated on other projects
UÊ the benefits expected from the proposed innovation and when these will be realised in
the building’s life cycle
UÊ how the success of the innovation will be objectively measured, the criteria for measure-
ment and the evidence that will be provided to demonstrate this success
UÊ how the experience of implementing the innovation will be disseminated to the wider
community.
It is important to realise that this method of achieving an Innovation credit does incur an additional
fee, payable to BRE. Note also that BRE charges for each Innovation credit application and that the
EN
application might be unsuccessful. Although it is possible to appeal BRE’s decision, this process will
attract yet another fee, refundable if the appeal is successful. It is recommended that you consult
your Assessor before following this route.
2.5 When do Issues have to be considered and

who leads the process of providing evidence?
IM
Design teams commonly try to understand what is needed for an Assessment by looking at the
performance standards required for credits to be awarded Category by Category, starting with the
Management Category. This approach tends to overwhelm the design team and leave the client
with reams of indigestible information. It also fails to differentiate between the differing values of
EC
Issues and masks the importance of timing in the process.
A better approach is to consider the requirements of the Issues in relation to the building’s design
life-cycle stages prior to works commencing on site, as outlined in Table 2.4. This shows when
Issues should be considered in relation to design stages. It highlights when decisions should be
taken to avoid inadvertently losing credits. It groups Issues together to illustrate which design team
member is expected to lead the process of gathering evidence for submission to the Assessor. It
SP
also shows when the architect should advise the client to appoint specialist consultants to provide
the required evidence for a number of Issues.
A building’s design life-cycle stages, illustrated in Table 2.4, are based on the RIBA Outline Plan of
Work,3 which comprises 11 key work stages grouped under five principal headings:
UÊ Preparation – Stages A (Appraisal) and B (Design Brief)

UÊ Design – Stages C (Concept), D (Design Development) and E (Technical Design)
UÊ Pre-Construction – Stages F (Production Information), G (Tender Documentation) and H
(Tender Action)
UÊ Construction – Stages J (Mobilisation) and K (Construction to Practical Completion)
UÊ Use – Stage L (Post-Practical Completion).
Timing is all-important. For example, as recommended in Figure 1.1, the appointment of the Asses-
sor and the pre-assessment meeting should take place before the end of RIBA Stage B (Design Brief)
29
TABLE 2.4: When do Issues have to be considered and who leads the process of providing evidence
RIBA Plan of Work – Design Stages
Pre-Appraisal Preparation ? Design ? Pre-Construction ?

d? ed d? ed d? ed
ire v ire v ire ev
u hie u hie u hi
A B R eq Ac C D E Req Ac F G H R eq Ac
Architect Man01: Sustainable procurement Man04: Stakeholder participation (Inclusive and acces- Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction
(Project brief and design criterion) sible design criterion) and handover criterion)
Tra01: Public transport accessibility Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) Man02: Responsible construction practices
Tra02: Proximity to amenities Hea01: Visual comfort (Glare control and view out Man03: Construction site impacts
criterion)
Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity Hea02: Indoor air quality (part of Minimising sources Hea02: Indoor air quality (two parts of Minimising
of air pollution criterion) sources of air pollution criterion)
LE01: Site selection (Previously devel- Hea02: Indoor air quality (Potential for natural Wat01: Water consumption
oped land criterion) ventilation criterion)
SP
Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion) Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials
Hea06: Safety and security (Security of site and Mat04: Insulation

building criterion)
Ene09: Drying space Mat05: Designing for robustness
Tra03: Cyclist facilities
Mat01: Life-cycle impacts

EC
Mat02: Hard landscape and boundary protection
Wst03: Operational waste
Services engineer Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Aftercare
and handover criterion) criterion)
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) Hea04: Water quality (Building services water systems:
IM minimising risk of contamination criterion)
Hea01: Visual comfort (Internal/external lighting Ene03: External lighting

criterion)
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboard Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage
and containment area criterion)
Hea03: Thermal comfort Ene06: Energy-efficient transport systems
Hea04: Water quality (Building occupants: Provision of Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems
fresh drinking water criterion)
EN
Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment
Ene02: Energy monitoring Wat01: Water consumption
Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies Wat02: Water monitoring
Wat01: Water consumption Wat03: Water leak detection and prevention
Pol01: Impact of refrigerants Wat04: Water-efficient equipment
Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution Mat04: Insulation (in relation to Building services)
Pol02: NOx emissions

Structural engineer LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land Wst01: Construction waste management Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials
criterion)
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Flood risk Pol03: Surface water run-off (Surface water run-off Wst02: Recycled aggregates
criterion) criterion)
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Minimising watercourse

pollution criterion)
Quantity surveyor Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning
Client Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Project brief Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Aftercare
healthcare buildings criterion) and design criterion) criterion)
Hea05: Acoustic performance Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment
and handover criterion)
Tra01: Public transport accessibility Man04: Stakeholder participation (Post-occupancy

evaluation and information dissemination criterion)
Tra05: Travel plan Hea03: Thermal comfort (Thermal model criterion)

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LE02: Ecological value of site and Hea05: Acoustic performance
protection of ecology
LE04: Enhancing site ecology Wst03: Speculative floor and ceiling finishes
LE03: Mitigating ecological impact
LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity
Pol05: Noise attenuation

EC
Ecologist LE02: Ecological value of site and LE03: Mitigating ecological impact
protection of ecology
LE04: Enhancing site ecology LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity
Acoustic Hea05: Acoustic performance Pol05: Noise attenuation

engineer
Highway Tra01: Public transport accessibility

IM
Specialist consultants
engineer Tra05: Travel plan
Note: the ‘Required?’ and ‘Achieved?’ columns are for use by readers of this Guide to use this table as a
checklist through the BREEAM process.
EN
to maximise the opportunities offered by an Assessment. This allows the client and design team
to understand and adopt a large number of the required BREEAM Issues’ performance standards
from the outset. Evidence demonstrating compliance with performance standards being targeted
for the Design Assessment will normally be developed during RIBA Design and Pre-Construction
Stages C to H. Note, however, that some actions will have to be taken earlier, during RIBA Prepara-
tion Stages A–B, and some evidence might only be available during RIBA Stage J (Mobilisation) just
after a main contractor has been appointed.
The performance standards of a number of Issues have to be considered and incorporated into a
building’s design as early as possible. Do not leave the preparation of evidence for these Issues
until the completion of the tender design information as this will swamp the already busy design
team with extra work.
EN
Of the 48 BREEAM Issues, just over one-fifth have to be considered during RIBA Preparation
Stages A and B. For example, whether some Issue credits can be awarded or not is dependent on
site selection, which takes place during these stages. Other Issues will influence the development
of the building’s design brief. Over half of the Issues need to be considered during RIBA Design
Stages C–E as the required performance standards will have an impact on a building’s design, both
in appearance and layout. Decisions on the requirements of the remaining third of Issues can be
dealt with during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F–H.
IM
Equally important, evidence to demonstrate compliance with the performance standards of some
Issues must be gathered over a comparatively long period of time. For example, the decision to
target a particular Issue performance standard might be agreed during RIBA Design Stages C–E,
but the full evidence required by the Assessor might not be ready for issue until during RIBA Pre-
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Construction Stages F–H. In some instances, confirmation of evidence might even be required from
appointed contractors during RIBA Construction Stages J–K. The evidence required for the post-
construction stage assessment will be developed towards the end of RIBA Stage K (Construction
to Practical Completion) with the post-construction assessment being completed and submitted to
BRE during RIBA Stage L1 (Post Practical Completion).
The following section describes which BREEAM Issues need to be addressed in relation to each of
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the key stages of the RIBA Outline Plan of Work.3 The Issues have also been grouped to show which
design team member is usually expected to lead the process of providing or gathering evidence.
That design team member is also generally responsible for submitting this evidence to the Asses-
sor for auditing prior to the design stage assessment. Although the following list is not exhaustive
and more detailed information is provided in Chapters 3 and 4, it does provide a quick checklist of
those persons who must consider the Issues and when the criteria have to be addressed, along with
the number of credits that can be awarded if the performance standards are adopted.
2.6 Issues that should be first addressed during

RIBA Preparation Stages A (Appraisal) and B (Design Brief)
Just over one-fifth of the Issues should be considered at the very start of a project, and include
those which should be dealt with by the architect or structural engineer and certain decisions that
must be taken by the client.
32
Architect responsibility
The architect will have to deal directly with half of the Issues arising during RIBA Preparation Stages
A and B, including:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (Project brief and design criterion): one credit can be
awarded where the client, designers, building occupier, contractor, etc. contribute to the
decision-making process from RIBA Stage B onwards.
UÊ Tra01: Public transport accessibility: up to three or five credits, depending on the build-
ing type, can be awarded as a result of a site’s proximity to local public transport net-
works, which determines its Accessibility Index. This might influence site selection as sites
where few or no credits are available in relation to this Issue may require other Issues to
be targeted to achieve a desired BREEAM rating, with resultant cost implications.
UÊ Tra02: Proximity to amenities: one credit can generally be awarded as a result of a site’s
EN
proximity to local amenities, except in the case of multi-residential buildings where two
credits can be awarded and prisons where none are awarded. This aspect might also
influence the choice of a site.
UÊ Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity: up to two credits can be awarded by limiting the
number of car parking spaces in relation to the following building types:
– offices
– industrial buildings
–
–
multi-residential buildings
IM
further and higher educational buildings
– other buildings.
This fundamental design decision should be agreed with the client during RIBA Stage B
(Design Brief) as it might affect a site’s viability for future letting.
EC
UÊ LE01: Site selection (Previously developed land criterion): one credit can be awarded
where 75 per cent of the development’s footprint is on land previously used for industrial,
commercial or domestic purposes, within the past 50 years. Again, this consideration
might influence site selection.
The architect should also advise the client on approximately half of the Issues that should be con-
sidered during RIBA Preparation Stages A and B relating to specific issues and on whether special-
SP
ist consultants should be appointed:
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts for healthcare buildings criterion): one credit can be
awarded in relation to healthcare buildings only where an art policy and strategy is pre-
pared and endorsed during RIBA Stage B (Design Brief).
UÊ Hea05: Acoustic performance: up to two or four credits, depending on building type,
can be awarded where the client appoints a suitably qualified acoustic engineer to pro-
vide early design advice on possible external sources of noise that will impact on the site
layout and zoning of activities within the building during RIBA Stage B (Design Brief). The
acoustic requirements vary between each building type.
UÊ Tra01: Public transport accessibility: the client might consider appointing a Highway Engineer
to assist in determining a site’s Accessibility Index and how many credits can be awarded.
UÊ Tra05: Travel plan: the client might consider appointing a Highway Engineer to com-
mence the development of a site-specific travel plan during RIBA Stage B (Design Brief)
to influence the concept design process.
33
UÊ LE02: Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features: one credit can be
awarded where a site is ‘land of low ecological value’. The client might consider appoint-
ing a suitably qualified ecologist to undertake a survey of a site to determine its ecologi-
cal value as this can influence the subsequent concept design development.
UÊ LE04: Enhancing site ecology: up to three credits can generally be awarded, except for
prisons where two credits can be awarded, where the client appoints a suitably qualified
ecologist to carry out a survey of a site’s existing ecology during RIBA Stage B (Design
Brief) and make recommendations for protecting and enhancing its ecological value.
Structural engineer responsibility

The structural engineer will have to consider the impact of just two Issues during RIBA Preparation
Stages A and B:
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UÊ LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land criterion): one credit can be awarded if a site is
significantly contaminated and remedial action is undertaken. This should be determined
during the site selection process so the client is aware of the costs associated with the
level of remediation needed.
UÊ Pol03: Surface water run-off (Flood risk criterion): up to two credits can be awarded in
relation to a site’s susceptibility to flooding, which should be a decisive factor in its selec-
tion for development.
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2.7 Issues that should be addressed during RIBA Design Stages C (Concept),
D (Design Development) and E (Technical Design)
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Just over half of the Issues must be considered during RIBA Design Stages C–E as their require-
ments will have direct impact on a building’s design, in terms of appearance, layout, specification
and budget costs.
The architect will have to consider the implications of just over one-third of these Issues during the
RIBA Design Stages C–E, including:
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UÊ Man04: Stakeholder participation (Inclusive and accessible design criterion): one credit
can be awarded for commencing the development of a building’s Access Statement
during RIBA Stage C (Concept) to allow its strategies to be fully integrated into the
design.
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion): either one or two credits can be awarded,
depending on the building type. It is important that the design features that influence
whether or not a building will achieve the required daylight performance standards for
credits to be awarded are understood and incorporated from RIBA Stage C (Concept)
onwards.
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort (Glare control and view out criterion): one credit is generally
awarded, except in relation to healthcare buildings where two credits can be awarded.
The design features that can adequately control glare and ensure that all work positions
are provided with a compliant view out have to be understood and incorporated from
RIBA Stage C (Concept) onwards.
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UÊ Hea02: Indoor air quality (part of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion): one credit
can be gained by positioning a building so its openable windows or ventilation intakes/
exhausts are located away from sources of external pollution. This must be resolved at
the start of the design process in RIBA Stage C (Concept) so that a building’s position on
a site is fixed and its Indoor Air Quality Plan set in motion from the outset.
UÊ Hea02: Indoor air quality (Potential for natural ventilation criterion): one credit can be
awarded where a building is designed so that fresh air can be provided by a natural
ventilation strategy. The design strategies required to achieve this are fundamental to a
building’s design solution and must be integrated from RIBA Stage C (Concept) onwards.
This requires coordination with the services engineer. They need to separate a building’s
air intakes and exhausts.
UÊ Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion): one credit can be awarded where safe
footpaths and cycle lanes across a site are provided. These must be considered from the
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earliest development of a site’s layout to ensure that this credit is not lost.
UÊ Hea06: Safety and security (Security of site and building criterion): one credit can be
awarded where the layout of the site incorporates guidance from Secured by Design4 or
Safer Parking Scheme.5 In addition, the architect should hold a meeting with the local
police Crime Prevention Design Advisor or Architectural Liaison Office6 during the RIBA
Design Stages and incorporate their advice into the design.
UÊ Ene09: Drying space: one credit can be awarded, in connection with multi-residential
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buildings only, where appropriately sized secure internal or external drying areas are pro-
vided. These should be considered from the start of RIBA Design Stages C–E to ensure
that they are integrated into the design to avoid the credit being lost.
UÊ Tra03: Cyclist facilities: one or up to two credits, depending on the building type, can be
awarded where an adequate level of cycle storage and appropriate cyclist facilities are
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provided. These must be integrated into the site layout and building design during RIBA
Design Stages C–E to ensure that adequate space is available for the required provision
to be incorporated successfully.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption: up to five credits can be awarded for reducing a build-
ing’s water consumption and, while detailed specification of water-efficient equipment
to reduce water consumption will take place during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F–H,
the decision on whether or not to adopt rainwater harvesting and/or greywater recycling
SP
should be considered during RIBA Design Stages C–E to ensure that any design implica-
tions, such as the impact roof design, are fully integrated.
UÊ Mat01: Life-cycle impacts: up to two or six credits, depending on the building type, can
be awarded where the choice of materials for major building elements with low environ-
mental impacts is maximised. This must be decided during RIBA Design Stages C–E as
these choices are essential for the planning application. The impact of a material is based
on a building element’s rating, either derived from the Green Guide to Specification7 or a
bespoke rating agreed with the Assessor.
UÊ Mat02: Hard landscape and boundary protection: one credit can be awarded where 80
per cent of a site’s external hard landscaping and boundary protection materials achieve
an A or A+ rating, defined in BRE’s Green Guide to Specification.7
UÊ Wst03: Operational waste: one credit can be awarded where a dedicated space is pro-
vided for the segregation and storage of operational recyclable waste. This should be
integrated into a building’s design or site layout during RIBA Design Stages C–E to ensure
sufficient space is available.
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Service engineer responsibility

During RIBA Design Stages C–E the project’s service engineer has to consider more Issues than the
architect, these being:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction and handover criterion): one

credit can be awarded where a specialist commissioning manager is appointed during
RIBA Design Stages C–E to provide commissioning advice on the commissioning of com-
plex systems that could affect the design and construction programme. This service might
be part of the service engineer’s brief, if they have sufficient in-house expertise, or a spe-
cialist consultant/contractor might be appointed by the client at this stage.
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion): while the fundamental design features
required to ensure that the one or two credits available can be awarded are the respon-
sibility of the architect, the service engineer may be required to provide calculations to
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check whether the building’s design features provide the required daylight performance
standards. This will have to be done during RIBA Design Stages C–E so that the required
design features are fully integrated.
UÊ Hea01: Visual comfort (Internal and external lighting criterion): one credit can be awarded
where a building’s internal lighting design strategies meet the requirements of:
– CIBSE’s Code for Lighting (2009), and other relevant standards
– CIBSE’s Lighting Guide 7 for areas containing computers
–
–
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zoning for occupant control in relation to internal lighting, except in prisons
BS5489 – Part 1: Code of practice for the design of road lighting. Lighting of roads
and public amenity areas for external lighting
– compliant lighting controls are provided.
UÊ Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards and containment areas criterion):
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up to two credits can be awarded where specific performance standards for laboratory
fume cupboards and containment areas are achieved.
UÊ Hea03: Thermal comfort: one credit can be awarded where a dynamic thermal modelling
analysis is undertaken to confirm that thermal comfort levels required by CIBSE’s Guide to
Environmental Design for occupied spaces are achieved. Another credit can be awarded
where zoning and control strategies based on occupancy patterns, user interactions and
expectations of space heating and cooling systems are provided. It is important to agree
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these during RIBA Design Stages C–E so it is clear that the design submitted for planning
meets the required standards.
UÊ Hea04: Water quality (Building occupants: Provision of fresh drinking water criteria): one
credit can be awarded where the requirements for the provision of fresh drinking water, for
some building types, are integrated into a design and the minimising risk of contamination
criteria (described later in this chapter) being satisfied. The space requirements to accommo-
date chilled, mains-fed water coolers must be addressed during RIBA Design Stages C–E.
UÊ Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions: up to 15 credits can be awarded for this Issue. The
calculations necessary to assess this Issue should be completed during the RIBA Design
Stages to ensure that the building design, after the grant of planning permission, incorpo-
rates all the design features that will maximise the number of credits that can be awarded.
UÊ Ene02: Energy monitoring: up to two credits can generally be awarded where sub-meters
to monitor energy consumption of major energy-consuming systems and tenanted/func-
tional areas are provided. This should be considered during RIBA Design Stages C–E to
ensure their successful integration. Only one credit can be awarded in relation to:
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– pre-schools and primary schools

– courts
– prison buildings
– multi-residential and other residential buildings.
UÊ Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies: up to five credits can be awarded in relation
to this Issue. For the first credit to be awarded a feasibility study must be carried out by an
energy specialist to establish the most appropriate local (on-site or near-site) low- and zero-
carbon technologies for the building during RIBA Design Stage C (Concept). Understand-
ing whether any low and zero carbon technologies will be incorporated into the design and
how much they can reduce carbon emissions is important in order to demonstrate compli-
ance with planning policies designed to reduce carbon emissions by set amounts.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption: up to five credits can be awarded where a building’s water
consumption is reduced. As discussed above, a decision has to be taken regarding
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whether or not to adopt rainwater harvesting and/or greywater recycling during RIBA
Design Stage C (Concept) so that any special design features can be included in the
design development of the building services.
UÊ Pol01: Impact of refrigerants: up to three credits can be awarded, depending on whether
a building requires the use of any refrigerants and, if so, whether they have reduced envi-
ronmental impacts. The decision on whether a building requires refrigerants for comfort
cooling, etc. is fundamental to a design decision and will have to be taken during RIBA
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Stage C (Concept). This is because maintaining comfort conditions without the use of
refrigerant-based cooling systems requires the building form to work harder to reduce
and control internal and external heat gains and provide passive cooling.
UÊ Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution: one credit can be awarded where external
lighting does not create light pollution and does not come on during daylight hours. The
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reduction of night time light pollution is a common planning issue for many building types
and so should be addressed during RIBA Design Stages C–D.

The structural engineer must deal with just two Issues during RIBA Design Stages C–E, as follows:
UÊ Wst01: Construction waste management: up to four credits can be awarded where cer-
SP
tain benchmarks for non-hazardous construction waste are achieved. For any credits to be
awarded, a compliant Site Waste Management Plan has to be commenced during RIBA
Stage C (Concept) so that waste-saving strategies can be integrated into the design at the
earliest opportunity. Where the development includes the demolition of an existing build-
ing, a pre-demolition audit should ideally be completed during RIBA Design Stages C–E.
UÊ Pol03: Surface water run-off (Surface water run-off criterion): up to two credits can be
awarded. One is awarded where a site’s peak surface water run-off is no greater for the
developed site than the undeveloped site. Another is awarded where a building will not
be flooded if the local drainage network fails. These are issues which the Environment
Agency would normally expect to have been addressed in submitted planning applica-
tions and so must be resolved during RIBA Design Stages C–D.
UÊ Pol03: Surface water run-off (Minimising watercourse pollution criterion): one credit can be
awarded where the structural engineer, if they are responsible for the below-ground drain-
age system, can confirm that the potential for any watercourse pollution is minimised by
the adoption of sustainable drainage systems, oil/petrol interceptors, etc. These are issues
37
that the Environment Agency would normally expect to have been addressed in submitted
planning applications so must be considered during RIBA Design Stages C–D.
Quantity surveyor responsibility

The quantity surveyor is likely to have to deal with just one Issue during the RIBA Design Stages C–E:
UÊ Man05: Life-cycle costs and service life planning: up to three credits can be awarded,
with the first credit relating to this Issue awarded if a life-cycle cost analysis is undertaken
on the design during RIBA Stages C(Concept) or D (Design Development). Further credits
can be awarded depending on the scope of the analysis and whether it is updated during
RIBA Stages D (Design Development) or E (Technical Design).
The architect will have to advise the client on what decisions to take or instructions to give in relation
EN
to around one-quarter of the Issues being considered during RIBA Design Stages C–E, as follows:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of the Project brief and design criterion): up to three
credits can be awarded, with the first credit awarded if a BREEAM Accredited Professional
(AP) is appointed during RIBA Stage C (Concept) to assist in establishing a BREEAM rating
target and provide advice on how this might be achieved. Further credits can be awarded
where their appointment is extended for the duration of the procurement process.
UÊ
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Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction and handover criterion): as
highlighted above under the list of Issues that the service engineer must address, the
client may need to appoint a specialist commissioning manager to provide input into the
design process if the service engineer is unable to provide this expertise.
UÊ Man04: Stakeholder participation (Post-occupancy evaluation and information dissemina-
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tion criterion): one credit can be awarded where the client instructs that a post-occupancy
evaluation of the building is to be undertaken one year after its completion and the result
of this study is disseminated.
UÊ Hea03: Thermal comfort (Thermal model criterion): the client will have to ensure that the
service engineer’s terms of appointment include fees to undertake the necessary dynamic
thermal analysis, as indicated above, required in relation to this Issue.
UÊ Wst04: Speculative floor and ceiling finishes: one credit can be awarded where the client
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agrees to limit floor and ceiling finishes in speculative buildings to a show area which is
less than 25 per cent of the net lettable floor area. If the building is for a specific occupant
then they must confirm that they have chosen the specified floor and ceiling finishes.
UÊ LE03: Mitigating ecological impact: up to two credits can be awarded, one credit where
there is minimal change to the ecological value of a site or two credits where there is no
negative change to the ecological value of a site, as explained in Chapter 3. This process can
be made easier if the client appoints a suitably qualified ecologist to determine a site’s initial
‘plant species richness’ and to provide design advice on limiting the development’s impact.
UÊ LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity: up to two credits (or in the case of prison build-
ings up to three credits) can generally be awarded where the client appoints a suitably
qualified ecologist, prior to works commencing on site, to:
– confirm that all relevant legislation relating to the protection and enhancement of
ecology will be complied with
– produce a site-specific landscape and habitat management plan covering the first
five years after a building’s completion
38
– advise on additional recommendations for the development.

UÊ Pol05: Noise attenuation: one credit can be awarded where the client appoints an
acoustic engineer to undertake a Noise Impact Assessment to determine the impact of
noise generated by the building on noise-sensitive areas/buildings within 800 m of the
site. This kind of study is often required for planning applications.
2.8 Issues that can be dealt with during

RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F (Production Information),
G (Tender Documentation) and H (Tender Action)
The remaining Issues need only be considered during the detailed design stages covered by RIBA
Pre-Construction Stages F–H, so that any requirements can be included within the tender docu-
EN
mentation for prospective principal contractors to price accurately.
Service engineer responsibility

Unlike the previous design stages, the service engineer needs to consider the majority of the Issues
being considered during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F–H, including:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of the Aftercare criterion): one credit can be
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awarded where seasonal commissioning responsibilities, for the first 12 months of a build-
ing’s occupation, are included in the contact specification.
UÊ Hea04: Water quality (Building services water systems: minimising risk of contamination
criterion): one credit can be awarded where all water systems comply with HSE’s Legion-
naires’ Disease – The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems: Approved Code of
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Practice and Guidance (2000) and the provision of fresh drinking water (described earlier
in this chapter) criteria being satisfied.
UÊ Ene03: External lighting: one credit can be awarded where appropriate luminous efficacy
for external light fittings for buildings, footpaths, car parks, access roads, etc. and controls
to prevent operation during daylight hours are specified.
UÊ Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage: up to two credits can be awarded where energy-
efficient commercial/industrial-sized refrigeration storage systems are specified to reduce
SP
operation greenhouse gas emissions. This will typically apply to supermarkets and cold
storage warehouses, but it could also apply to laboratory and healthcare buildings.
UÊ Ene06: Energy-efficient transport systems: up to two credits can be awarded where an
analysis of transportation demand is undertaken to determine the optimum provision and
energy-efficient lifts, escalators or movable walkways are specified.
UÊ Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems: one credit can be awarded where energy-
efficient laboratory systems or areas are specified. Up to two additional credits can be
awarded if the laboratories account for at least 10 per cent of a building’s area and up to
four additional credits where they account for 25 per cent of the area if improved per-
formance standards are achieved.
UÊ Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment: two credits can be awarded where the service engi-
neer works with the client/building occupier to check whether certain building functions
or equipment which are responsible for the significant majority of unregulated energy
consumption meet the specified criteria.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption: up to five credits can be awarded for reducing a building’s
39
water consumption and, while the architect may specify some products, such as those relat-
ing to sanitary ware, the bulk of evidence showing that the performance standards related
to this Issue are achieved is likely to be provided by the service engineer. Water consump-
tion figures will be required for specified WCs, urinals, taps, showers, baths, dishwashers
and washing machines. If greywater and/or rainwater harvesting systems are specified,
then any water generated by these systems can be offset against non-potable demand.
UÊ Wat02: Water monitoring: one credit can be awarded where a water meter (with a pulsed
output to enable its connection to a BEMS) is specified for each building or tenanted
space in a development and for any areas or plant within a building which consume 10
per cent or more of a building’s water demand.
UÊ Wat03: Water leak detection and prevention: two credits can be awarded in relation
to this Issue. One credit can be awarded where an appropriate leak detection system,
capable of detecting major water leaks, is specified for the mains water supply. The other
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credit can be awarded where flow control devices are specified to the water supply of a
building’s toilet area to ensure that water is only supplied when required.
UÊ Wat04: Water-efficient equipment: one credit can be awarded in relation to this Issue
where appropriate irrigation systems for internal and external planting areas are speci-
fied. Additionally, where a vehicle-wash facility is provided, a full or partial water reclaim
system should be specified.
UÊ Mat04: Insulation: up to two credits can be awarded in relation to this Issue; one where a
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building’s Insulation Index is equal to or greater than 2 and another where 80 per cent of
the insulation types specified are responsibly sourced. Responsibility for action in relation
to the requirements for this Issue is shared between the service engineer and the archi-
tect, as the Issue also relates to the insulation used for building services.
UÊ Pol02: NOx emissions: up to two or up to three credits, depending on building type, can
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be awarded where the nitrous-oxide (NOx) emissions from the space heating and cooling
plant are limited to certain values.
The architect will still have to deal directly with one-third of the Issues that have to be considered
during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages F–H, including:
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UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of the Construction and handover criterion): one
credit can be awarded where the contractor undertakes a thermographic survey of the
completed building prior to practical completion to check for the continuity of insulation,
excessive thermal bridging and air leakage through the building fabric. The principal
contractor will also be required to rectify any defects identified.
UÊ Man02: Responsible construction practices: up to two credits can be awarded where the
principal contractor is required to use the Considerate Constructors Scheme (or a similar
scheme) to assess site practices. One credit is awarded where a Considerate Constructors
Scheme score of between 24 and 31.5 is achieved and two credits for a score of between
32 and 35.5.
UÊ Man03: Construction site impacts: up to five credits can be awarded in relation to this
Issue as follows:
– one credit for monitoring, recording and reporting on the energy consumption of site
operations
– one credit for monitoring, recording and reporting on the site’s net water consumption
40
– one credit for monitoring, recording and reporting on transportation energy consump-
tion for delivering materials to site and removing construction waste
– one credit if all site timber used to facilitate construction is sourced in accordance
with the UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy8
– one credit where the principal contractor operates a certified environmental man-
agement system and implements the best practice pollution prevention policies
described in Section 2.25 – Preventing Pollution of the Environmental Checklist
contained in the Environment Agency’s Building a Better Environment: A Guide for
Developers.9
UÊ Hea02: Indoor air quality (two parts of the Minimising sources of air pollution criterion):
up to two credits can be awarded in relation to this Issue. One credit is awarded if all
decorative paints and varnishes are specified to meet emission levels for volatile organic
compounds (VOC) and five of eight additional products (wood panels, timber structures,
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wood flooring, resilient or textile or laminate floor coverings, suspended ceiling tiles,
flooring or rigid wall coverings adhesives) meet set VOC emission standards. The second
credit is awarded if, post-construction and pre-occupancy, measurement of formaldehyde
and VOC concentration levels is specified.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption: as discussed earlier in this chapter, up to five credits can be
awarded in relation to this Issue. The architect will have to consider the water efficiency
of the following products:
–
–
WC systems
urinals
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– taps (except taps to baths)
– showers
– baths
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– dishwashers
– washing machines.
UÊ Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials: up to three credits can be awarded for maxi-
mising the extent of responsible sourcing of certain materials within some or all of the
following main building elements:
– foundations/substructure
– ground floors
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– structural frame
– upper floors
– roof
– external walls
– internal walls
– significant fittings, such as staircases, windows, doors, floor finishes, etc.
– hard landscaping.
There are seven, so called, responsible sourcing Tier Levels against which the materi-
als in the above elements are classified. These Tier Levels are graded to reflect the
rigour of the responsible sourcing certification schemes used by material suppliers
or product manufacturers. The BREEAM Assessor uses a web-based Mat03: Respon-
sible sourcing of materials calculator to calculate how many points can be achieved
and credits awarded. Within any given element, 80 per cent of the materials must be
classified between Tier Levels 1 and 6 for any points to be allocated. In addition, all
timber used in the building must be sourced in accordance with the UK Government’s
41
Timber Procurement Policy.8 This is a complex Issue which is described in more detail
in Chapter 4.
UÊ Mat04: Insulation: up to two credits can be awarded in relation to this Issue. The first
credit is awarded where the insulation specified in the following achieves an overall Insu-
lation Index equal to or greater than 2:
– external walls
– ground floors
– roofs
– building services.
The Insulation Index is calculated by the BREEAM Assessor using a Mat04: Insulation
calculator tool based on the insulations’:
– volumes
– thermal resistances
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– Green Guide to Specification ratings.7
The second credit is awarded where at least 80 per cent, by volume, of the insulation speci-
fied is responsibly sourced and certified in accordance with the requirements for either Tier
Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 as described for Issue Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials.
UÊ Mat05: Design for robustness: one credit can be awarded where internal and external
areas of the building are protected against vehicular, trolley and pedestrian movement in
order to prevent damage.
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There are only two Issues where the architect will be required to advise the client, during RIBA Pre-
Construction Stages F–H, on decisions to be taken:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of the Aftercare criterion): a further credit, in

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addition to that described above in the services engineer’s responsibilities for RIBA Pre-
Construction Stages F–H, can be awarded if seasonal commissioning is undertaken and
the client instructs contractors and the design team to obtain feedback on the building
occupants’ comfort. This must be carried out during the first 12 months of occupation and
is described in detail in Chapter 3.
UÊ Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment: up to two credits can be awarded where the client
includes the requirement for the service engineer to work collaboratively with the client
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or the building’s occupant within their appointment to:

– identify equipment which will be responsible for a significant proportion of unregu-
lated energy use
– ensure that the chosen equipment complies with the required performance
standards.

The structural engineer will have to deal with just two Issues during RIBA Pre-Construction Stages
F–H, as follows:
UÊ Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials: in addition to the architect specifying materi-

als, the structural engineer is responsible for specifying concrete, steel and timber struc-
tural products within the foundations, structural frame, upper floors and roof and should
specify suppliers that use appropriate certified responsible sourcing schemes for their key
production and supply chain process stages.
42
UÊ Wst02: Recycled aggregates: one credit can be awarded where more than 25 per cent
(by weight or volume) of the total high-grade aggregates proposed in a building or devel-
opment are either recycled (sourced from the site or from within a distance of 30 km)
or secondary aggregates. In addition, there are different minimum percentage levels of
recycled aggregate for different applications and elements within the building areas, as
described in Chapter 4.
2.9 RIBA Construction Stages J (Mobilisation) and

K (Construction to Practical Completion)
While all Issues have to be considered prior to the tender process, and the performance standards
required for credits to be awarded, a number require written confirmation from the principal con-
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tractor for certain credits to be awarded in the design stage assessment.
Principal contractor responsibilities

Examples of documents that a principal contractor may be required to provide in the immediate
post-tender period include:
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of the Construction and handover criterion): the
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appointment letter of a specialist commissioning manager (if appointed by the principal
contractor), a commission schedule and a copy of the principal contractor’s programme
showing that sufficient time has been allocated for the commissioning process.
UÊ Wat01: Water consumption: a letter of instruction to subcontractors and suppliers requir-
ing them to provide sufficient information to allow a water consumption calculation to be
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completed.
UÊ LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land criteria): a letter may be required from the princi-
pal contractor or remediation contractor confirming the remediation strategy for the site
and providing a summary of the implementation plan.
UÊ LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity (additional criteria): a letter from the principal
contractor:
– confirming appointment of a biodiversity champion, their job title, site role and
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responsibilities
– providing a training schedule or letter confirming their commitment to provide rel-
evant training to site operatives on protecting a site’s ecology
– detailing how they intend to monitor and report on actions taken to protect a site’s
biodiversity during the construction period
– providing a copy of their programme confirming that any works needed to minimise
disturbance to a site’s existing wildlife have been taken into account.
2.10 Post-construction stage
It should not be forgotten that all the credits awarded in the design stage assessment will be
reviewed at the post-completion stage and reassessed. This is accomplished in the following
ways:
43
UÊ the BREEAM Assessor visiting site to verify that the as-constructed status of the building
is in accordance with the information provided for the design stage assessment
UÊ the client, design team and contractors providing evidence which confirms that the proj-
ect has been constructed in accordance with the assurances given at the design stage or
UÊ where there has been a change in the design, providing new evidence for the Assessor to
audit and award credits as appropriate in the post-construction assessment.
2.11 How a shell-only approach impacts

on the BREEAM Assessment
Speculative shell-only development, where the tenant will be completing some of the building’s
elements, components, etc., is a special case. The evidence required for an Assessment is slightly
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different.
There are four options, each with a different level of robustness and consequential impact on the
value of credits that can be awarded:
UÊ Option 1 – Use of a Green Lease Agreement between developer and tenant(s): the
client can use a legally binding Green Lease Agreement between themselves and their
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tenants. If this commits the tenant to meeting the full extent of the BREEAM Issue Assess-
ment criteria, the full value of the available credits can be awarded. In multi-tenanted
developments compliant Green Lease Agreements need to cover at least 75 per cent of
the net lettable floor area for the full value of credits to be awarded.
UÊ Option 2 – A Green Building Guide for tenant fit-outs: alternatively the client can
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commission a Green Building Guide for future tenants, which provides building-specific
guidance on how the fit-out works can be implemented to standards required to comply
with assessment criteria of BREEAM Issues. If this approach is adopted, however, then
only half of the value of the credits can be awarded.
UÊ Option 3 – Developer and tenant collaboration: where future tenants are known, then
a collaborative assessment can be carried out involving both the client and the tenant. In
this case, compliance with assessment criteria can be demonstrated by using evidence
SP
either from the shell-only design team or from the tenant’s fit-out design and specifica-
tion. In this case the full value of the credits can be awarded.
UÊ Option 4 – No evidence provided for a tenant(s) fit-out specification: if the client or
shell-only design team cannot confirm compliance with the assessment criteria of any
particular Issue, or are unable to provide a Green Lease Agreement or a Green Building
Guide covering the issue in question, then no credit can be awarded.
The Assessment process of a shell-only building is the same as for a fully fitted-out building. It
should be noted, however, that over 60 per cent of Issues can be influenced by the fit-out speci-
fication. Where this occurs is indicated in the detailed description of Issues in Chapters 3 and 4.
For example, in relation to Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions, use of the Green Building Guide
option is not permitted and the energy modelling for the building must be based on either the
actual fit-out specification or the most energy-intensive fit-out specification permissible for a Build-
ing Regulations compliant building’s TER calculation to be achieved.
44
References
1 BREEAM New Construction: Non-Domestic Buildings – Technical Manual, see:
www.breeam.org/BREEAM2011SchemeDocument/
2 For details of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, see: www.ccscheme.org.uk/
3 For an explanation of the RIBA Outline Plan of Work see Nigel Ostime and David Standford, Architect’s Handbook
of Practice Management, 8th edition, RIBA Publishing (2010)
4 Secured by Design website at: www.securedbydesign.com/index.aspx
5 For Safer Parking Scheme documents, see:
www.britishparking.co.uk/Documents-Guidelines-for-the-Safer-Parking-Scheme
6 For contact details for Crime Prevention Design Advisors or Police Architectural Liaison Officers, see:
www.securedbydesign.com/professionals/design_advisors.aspx
7 BRE, Green Guide to Specification at: www.bre.co.uk/greenguide/podpage.jsp?id=2126
8 UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, see: www.cpet.org.uk/uk-government-timber-procurement-policy
EN
9 Environment Agency, Building a Better Environment: A Guide for Developers, see:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/32695.aspx
IM
EC
SP
45
SP
EC
IM
EN
chapter three
Maximising the benefits

and some quick wins
Chapter 2 showed how important it is to understand how the BREEAM process works. You must
know what the client and the design team have to do, when they should do it and who is respon-
sible for giving evidence to the BREEAM Assessor who audits and awards credits. This chapter
EN
looks at how Issues linked by common themes contribute to a BREEAM score in order to achieve
some quick wins. These themes are:
UÊ the environmental impact of the chosen site

UÊ the relationship between Issues’ performance standards and a building’s design and ser-
vices. Once the design team understand this relationship, earning credits in this group of
Issues will be easier
UÊ
UÊ
IM
including certain performance standards for the construction process in the tender
the potential benefits of appointing specialist consultants and/or a BREEAM Accredited
Professional (AP).
The guidance below does not offer an exhaustive list of compliance performance standards. Always
EC
discuss the details and requirements of any building with the appointed BREEAM Assessor. Dis-
cussions should start at the pre-assessment stage, in order to understand the sort of evidence
required by the Assessor. This will allow sufficient time for the design team to compile the neces-
sary evidence for the Issues being audited. Poor quality information can delay the preparation of
a BREEAM Assessment Report. If the evidence provided to the Assessor does not comply with the
relevant performances standards, then the Assessor cannot award a credit. Clients must understand
exactly when to appoint specialist consultants or to instruct the design team to undertake specific
SP
tasks; these requirements must be met at the right time for the credits to be awarded.
You must understand what evidence is needed for the Issues targeted and when clients have to
make decisions; this is of key importance in the BREEAM process.
47
Maximising the benefits and some quick wins
3.1 Measuring a site’s impact on an Assessment
There are six Issues which relate to choosing the right site and setting out buildings correctly that
can yield some comparatively easy and inexpensive credits (see Table 3.1). Admittedly, there is fre-
quently little room for manoeuvre in site selection or in how you orientate and design your building.
But bear these credits in mind at the start of a project because they account for about 10 per cent
of the value of a final BREEAM score. If you are targeting a Very Good rating, these credits amount
to one-fifth of your target score; for Excellent, one-seventh.
If these credits are not awarded, then you will have to consider replacing them from other Issues. It
is likely that these other credits will be harder and more costly to achieve.
The six Issues that deal with choosing the site and setting out are detailed below.
EN
IM
EC
SP
48
TABLE 3.1: The value of a site’s impact on the overall score
buildings buildings
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)
Management Category No Issues in this Category relate to a site’s impact
EN
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Weighted % value of the above credit to the final BREEAM score 1.36 1.36 1.36 1.07 1.15 1.15 1.36 1.36 1.15 1.15
Energy Category No Issues in this Category relate to a site’s impact
Transport Category
Tra01: Public transport accessibility (Accessibility Index criterion)

IM 3 5 3 3 5 5 2 5 3 5
Weighted % value of the above credits to the final BREEAM score 3.56 5.33 3.56 4.57 4.36 4.80 4.00 5.33 4.44 4.36
Water Category No Issues in this Category relate to a site’s impact
Materials Category No Issues in this Category relate to a site’s impact
Waste Category No Issues in this Category relate to a site’s impact

EC
Land Use and Ecology Category
LE01: Site selection (Previously developed land criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Pollution Category
SP
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Flood risk criterion) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Overall % value of the site towards the overall BREEAM score 9.46 11.24 9.59 10.51 10.06 10.49 10.24 11.24 10.14 10.06
49
Hea02: Indoor air quality (first part of

Minimising sources of air pollution criterion)
C R E D I T S AVA I L A B L E I N N O V AT I O N C R E D I T S
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to create healthy internal environments by siting buildings away
from sources of external pollution.
PREREQUISITES: An Indoor Air Quality Plan must be produced covering:
EN
UÊ removal of contaminant sources
UÊ dilution and control of contaminated sources
UÊ procedures for pre-occupancy flushing out of a building
UÊ third-party testing and analysis requirements.
MINIMUM STANDARDS: None IM

PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where:
UÊ in naturally ventilated buildings, openable windows are located 10 m from sources of external
pollution
UÊ in air-conditioned and mixed mode buildings, air intakes and exhausts are located over 10 m
apart and intakes over 20 m away from sources of external pollution.
EC
These distances are measured in three dimensions, combining horizontal and vertical distances.
Sources of external pollution include:
UÊ roads
UÊ car parks
UÊ delivery areas
UÊ exhausts from other buildings.
It may be possible to discount service and access roads with restricted or infrequent access as
SP
sources of external pollution. One example is roads that only provide access for waste collections.
Check with the BREEAM Assessor in this case.
INNOVATION CREDITS: None
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: None
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: A site’s location can impact on the award of

this credit. It is important to analyse potential sources of pollution on a site to determine whether
the proposed building can be located far enough from sources of external pollution to allow this
credit to be awarded. On some sites of pollution this can prove very difficult, either due to the
proposed density of development or existing sources that are located close to the site beyond the
control of the client or the design team.
50
Hea02: Indoor air quality (first part of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) (continued)
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT:

UÊ A copy of the Indoor Air Quality Plan.
UÊ Design drawings showing locations of air intakes and exhausts, sources of external pollution, etc.
UÊ A copy of the contract specification clauses confirming the requirements.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: As at

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status:
plus
UÊ for naturally ventilated buildings, a letter from the design team or principal contractor confirm-
ing that the building’s construction complies with the BREEAM criteria
EN
UÊ for mechanically ventilated buildings, a Commissioning Manager’s performance testing report
confirming that the required fresh air rates are achieved.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: None
IM
Tra01: Public transport accessibility
EC
2, 3, 4 or 5 0
(depending on building type)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to recognise developments near to good public transport net-
works which contribute to reducing transport-related pollution and congestion arising from
SP
development.
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The number of credits awarded is determined by a

site’s Accessibility Index (AI) as follows:
UÊ For offices and industrial buildings, multi-residential buildings and other buildings predomi-
nately occupied by staff with occasional business-related visitors, pre-schools, schools and
sixth-form colleges:
– AI ≥ 2 – one credit
– AI ≥ 4 – two credits
– AI ≥ 8 – three credits.
51
Tra01: Public transport accessibility (continued)
UÊ For retail developments, law courts, further education colleges, higher education buildings
on a campus with less than 25 per cent of students resident on or within one kilometre of the
campus, other buildings occupied by core employees with a large number of frequent visitors,
healthcare hospital buildings:
– AI ≥ 8 – three credits
– AI ≥ 12 – four credits
– AI ≥ 18 – five credits.
UÊ For higher education buildings on a campus with 25 per cent or more of students resident on
EN
or within 1 km of the campus, GP surgeries, health centres, community hospitals:
– AI ≥ 10 – four credits
– AI ≥ 12 – five credits.
UÊ For rural location-sensitive buildings – this applies to sites that are in locations or villages with
a population of less than 3,000:
IM
– AI ≥ 4 – two credits.
UÊ For prisons and MOD sites:
EC
– AI ≥ 4 – two credits.
UÊ For transport hubs:
– AI ≥ 18 – four credits.
A site’s AI is determined by the Assessor using the Tra01: Public transport accessibility calculator
SP
based on the following:

UÊ The distance from a building’s main entrance to safe pedestrian routes to each compliant
transport node (for bus stops 650 m and for railway stations 1,000 m). Where a public transport
service has more than one node close to a site, only the closest is considered.
UÊ The type of public transport and whether it provides transport to or from an urban centre,
major transport node or community focal points (for instance doctor’s surgery, library, school
or village centre).
UÊ The average number of services per hour during the building type’s standard operating hours.
Table 7-1 in the online Technical Manual1 provides default operating hours for different build-
ing types.
To gain the additional credit for providing a dedicated bus service to buildings with fixed shift
patterns:
UÊ no other credits must have been awarded as a result of a site’s AI
52
Tra01: Public Transport Accessibility (continued)
UÊ the bus service must be provided at the beginning and at the end of each shift or day
UÊ the bus service must provide transport to a local population centre or public transport
exchange.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Only those detailed above.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Sites close to good public transport networks

will obviously be awarded more credits. While this element might be beyond the control of the
EN
design team, they may have to target other Issues to make up the shortfall of credits arising from
a site’s location.
Sites within the Greater London area can use the following to calculate their AI:
UÊ London’s public transport accessibility map2
UÊ Transport for London’s Planning Information Database website.3
IM
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For an Assessor to cal-
culate a site’s AI using the Tra01: Public transport accessibility calculator, you must provide the
following:
UÊ a scale map showing location and types of public transport nodes with distances to the site
UÊ timetables for each service.
EC
For the additional credit for the dedicated bus service you must provide:
UÊ a letter from the future building occupier confirming the provision of the details of the dedi-
cated bus service.

the design stage, but if the period between the design and post-construction stages is more than
12 months, then a site’s AI should be recalculated.
SP
53
Tra02: Proximity to amenities

1 or 2 0
(for multi-residential buildings)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce the need for extended travel or multiple trips by locating buildings
close to local amenities.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Where the local amenities listed below are located within
500 m of a building’s main entrance (measured along a safe pedestrian route) the following credits can be
awarded:
UÊ For pre-school, schools, sixth-form colleges, further education buildings, offices, industrial and retail build-
– grocery shop or food outlet

IM
ings, law courts – all of the following for one credit:
– post box
– cash machine.
UÊ For higher education buildings – five of the following for one credit:
EC

– post box
– cash machine
– GP surgery or medical centre
– leisure or sports centre
– library
– students’ union.
SP
UÊ For healthcare buildings – all of the following for one credit:

– post box
– cash machine
– pharmacy.
UÊ For multi-residential buildings – all of the following for one credit:
– post box
– cash machine.
UÊ For multi-residential buildings – eight of the following for two credits:
– post box
– cash machine
54
Tra02: Proximity to amenities (continued)
– pharmacy
– GP surgery or medical centre
– leisure or sports centre
– outdoor open public access area
– public house
– community centre
– place of worship.
UÊ For other building types – two of the following for one credit:
– post box
EN
– cash machine
– pharmacy
– GP surgery or medical centre.
More than one of the above amenities may exist within another or within the site (for example, a
cash machine and a pharmacy may be located within a supermarket).

IM
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: As indicated above. Note that no credit can be awarded for
prison buildings.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If a number of sites are being investigated,

EC
check the location of local amenities in relation to each to see if this will influence the final choice of
site. If this check is made early enough in the design process it may affect the award of this credit.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: You must provide a plan
of the site and surrounding area indicating:
UÊ the location of the assessed building
UÊ the location of amenities
SP
UÊ routes to amenities with distances.

If the amenities do not currently exist but will be developed, the client must confirm in writing:
UÊ the location and types of amenities to be provided
UÊ the timescale for their development.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status.
55
LE01: Site selection

(Previously developed land criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage building on previously developed land, rather than
on undisturbed sites which may have a greater ecological value.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit is awarded where at least 75 per cent of a
new building’s construction zone is on a site used previously for industrial, commercial or domestic
purposes within the past 50 years. A building’s construction zone includes:
UÊ buildings
UÊ hard-standing areas
UÊ landscaping
IM
UÊ site access
plus
UÊ the area within a site boundary around the above, set at a distance of 3 m from the construc-
EC
tion zone up to the edge of the actual site boundary.

In assessing this criterion, ‘previously developed land’ is defined in Planning Policy Guidance
(2000)4 as land which
is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed
land and any associated fixed surface infrastructure.
This definition means that the following cannot be classed as previously developed land for a
BREEAM assessment:
SP
UÊ agricultural or forestry buildings

UÊ land developed for mineral extraction or waste disposal by landfill
UÊ urban land, such as gardens
UÊ parks
UÊ recreation grounds
UÊ allotments
UÊ previously developed land where remains of permanent structures have blended into the
landscape.
If a site has not been used over the past 50 years, this credit can only be awarded if the site is
contaminated (see below).
56
LE01: Site selection (Previously developed land criterion) (continued)
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: In relation to the following building types, ‘previously developed

land’ includes:
UÊ for prisons, all land within a secure perimeter fence on an existing prison site
UÊ for schools, an existing playing field if an equivalent area is to be reinstated as a playing field
within one year of the works being completed.

check which are on previously developed land to see if this will influence the final choice of site. If
this check is made early enough in the design process it may affect the award of this credit.
EN
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Design drawings, site
plans, historic maps, reports and photographs confirming:
UÊ type and duration of previous land use
UÊ the area of previous land use
UÊ the location and footprint of proposed development and temporary works, with areas.

IM

EC
LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land criterion)

1 0
SP
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the development of contaminated sites.
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit is awarded where a contaminated land spe-
cialist’s report is provided which confirms that the site is ‘significantly contaminated’ and identifies:
UÊ the degree of contamination
UÊ the sources or type of contamination
UÊ options for remediation.
⁄
57
LE01: Site selection (Contaminated land criterion) (continued)
Plus you must confirm that a strategy and an Implementation Plan are in place showing how reme-
diation will be, or has been, implemented to enable the proposed development to take place.
The credit can still be awarded for a small plot on a larger site which was previously contaminated,
regardless of the smaller plot’s location in relation to the contamination. If remediation of the con-
tamination on the larger site had to take place to allow the development to occur, the credit can
be awarded.
If asbestos is removed from within an existing building, then the whole site cannot be classed as
contaminated, but the site will be classed as contaminated if the asbestos is removed from the
EN
ground.
The credit cannot be awarded for historic remediation which is not related to the current proposed
development.
INNOVATION CREDITS: None IM

CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Highly contaminated sites will restrict the pos-
sibilities for development. As in previous BREEAM Schemes, there is still the anomaly of no credits
being available for uncontaminated sites, whether previously developed or not.
EC

UÊ A copy of the specialist’s land contamination report for the site, with drawings showing areas
of contamination/remediation in relation to the proposed development.
Plus
UÊ a letter from the principal contractor or remediation contractor (or from the client if no contrac-
tors are appointed) confirming:
SP
– the remediation strategy for the site

and
– summary details of their Implementation Plan.
If the site is not contaminated or if historic remediation has taken place, this credit cannot be
awarded.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: As for

the design stage plus a copy of a specialist report confirming:
UÊ the remediation works undertaken
UÊ a description of any relevant pollution linkages addressed.
58
LE02: Ecological value of site and

protection of ecological features
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the development of sites with limited ecological
value and to protect existing ecological features from damage during construction.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where a site is defined
as land of low ecological value. This can be determined:
either
by completing the BREEAM Checklist in the online Technical Manual,1 answering ‘No’ to all five of
these questions:
1
IM
Has the planning authority requested an ecological survey/statement?
2 Is the site within 2 km of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA)
or a Ramsar Convention site?5
3 Is the site within 500 m of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)?5
EC
4 Are the following habitats present on or within 100 m of the construction zone:
– broad-leaved woodlands
– watercourses
– wetlands
– flower-rich meadows or grasslands
– heathland?
5 Are any of following within or on the boundary of the construction zone (for a definition, see
SP
below):
– trees more than ten years old
– mature field hedgerows – over 1 m tall and 500 mm wide
– an existing building with pitched tile, slate or shingle roof, lofts, hanging tiles, weather-
boarding, dense climbing plants, soffits, cellars, basements, ice houses, etc?
Or if a suitably qualified ecologist is appointed to:
UÊ undertake a survey of the site’s ecology
UÊ produce an Ecological Assessment Report, based on the requirements of Appendix F in the
online Technical Manual,1 which identifies the site as being land of low ecological value.
A building’s construction zone includes:
UÊ buildings
UÊ hardstanding areas
UÊ landscaping
UÊ site access
59
LE02: Ecological value of site and protection of ecological features (continued)
plus
UÊ a site boundary is established around the area containing the above, set at a distance of 3 m
from the construction zone up to the edge of the actual site boundary.
Plus all existing features of ecological value surrounding the site’s construction zone and site bound-
ary must be adequately protected from damage prior to any preliminary site works and during site
clearance, site preparation and construction activities.
Protection applies to:

UÊ trees of over 100 mm trunk diameter and/or of significant ecological value – protect with
EN
barriers
UÊ trees – prevent direct impact and severance or asphyxiation of roots
UÊ hedges and natural areas – erect barriers or, if remote, protect by prohibiting construction
activity in vicinity
UÊ watercourses and wetlands – provide cut-off ditches and site drainage to prevent run-off to
natural watercourses.
This credit can be awarded by default if the site is defined as being of low ecological value and
containing no features of ecological value.
IM
If a site has been cleared within five years of the proposed development, then the ecologists will
have to estimate its ecological value immediately prior to the clearance. A definition of ‘suitably
qualified ecologist’ is given later in this chapter.
EC

their ecological value might influence which is developed if this credit is to be awarded.
SP
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: A completed copy of the

Checklist and Tables, signed by the client or design team:
plus either
UÊ plans or site photographs confirming the presence or absence of ecological features
UÊ drawings or contract specification clauses confirming the protection measures
or
UÊ a copy of the ecologist’s report.

the design stage, updated to show any changes to the design.
60
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Flood risk criterion)

2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the risk of localised flooding on and off a site by avoid-
ing, reducing and delaying the discharge of rainfall into public sewers and watercourses.
PREREQUISITES: A site-specific Flood Risk Assessment must be prepared which shows that the
development is:
EN
UÊ appropriately flood resilient
and
UÊ resistant to all sources of flooding to the satisfaction of local or statutory bodies.
The Assessment must consider the flood risk from the following sources (as defined in Planning
Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk):6
UÊ rivers
UÊ tidal flow
IM
UÊ surface water run-off from adjacent land
UÊ groundwater
UÊ sewers
UÊ other artificial sources of flooding (e.g. reservoirs).
EC
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Two credits can be awarded for sites with a low
annual probability of flooding. This is defined:
UÊ for England and Scotland, as Zone 1 sites with less than 1 in 1,000 (<0.1) per cent chance of
river and sea flooding
UÊ for Wales, as Zone A and Zone B sites (if site levels are higher than the flood levels used to
SP
define adjacent extreme flooding).

Only one credit can be awarded for:
UÊ sites with a medium or high probability of flooding (if not within a functional floodplain)
UÊ building(s) whose ground level and access is 600 mm above the design flood level.
For smaller sites, 2,000 m2 or less, the Flood Risk Assessment could be a brief report carried out
by the contractor’s engineer confirming the risk from all sources of flooding, including information
from:
UÊ the Environment Agency
UÊ a water company or sewerage undertaker
UÊ other relevant statutory bodies
UÊ a site investigation
UÊ local knowledge.
61
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Flood risk criterion) (continued)
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: The credit is awarded for multi-residential buildings where self-
contained dwellings achieve the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Issues Sur
1 and Sur 2, provided that the whole site is compliant.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: While initial guidance on flood risk potential

can be obtained from the Environment Agency’s Flood Maps,7 showing areas that have a 1 in 1,000
chance of flooding each year, you also need a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment as Flood Maps
do not show all sources of flooding. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency provides similar
EN
maps.8
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: The following are

required:
UÊ a Flood Risk Assessment
UÊ design drawings
UÊ correspondence from the statutory body confirming annual probability of flooding in light of
existing flood defences.
IM
the design stage, updated as necessary,
plus
EC
UÊ confirmation that the basis for the Flood Risk Assessment has not changed if it was written
more than five years ago.

SP
62
3.2 Issues whose performance standards are more

easily achieved through good design and specification
You should next consider those Issues where simple good design and specification make the per-
formance standards easier to achieve. What is meant by the term ‘good practice design and speci-
fication’? The former Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) included in its
six-point description of good building design:
a building that responds to environmental imperatives and minimises its carbon footprint.
Creating Excellent Buildings: A Guide for Clients9
Meeting the performance standards of any Issue will help to achieve the above aim, but some
are difficult to achieve, depending on the required levels of performance and compliance. These
EN
Issues are considered in Chapter 4. The Issues whose requirements are easier to achieve are shown
in Table 3.2 and if you can maximise these credits you can add over 25 per cent to a final BREEAM
score. The relevant Issues are listed below, divided into sections for the architect, service engineer
and structural engineer, depending on who is usually responsible for submitting evidence to the
BREEAM Assessor.
IM
EC
SP
63
TABLE 3.2: Issues that might be easier to achieve with good design and specification
buildings buildings
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Management Category
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Project brief and design criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
EN
Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction and handover criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Aftercare criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Inclusive and accessible design criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Building user information criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Weighted % score of 1 credit in Management Category IM 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73
Hea01: Visual comfort (Glare control and view out criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
Hea01: Visual comfort (Internal and external lighting criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hea03: Thermal comfort 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Hea04: Water quality 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

EC
Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hea06: Safety and security (Security of site and building criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Energy Category
Ene02: Energy monitoring 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
Ene03: External lighting 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

SP
Ene04: Low- or zero-carbon technologies (Feasibility study/renewable supply contract) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Ene06: Energy-efficient transportation systems 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ene09: Drying space 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Transport Category
Tra05: Travel plan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Transport Category 9 9 9 7 11 10 4 9 9 11
64
buildings buildings
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Water Category
Wat02: Water monitoring 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
EN
Wat03: Water leak detection and prevention (System to detect major leaks criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Wat03: Water leak detection and prevention (Flow control devices criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Materials Category
Mat02: Hard landscaping and boundary protection IM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mat04: Insulation 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Mat05: Designing for robustness 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Waste Category
Wst03: Operational waste 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

EC
Land Use and Ecology Category Issues in this category are considered elsewhere
Pol02: NOx emissions from heating source 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Surface water run-off criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

SP
Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Overall % value of good design and specification towards the overall BREEAM score 27.49 25.68 27.06 25.74 24.37 24.94 27.52 25.71 25.34 24.76
65
3.3 Issues for which the architect

is normally responsible
Man01: Sustainable procurement

(first part of the Project brief and design criterion)
1 0
EN
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver functional and sustainable building design through cor-
rect briefing.
PREREQUISITES: The briefing process must start during RIBA Preparation Stage B (Design
Brief).
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
IM
UÊ For BREEAM ratings Pass, Good, Very Good and Excellent – one credit from any of the criteria
in this Issue, including this one.
UÊ For BREEAM Outstanding rating – two credits from any of the criteria in this Issue, including
this one.
EC
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where meetings are
held during the design, construction, commissioning and handover stages, and when the build-
ing is occupied. These meetings must include those involved in making design-related decisions,
namely:
UÊ the client
UÊ design team members
UÊ the contractor
SP
UÊ the building occupier.

These meetings must establish roles and responsibilities relating to:
UÊ end-user requirements
UÊ the aims of the design strategy
UÊ installation and construction requirements
UÊ the occupier’s budget and available technical expertise to maintain installed systems
UÊ usability and manageability of design proposals
UÊ the supporting documentation
UÊ commissioning, training and aftercare.
A schedule of training for the building’s operation should be established for relevant occupants
and must cover:
UÊ the Building User Guide
UÊ design strategies behind how the building functions
66
Man01: Sustainable procurement (first part of the Project brief and design criterion) (continued)
UÊ key features for the operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of installed systems
UÊ all documentation provided
UÊ training responsibilities.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The necessary activities for this credit resem-
ble the good practice design process recommended by CABE,9 which involves stakeholders (such
EN
as a building’s future occupants) in the development of the outline brief. Note, however, that the
standard approach described in the Architects’ Job Book10 does not necessarily include a building’s
future occupants.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Documentation showing

when collaboration began and the roles and responsibilities of the project team, including:
UÊ meeting minutes
UÊ the construction programme
UÊ a responsibilities schedule
IM
UÊ the contract specification clauses confirming requirements
UÊ a copy of the proposed training schedule.
EC

IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: For speculative buildings, you must con-
sider the general end-user requirements, relevant to the expected type of tenant. Training docu-
mentation is still needed and, if any services are to be installed by tenants, a space should be left
for these to be completed later.
SP
67
Man04: Stakeholder participation

(Inclusive and accessible design criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver buildings which are accessible, functional and inclusive
by implementing an appropriate design.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit is awarded if an Access Statement is

developed describing the strategies adopted for inclusive design. The statement must be prepared
in accordance with CABE’s guidance11 and must cover:
UÊ the removal or management of obstacles that define disability
IM
UÊ identification of the age groups, genders, ethnicity and fitness levels of the building users
UÊ provision for parents and children.
The Access Statement has to confirm how the public and community will access the following facili-
ties without gaining access to non-public areas:
UÊ sports facilities
EC
UÊ meeting and conference rooms

UÊ drama and theatre spaces
UÊ amenity spaces for staff and visitors
UÊ home office areas within multi-residential buildings.

SP
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Inclusive and accessible design solutions

must be included from the earliest concept design development stages. This will allow them to be
integrated at minimal cost.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: A copy of the Access

Statement is required and/or:
UÊ copies of design drawings illustrating the inclusive design solutions
UÊ contract specification clauses covering issues from the Access Statement, if necessary.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies of

as-constructed drawings confirming that the proposed inclusive design features have been completed.
68

(Building user information criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver accessible, functional and inclusive buildings by provid-
ing sufficient information to enable the building occupiers to operate the building efficiently.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS: This credit must be gained for either a BREEAM Excellent or Outstand-
ing rating to be achieved.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where a Building User
Guide is provided to enable building occupants to operate the building efficiently. It should be
written to meet the needs of the general users and residents, non-technical facility management
IM
staff and visitors, and should include information on:
UÊ the building’s environmental strategies and provisions (relating to energy, water, waste, etc.)
and suggestions on how users can best engage with them
UÊ a building services overview detailing access to controls
UÊ the provision for visitors relating to access, security procedures, etc.
EC
UÊ any facilities shared with the community, public and adjoining building users, and details of
access to them
UÊ safety and emergency procedures, with detailed instructions
UÊ specific building operational procedures
UÊ incident reporting and feedback procedures
UÊ training in the use of the building services, etc.
UÊ the site and local transport network, cyclist facilities, pedestrian routes, etc.
SP
UÊ access to local amenities

UÊ refurbishment, re-fit and maintenance arrangements and considerations
UÊ links to sources of assistance and contact details of facility management teams, etc.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Architects may be asked to prepare this

Guide. It may fall outside their normal scope of service so it is important to include it within their
terms of appointment and make provision for an appropriate fee.
69
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Building user information criterion) (continued)
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: You must provide:

either
UÊ contract specification clauses requiring the principal contractor to develop the Building User
Guide
or
UÊ a letter from the client confirming that they will develop a Building User Guide.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT:

UÊ A copy of the completed Building User Guide.
Plus
EN
UÊ written confirmation from the client or design team that the Guide will be given to the build-
ing’s tenant or owner
UÊ details of how information relating to the building, site and local amenities will be made avail-
able to the building’s tenant or owner.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: In speculative developments it may not

be possible to include all the information required for the Building User Guide. If some elements
IM
are to be installed by future tenants, compliance with the above performance standards can be
established by:
either
UÊ a Green Lease Agreement
or
EC
UÊ developer and tenant collaboration.
Hea01: Visual comfort

SP
(Glare control and view out criterion)

1 or 2 0
(for healthcare buildings)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to provide best practice visual comfort for building users by reduc-
ing glare and providing a view to the outside.
PREREQUISITES: All fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps must be fitted with high-
frequency ballasts.
70
Hea01: Visual comfort (Glare control and view out criterion) (continued)
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For any BREEAM rating, all fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps
must be fitted with high-frequency ballasts.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where all ‘relevant build-
ing areas’ have:
UÊ a glare-control strategy in place that does not conflict with the lighting controls (avoiding
higher energy use)
UÊ a ‘compliant view out’ from workstation positions, places where close work is undertaken or
where visual aids are used.
‘Relevant areas’ of buildings are those which have workstations/desks where building users will
EN
spend a significant amount of time and close work will be undertaken or where visual aids will be
used. Some areas within certain buildings are excluded from this requirement. It is best to agree
these with the BREEAM Assessor but they can include:
UÊ nurse bases that are located centrally to enable patient observation
UÊ courtrooms or interview rooms with security and privacy requirements
UÊ prison staff areas for security or observational purposes, including workstations
UÊ workstations in nurseries.
IM
A ‘compliant view’ is a view out through a window or opening that must meet certain criteria. In
rooms less than 7 m deep, the view must be through windows or openings that make up 20 per cent
or more of the internal wall area in which they are located. In rooms that are deeper than 7 m:
UÊ the window or opening areas must meet the requirements of Table 1 in BS8206 – Part 212
UÊ a building or landscape as well as sky must be visible
EC
UÊ the view must be visible at seated eye level (between 1.2 and 1.3 m from the floor level)
UÊ if the view is into courtyards or atria these must be at least 10 m deep.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS:
UÊ Prison buildings – cells: adequate view out is from a normal standing or sitting position with a
SP
minimum distance of 10 m between the window and external solid object (wall, fence, etc.).
UÊ Prison buildings – cells: where existing features prevent compliance with the view out criteria
in less than 20 per cent of cells, the credit can still be awarded.
UÊ Multi-residential buildings – all positions in living rooms in self-contained flats, communal lounges,
individual bedrooms and bed-sits in sheltered housing must be within 5 m of the wall with a win-
dow or permanent opening (of at least 20 per cent of the wall area) providing a view out.
UÊ Healthcare buildings with in-patient areas – for patient-occupied spaces (such as wards and
dayrooms): the distance between the wall with the window or opening and the nearest exter-
nal object (walls, buildings, fence, etc.) is at least 10 m.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Glare can be reduced through:

UÊ building layout (e.g. providing low eaves)
UÊ building design (e.g. providing blinds, brise soleil, bioclimatic design solutions that shade in
the summer and allow solar gain in winter).
71
Hea01: Visual comfort (Glare control and view out criterion) (continued)
Curtains do not meet the criteria for glare control. However, controllable internal blinds, which
provide flexibility by allowing some sunlight into a room, are acceptable.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: This must include:

UÊ design drawings showing position of workstations and a window schedule
UÊ the relevant contract specification clauses for any glare-control equipment.

EN
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If it is not possible to determine which
areas of a building will contain workstations then all areas must provide a compliant view out.
If glare control is to be provided by the tenant, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter
2, section 2.11) can be used to establish compliance with the performance standards.
IM
Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion)
EC
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to promote low-risk, safe and secure access to buildings.
SP
PREREQUISITES: None, except where buildings are accessed directly from public highways or
footpaths, then the Security of site and building criterion of this Issue must be achieved.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded if the site includes:
UÊ direct footpath access from the building’s entrance to off-site footpaths, allowing access to
local public transport and amenities
UÊ pedestrian crossing points raised to pavement level on access roads
UÊ drop-off areas located so that pedestrians do not have to cross access roads to reach the
building
UÊ dedicated cycle lanes providing direct access from local cycle networks to the site’s cycle storage
(if provided), designed to meet the National Cycle Network Guidelines and Practical Details:
Issue 213 and Appendix IV of National Cycle Network Design and Construction Checklist14
72
Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion) (continued)
UÊ lighting in accordance with BS5489 Part 115

UÊ signposted pedestrian access routes to off-site local amenities and public transport nodes for
larger developments with high numbers of visitors (e.g. retail parks).
Buildings with dedicated delivery areas must have:
UÊ access that avoids crossing general parking areas or shared pedestrian and cycle routes (which
may require a separate delivery access road, although this stipulation can be relaxed for
smaller sites if deliveries to the building will be made by small vans rather than heavy goods
vehicles)
UÊ turning areas designed for simple manoeuvring
UÊ separate parking or waiting areas for goods vehicles, whether sited away from or adjacent to
EN
manoeuvring areas and staff or visitor parking
UÊ dedicated storage space for refuse skips and pallets.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This credit can be awarded for self-contained dwellings in multi-
residential buildings if the requirements of CSH Issue Man 4 are achieved, provided the whole
IM
building and car-parking areas are compliant.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Safe access across sites is part of normal good
practice design, so this criterion should be easy to achieve, but it is vital to consider the detailed
requirements of this Issue at an early stage.
EC

UÊ Design drawings showing all the required features
and/or
UÊ any contract specification clauses referring to the required design features.

SP
73
Hea06: Safety and security

(Security of site and building criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to promote low-risk, safe and secure access to, around and within
buildings.
EN
PREREQUISITES: Consultation with a security consultant, local Police Architectural Liaison
Officer or Crime Prevention Design Advisor must occur prior to or during RIBA Design Stage C
(Concept).
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded if the architect:

either
IM
UÊ consults with the local Police Architectural Liaison Officer or Crime Prevention Design Advisor
and incorporates any resulting recommendation into the building design and site layout
or
UÊ designs the site layout to incorporate the principles and guidance of Secured by Design16 and/
EC
or the Safer Parking Scheme.17

If neither of the above schemes is relevant, a site-specific security risk and threat assessment will
have to be carried out by a suitably qualified security consultant to establish appropriate security
measures for the building and site.
A ‘suitably qualified security consultant’ must:
UÊ have at least three years’ relevant experience, gained within the past five years
UÊ hold a recognised qualification in design and crime prevention, including Secured by Design
SP
training
UÊ be a member of a relevant industry professional body or accreditation scheme (such as the
Association of Security Consultants).
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The architect should contact either their local
Police Architectural Liaison Officer or Crime Prevention Design Advisor during the initial stages of
site design so that their advice can be incorporated into the design before any decisions are made.
Contact details for Crime Prevention Design Advisors can be obtained from the Secure by Design
website.16
74
Hea06: Safety and security (Security of site and building criterion) (continued)

UÊ Design drawings showing security features
and/or
UÊ any contract specification clauses stipulating security features
plus
UÊ a copy of the report from the Police Architectural Liaison Officer, Crime Prevention Design
Advisor or security consultant confirming:
– the scope of their advice and involvement
– the design stage during which their advice was sought
– their recommendations in a summarised format.
EN
Plus (if relevant) either:
UÊ copies of correspondence from the Police Architectural Liaison Officer, Crime Prevention
Design Advisor or security consultant
or
IM
UÊ a copy of the development’s Secured by Design and/or Park Mark® Award Certificate.

EC
Ene09: Drying space

1 0
SP
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce the energy needed to dry clothes.
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded in multi-residential

buildings where secure internal or external space is incorporated into the design. The drying space
must incorporate posts and footings or fixings to accommodate:
UÊ for self-contained dwellings with one or two bedrooms, at least 4 m of drying line
UÊ for self-contained dwellings with three or more bedrooms, at least 6 m of drying line
and/or
⁄
75
Ene09: Drying space (continued)
UÊ for developments of up to 30 individual bedrooms, at least 2 m of drying line per bedroom

UÊ for developments of over 30 individual bedrooms, 1 m of additional drying line for each bed-
room over the 30-bedroom threshold.
Internal drying spaces should be:
UÊ heated and adequately ventilated in accordance with Part F of the Building Regulations and
the service engineer must provide a copy of the calculations confirming compliance.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This Issue only applies to multi-residential buildings. The credit is
EN
awarded where self-contained dwellings comply with the requirements of CSH Issue Ene 4.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: In self-contained dwellings, a ‘secure space’

is one that is enclosed and only accessible by the residents. Where communal drying space is pro-
vided, it also should be enclosed and accessible only by residents via a secure entrance. Drying
spaces in living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, halls and bedrooms do not comply with the require-
ments of this Issue.
IM
UÊ Copies of design drawings
and/or
UÊ contract specification clauses confirming that the required performance standards are being
EC
achieved
and/or
UÊ a letter of instruction from the client to the contractor or supplier stipulating the standards that
must be met.

UÊ As-constructed design drawings showing installed provision
SP
plus
UÊ a purchase order or receipt for equipment to be installed.
76
Tra05: Travel plan

1 0
One credit is awarded for the provision of a compliant Travel Plan (see later in this chapter under
Tra05: Travel plan).
If no highway engineer is appointed, then the architect will be responsible for developing the
Travel Plan. If this duty is not included within their terms of appointment an appropriate fee must
EN
be negotiated.
Mat02: Hard landscaping and boundary protection

C R E D I T S AVA I L A B L E
IM I N N O V AT I O N C R E D I T S
1 0
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage specification of materials and products with low envi-
ronmental impact, taking into account the full life cycle of the materials.
PREREQUISITES: None

SP

UÊ materials for at least 80 per cent of the external hard landscaping and site boundary protection
achieve either A+ or A Green Guide to Specification ratings.
‘Hard landscaping’ includes parking areas, but excludes main access roads and designated vehicle
manoeuvring areas. Ratings for hard landscaping and boundary protection can be found on BRE’s
Green Guide to Specification website.18
If the element is not indicated in the Green Guide to Specification, one of the following steps can
be taken:
Either
UÊ The Assessor can obtain a bespoke Green Guide rating by completing the online Green Guide
calculator or submitting a bespoke Green Guide query pro-forma to BRE, with detailed draw-
ings and specification of the element.
77
Mat02: Hard landscaping and boundary protection (continued)
Or
UÊ Use an independently verified third-party Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), produced
in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 14020 series. Where a product within an ele-
ment has an EPD, its impact can be assessed by requesting a bespoke Green Guide rating,
as described above. Consider the extent of the EPD: a Tier 1 EPD covers the whole life cycle
of a product (i.e. cradle to grave); a Tier 2 EPD only covers part of a product’s life cycle (i.e.
cradle to gate).
In addition to the elements described in the Green Guide to Specification, the following examples
will also be given an A+ rating:
UÊ retained hard landscaping or boundary treatment, if no more than 20 per cent of its area is
EN
subject to minor alterations, repair or maintenance
UÊ any existing hedges and living barriers
UÊ external facades of buildings forming a site boundary.
If there are no site boundary elements, the credit is awarded solely on the hard landscaping
assessment.

IM
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For prison buildings, the criterion for hard surfaces is only appli-
cable to areas outside the secure perimeter zone but within the overall site curtilage.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: You must carefully consider the specification

EC
of proposed materials: for example, areas of external concrete paving in heavily trafficked areas will
only be A rated if laid on a recycled sub-base.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies of design draw-

ings and contract specification clauses giving:
UÊ detailed descriptions of each applicable element and its materials
UÊ the location and area of each element
SP
plus
UÊ copies of the Green Guide ratings, element reference numbers and assessed specifications.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies

of design drawings and contract specification clauses showing the as-constructed status,
plus
UÊ written confirmation of any changes to the specification from the principal contractor or design
team
UÊ copies of updated specifications, area calculations, Green Guide rating information and
assessed specifications.
78
Mat04: Insulation
2 0
This Issue criterion encourages the use of responsibly sourced insulation materials with low embod-
ied environmental impact relative to their thermal properties.
PREREQUISITES: All insulation used in the following building elements must be assessed:
UÊ external walls
EN
UÊ ground floor
UÊ roof
UÊ building services.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded if the Insulation
IM
Index for the assessed insulation is equal to or greater than two.
The Insulation Index is calculated by the BREEAM Assessor using the Mat04: Insulation calcula-
tor. The calculation uses the volume-weighted thermal resistance (VWTR) of each insulation type,
where:
EC
VWTR = area of insulation (m2) x thickness (m)/thermal conductivity (W/mK)
The VWTR of each insulation type is then multiplied by the points allocated in its Green Guide to
Specification rating, as follows:
UÊ A+ rating = 3.0 points
UÊ A rating = 2.0 points
SP
UÊ B rating = 1.0 point

UÊ C rating = 0.5 points
UÊ D rating = 0.25 points
UÊ E rating = 0.0 points
The Insulation Index is the sum of the VWTR values corrected by the Green Guide to Specification
rating divided by the sum of the VWTR values.
A+ ratings can also be given to insulation materials which:

UÊ are incorporated as a component of another element manufactured off-site where this element
has been assessed under Mat01: Life-cycle impacts
UÊ fulfil a significant additional function, such as providing structural support in structural insu-
lated panels.
79
Mat04: Insulation (continued)
An independently verified third-party Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) can increase a

material’s contribution to the Insulation Index if:
UÊ it is produced in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 14020 series
UÊ the calculation procedures described for Mat01: Life-cycle impacts are used to assess its
impact.
The second credit can be awarded where:
UÊ 80 per cent of the insulation types specified are responsibly sourced and certified in accor-
dance with the requirements of Tier Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
Table 12.2 in the online Technical Manual1 indicates the key processes and supply chain processes
required for common insulation products. The allocation of Tier Levels is considered in more detail
EN
in Chapter 4 in relation to Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Ensure that the service engineer is aware of

IM
the requirements of this Issue so that insulation used in the building services is correctly specified.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For the first credit, cop-
ies of design drawings and contract specification clauses confirming:
UÊ the location of insulation materials
EC
UÊ the area and thickness of insulation specified

plus
UÊ manufacturers’ literature confirming the thermal conductivity of the insulation
UÊ a copy of the Mat04: Insulation calculator output
UÊ a copy of the Green Guide ratings, element number, etc.
For the second credit, in addition to the above:
UÊ copies of relevant responsible source certificates for the insulation products confirming (or
SP
contract specification clauses requiring) that the insulation will be responsibly sourced from
suppliers capable of providing certification to Tier Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the shell works does not involve
installing the majority of the insulation, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section
2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
80
Mat05: Designing for robustness

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to ensure that adequate protection is provided to exposed building
elements to minimise the need to replace materials.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit is awarded where adequate protection is

provided in internal and external areas where vehicular, trolley and high levels of pedestrian move-
ment occurs. Protection must be provided against the effects of:
UÊ high levels of pedestrian traffic in main entrances, public areas, corridors, lifts, stairs, through
doors, etc.
IM
UÊ internal vehicular or trolley movements in storage, delivery, corridor and kitchen areas
UÊ vehicular collision in car-parking areas within 1 m of the building fabric
UÊ vehicular collision in delivery areas within 2 m of the building fabric.
Vehicle impact protection must be positioned to protect the building fabric.
EC
Suitable durability measures that can be employed include:

UÊ specifying that corridor walls and linings must meet the Severe Duty (SD) category in BS5234
Part 2: Partitions (including matching linings): Specification for performance requirements for
strength and robustness including methods of test
UÊ providing protection rails to walls and kick plates to doors
UÊ specifying hard-wearing, easily washable floor finishes in heavily used circulation areas
UÊ providing bollards, barriers, raised kerbs or robust external wall construction up to a height
SP
of 2 m
UÊ designing out risk, avoiding the need to specify additional protection measures
UÊ providing protection in sales areas where customer goods trolleys are in use to vulnerable
parts of the buildings (such as glass curtain walling) within 1 m of the trolley movement.
You should also consider which materials will provide maximum protection against malicious dam-
age or physical abuse in public and common areas.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: You must ensure that the specification of

internal protection measures is not overlooked and that sufficient external space is set aside to
provide protection that complies with the performances standards of this Issue.
81
Mat05: Designing for robustness (continued)

ings showing vulnerable areas of the building with drawings and contract specification clauses
detailing the protection and durability measures adopted.

EN
Wst03: Operational waste
1 0
IM
The aim of this Issue criterion is to divert operational waste from landfill by providing space for
operational recycling of waste streams.
EC
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS: This credit is essential to achieve a BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding

rating.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit is awarded where a dedicated segre-

SP
gated recyclable waste storage area for operational recyclable waste is included in a design, in
addition to space allocated for general waste storage. This must be:
UÊ clearly labelled as a store for recyclable waste
UÊ accessible to the building occupants (no more than 20 m from the building’s entrance)
UÊ provided with vehicular access for collections (even if located within a building)
UÊ designed to accommodate the predicted volume of waste likely to be generated by the build-
ing’s use.
The area has to be suitable for the quantity of recyclable waste generated, the minimum space
required in most buildings is:
UÊ 2 m2 per 1,000 m2 (or part thereof) if the net floor area of the building is less than 5,000 m2
UÊ 10 m2 if building is over 5,000 m2
UÊ an additional 2 m2 per 1,000 m2 of net floor area (or part thereof) if catering facilities are pro-
vided in the building – with an additional minimum of 10 m2 for buildings over 5,000 m2.
82
Wst03: Operational waste (continued)
Consistent generation of operational recyclable waste, such as large amounts of packaging in retail
units or compostable waste in restaurants, will require:
UÊ a static waste compactor or baler, located in a service or delivery area
UÊ vessels suitable for composting organic waste
UÊ a water outlet where organic waste is stored or composted on a site.
Where the assessment covers a number of buildings (such as a number of industrial units), the
dedicated storage space for operational recyclable waste can be sited in a centralised location to
serve all the buildings on the site.
EN
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Additional performance standards apply to the following build-
ing types:
UÊ Healthcare buildings: facilities must comply with Health Technical Memorandum 07-1: Safe
Management of Healthcare Waste.19
UÊ Schools: a school recycling policy must be in place on completion, comprising procedures
for recycling paper, magazines, cardboard, plastic, metals, printer and toner cartridges and (if
IM
undertaken) the collection of composting materials.
UÊ All multi-residential buildings: each dwelling should be provided with three internal dedi-
cated recycling storage containers, none smaller than 7 litres, providing a total of 30 litres of
storage.
UÊ Multi-residential buildings with individual bedrooms and communal facilities: 30 litres of stor-
EC
age, comprising three containers, none smaller than 7 litres, should be provided for every six
bedrooms, located within a communal kitchen or space. Home-composting facilities should
also be provided and a home-composting leaflet issued to the occupants, usually by the archi-
tect, giving guidance on:
– how composting works and why it is important
– what materials can be composted
– details of how the communal composting scheme or local authority green kitchen waste
SP
collection scheme works.

UÊ Shopping centre and retail parks: flagship and anchor tenants should be provided with their
own dedicated storage, while smaller units can share storage space. Adequate space must be
provided to suit tenants’ predicted recycling waste volumes.
UÊ Small industrial units: where a development consists of a number of industrial units (each equal
to or less than 200 m2), a shared facility must be provided, based on the area of the whole
development.
UÊ Self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings: see the online Technical Manual1 for the
impact on BREEAM 2011 of credits awarded under CSH Issues Was 1 and Was 3.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Simply providing individual recycling bins

throughout a building is not sufficient to gain the credit. You can obtain additional guidance on
waste storage area design and waste management from:
83
Wst03: Operational waste (continued)
UÊ the Metric Handbook20

UÊ BS5908: Waste Management in Buildings – Code of Practice
UÊ the online Technical Manual1 (for typical sizes of skips, bins, compactors and balers, etc.).

UÊ Design drawings and/or contract specification clauses confirming the size and location of the
dedicated storage area for operational recyclable waste and general waste storage (including
any home-composting provision).
UÊ Meeting minutes or a letter from the design team confirming the building’s likely waste streams
and predicted volumes.
EN
UÊ For healthcare buildings, a letter confirming compliance with the relevant Healthcare Technical
Memorandum.
UÊ For schools, a copy of the school’s recycling policy and a description of its waste management
procedures or a written commitment from the school to develop and implement these.
UÊ For multi-residential buildings, design drawings and/or contract specification clauses detailing
the home-composting provision and a copy of the guidance leaflet.
IM
the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status,
plus
UÊ for schools, a copy of the school’s recycling policy and a description of its waste management
procedures.
EC
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: The requirements are the same as those
detailed above, except for the provision of a compactor or baler and composting requirements.
Where the occupier is known, then:
either
UÊ the compactor or baler and/or composting facilities must be provided
or
SP
UÊ the occupier must commit to providing a dedicated space for a compactor or baler and/or
composting facilities, which includes
– suitable concrete hardstanding
– a three-phase electricity supply
– access for collection.
If the occupier is not known then:
either
UÊ a compactor or baler and/or composting facilities are not required if the building type is
unlikely to generate a need for them
or
UÊ the future occupier must commit to providing a compactor or baler and/or composting
facilities.
84
Wst04: Speculative floor and ceiling finishes

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to avoid unnecessary waste of materials by encouraging the build-
ing’s future occupant to select the floor and ceiling finishes.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: If the future occupant is unknown, one credit is

awarded where:
UÊ carpets, other floor finishes and ceiling finishes are only installed in a limited show area
UÊ the show area is less than 25 per cent of the net lettable floor area of the building.
If an office building is being developed for a specific occupant, you must provide evidence that
IM
they have specified or agreed to the floor and ceiling finishes to gain one credit.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This Issue only applies to office buildings.

EC
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: In speculative buildings, agents often want a

show area in excess of the 25 per cent limitation. You must resolve this conflict with the client to
avoid losing this credit.

UÊ Design drawings and/or contract specification clauses confirming the size and location of the
SP
show area for the floor and ceiling finishes

and/or
UÊ a letter from the client, design team or future building occupant confirming that they have
chosen the floor and ceiling finishes.

the design stage.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: The provision of a limited show area, as

described above.
85
3.4 Issues for which the service engineer

The service engineer plays a similar role to the architect in achieving the credits for the Issues indi-
cated in Table 3.2. The service engineer will specify a range of good practice design solutions for
building services for the Issues detailed below.
Man01: Sustainable procurement (second part

of Construction and handover criterion)
EN
1 0
The aim of this part of this Issue criterion is to deliver a functional and sustainable building by
IM
ensuring that the performance of each of the building services is properly tested prior to practical
completion.
PREREQUISITES: The client must appoint a specialist commissioning manager during RIBA
Design Stages C–D for a building with complex service systems.
EC
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
in this Issue, including this one
this one.
SP
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: For one credit:

UÊ An appropriate project team member must be appointed to monitor and programme the pre-
commissioning, commissioning and re-commissioning (if necessary) of the building services,
on the client’s behalf.
UÊ All building services must meet the requirements of the current Building Regulations, BSRIA
and CIBSE commissioning guidelines.
UÊ The Building Management System (BMS) must include the following commissioning
procedures:
– air and water system commissioning must be carried out when all controls are installed
and functional
– measurements of key parameters (such as room temperatures) must be included
– satisfactory internal conditions must be achieved when the BMS or control installation is
running in automatic mode
– the BMS schematics or graphics and user interface must be fully installed and functional
– the building occupier must be trained to operate the BMS.
⁄
86
Man01: Sustainable procurement (second part of Construction and handover criterion) (continued)
UÊ The principal contractor must prepare a construction programme incorporating appropriate

commissioning periods.
UÊ Where a building design includes complex service systems, a specialist commissioning man-
ager must be appointed during RIBA Design Stages C–D to advise on:
– design impacts arising from commissioning requirements
– the proposed construction programme, to ensure that sufficient time is allocated
– commissioning management input during installation stages
– commissioning and performance testing at handover and post-handover stages.
Complex building service systems include:
UÊ air conditioning
EN
UÊ mechanical and displacement ventilation
UÊ complex passive ventilation
UÊ building management systems (BMS)
UÊ renewable energy sources
UÊ microbiological safety cabinets and fume cupboards
UÊ cold storage systems. IM
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The service engineer should advise the client
EC
on the appointment of the specialist commissioning manager during the design stages if the neces-
sary expertise is not available within their own company. The specialist commissioning manager can
work for the subcontractor who is installing the services, etc. but must not be personally involved
in the installation of the works.

UÊ A letter of appointment confirming the commissioning manager’s responsibilities, if appointed
SP
by the client.
UÊ Contract specification clauses requiring the appointment of the commissioning manager and
setting out responsibilities.
UÊ A copy of the principal contractor’s programme showing the commissioning period.
UÊ A copy of the commissioning schedule.

UÊ A copy of commissioning records and reports.
UÊ A copy of the principal contractor’s programme showing the commissioning period.
UÊ A copy of the commissioning schedule.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If some building services are installed as

part of the tenant’s fit-out works, one of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11)
can be used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
87
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Aftercare criterion)

2 1
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver a functional and sustainable building by setting up com-
missioning and aftercare systems that offer an extended period of support to building occupants.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
in this Issue including this one.
UÊ For BREEAM Outstanding rating – two credits from any of the criteria in this Issue including
this one.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where a specialist com-
IM
missioning manager is appointed to undertake seasonal commissioning. In air-conditioned or ven-
tilated buildings, this will include procedures to:
UÊ test all building services under full load conditions (e.g. heating systems in mid-winter and
cooling or ventilation systems in mid-summer)
UÊ test all building services under part-load conditions in spring and autumn
EC
UÊ test in periods of high or low occupancy (if appropriate)

UÊ interview building occupants to identify any problems or concerns to do with the effectiveness
of the systems
UÊ re-commission systems, if necessary, and incorporate any revisions to operating procedures
into the Operations and Maintenance Manuals
UÊ test specialist systems (e.g. fume cupboards, cold storage system) if installed.
In naturally ventilated buildings, seasonal commissioning requires:
SP
UÊ review of thermal comfort, ventilation and lighting at periods of three, six and nine months
after occupation by measurement or occupant feedback
UÊ re-commissioning of systems, if necessary, following the review
UÊ updating of the Operations and Maintenance Manuals to incorporate any revisions.
Two credits can be awarded, although this may not be a ‘quick win’, where the seasonal commis-
sioning detailed above is undertaken and, in addition to occupant comfort feedback, the contrac-
tor establishes a mechanism or installs equipment to:
UÊ collect energy- and water-consumption data for 12 months after occupation
UÊ compare collected data with projected usage
UÊ analyse discrepancies and adjust systems if they fail to operate as expected.
Plus, the contractor must demonstrate a commitment to providing aftercare support for the build-
ing occupier by:
UÊ arranging a meeting with the building occupier shortly after completion to introduce the con-
tractor’s aftercare team, hand over the Building User Guide (if one is in place) and present key
information about how the building operates
⁄
88
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Aftercare criterion) (continued)
UÊ providing initial aftercare by weekly site visits in the first month following completion
UÊ providing on-site training for the occupier’s facility management team
UÊ providing longer term aftercare through a helpline or nominated individual.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where, during the first three
years of occupation, the facility manager or team is contracted to undertake the following at quar-
terly intervals:
UÊ collect data on occupant satisfaction, energy and water consumption
UÊ use data to check that the building is performing as expected and, if not, make the necessary
adjustments
EN
UÊ set targets for reducing energy and water consumption and monitor progress towards achiev-
ing them
UÊ feed back any lessons learned to the client and design team for future use
UÊ provide annual data on occupant satisfaction, energy and water consumption to BRE Global
for publication.

IM
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The BSRIA Soft Landings Framework21 require-
ments provide a framework for achieving the performance standards of this Issue criterion. These
requirements must be included from an early stage in order to assess the additional costs associ-
ated with this extended service and commit to meeting them.
EC
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For the first credit:
UÊ a copy of the commissioning manager’s appointment letter
and/or
UÊ the commissioning responsibilities schedule.
For the second credit, in addition to the above, a copy of a written commitment or contract to
establish procedures to:
SP
UÊ collect, compare and analyse relevant data

UÊ undertake necessary adjustments to services
UÊ provide aftercare support and training.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: For the

first credit:
UÊ a copy of the seasonal commissioning records and reports
and/or
UÊ the specialist commissioning manager’s letter of appointment and the commissioning respon-
sibilities schedule.
For the second credit, as for the design stage plus, in addition to the above:
UÊ written evidence that the relevant procedures are in place or that there is a commitment to
provide them.
89
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: It may not be possible to achieve all of

the performance standards of this Issue criterion. If some elements that require seasonal commis-
sioning, as described above, are part of the fit-out, the following (see Chapter 2 for details) can be
used to assess compliance with the performance standards:
either
or
EN
Hea01: Visual comfort
(Internal and external lighting criterion)
1
IM 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to achieve best practice performance and comfort for building
EC
occupants through the correct specification of artificial lighting systems.
frequency ballasts.
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For any BREEAM rating to be achieved, all fluorescent and compact
fluorescent lamps have to be fitted with high-frequency ballasts.
SP

UÊ internal illuminance levels (measured in lux) are specified in accordance with the CIBSE Code
for Lighting (2009)
UÊ in areas where computers are to be used, lighting is specified to comply with sections 3.3, 4.6,
4.7, 4.8 and 4.9 of CIBSE Lighting Guide 7: Office Lighting
UÊ in areas used for teaching, lighting is specified to comply with CIBSE Lighting Guide 5: Light-
ing for Education
UÊ external illuminance (lux) levels are specified to meet BS5489: Part 1 – Lighting of roads and
public amenity areas (2008).
Other standards that might apply are:
UÊ for pre-schools, schools and sixth-from colleges – Building Bulletin 90: Lighting Design for Schools
UÊ for care homes housing people with dementia – Design Lighting for People with Dementia,
University of Stirling.22
90
Hea01: Visual comfort (Internal and external lighting criterion) (continued)
Plus, lighting controls need to be zoned to accommodate varying uses and levels of occupancy and
to allow for occupant control of zones, such as:
UÊ office and circulation areas
UÊ groups of no more than four workplaces, usually spaced at 40 m2 intervals
UÊ workstations adjacent to windows and atria with independent controls
UÊ presentation and audience areas in seminar and lecture rooms
UÊ teaching, seminar and lecture areas, where controls should comply with CIBSE Lighting
Guide 5
UÊ stacks, reading and counter areas in libraries
UÊ teaching and demonstration areas
EN
UÊ whiteboards or display screens
UÊ audience seating, circulation and lectern areas in auditoria. Controls must allow: full lighting;
demonstrating area lighting to be off and audience seating lighting low; all lighting off and
separate localised lectern lighting
UÊ seating and servery areas in dining rooms, restaurants and cafes
UÊ display and counter areas in retail units
UÊ bar and seating areas in bars
IM
UÊ individual bed spaces and staff control areas in wards
UÊ seating and activity areas and circulation spaces with controls for staff in treatment areas, day
rooms, waiting areas, etc.

EC
UÊ For educational buildings, manual lighting controls should be accessible to teachers as they
enter or leave teaching areas.
UÊ For court buildings, separate zoning is needed for the judge’s or magistrate’s bench, the dock,
jury area and public seating. Lighting control in these spaces must allow for full lighting for
cleaning, normal lighting for court sessions and dimmed lighting for showing audio-visual
SP
evidence which is still sufficient for note taking.

UÊ For prison buildings:
– a cell illuminance level of 200 lux at table-top height, with the facility for the cell occupant
to select a lower level
– an exercise yard illuminance level of 10 lux or 100 lux if used for sports.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Where no external light fittings are specified,

the credit is awarded solely on the performance of the internal lighting systems. The following
internal areas can be excluded from the lighting zone requirements:
UÊ media and arts production spaces
UÊ sports facilities (exercise spaces only, including hydrotherapy and physiotherapy areas).
91
Hea01: Visual comfort (Internal and external lighting criterion) (continued)

UÊ Design drawings showing lighting and controls systems
UÊ Contract specification clauses stipulating the required performance standards or a letter from
the service engineer confirming compliance with the required standards.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status plus a letter of confirmation from the
contractor confirming that the installed lighting systems meet the design requirements.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where part of the lighting system is to
EN
be provided by tenants, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be
used to assess compliance with the performance standards.
Hea03: Thermal comfort

IM
2 0
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to achieve appropriate thermal comfort levels and provide controls
that maintain a comfortable environment for the building’s occupants.
PREREQUISITES: None
SP
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded if a dynamic thermal
simulation model is developed using software complying with CIBSE AM11 Building Energy and
Environmental Modelling, to demonstrate that:
UÊ the building design and services deliver the thermal comfort levels set out in CIBSE Guide A:
Environmental Design (or another recognised industry standard) for occupied spaces
UÊ the building services specification includes criteria on an acceptable ‘time out of range’ metric
for maximum and minimum temperatures for both summer and winter
UÊ the building complies with recognised industry standards for ‘time out of range’ results.
A second credit can be awarded where it is shown that, in addition to achieving the above stan-
dards, a temperature-control strategy for the building will be installed, based on the thermal mod-
elling analysis. The heating and cooling strategies also need:
92
Hea03: Thermal comfort (continued)
UÊ separate zones for central spaces and perimeter spaces within 7 m of windows
UÊ occupant-control systems based on discussions with end users (or, alternatively, specific design
guidance or case studies for the building type) that consider user knowledge, occupancy,
room function, user interaction with and expectations of the systems
UÊ to consider how each system interacts with the others (an example of this is the interaction of
external shading to reduce solar gain interacting with cooling systems)
UÊ manual override of automatic controls to enable users to adapt their immediate environment.
EN
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Specific building types with additional requirements include:
UÊ Schools – it is acceptable to use the ClassCool software for schools with a straightforward
servicing strategy rather than a full CIBSE AM11 dynamic model.
UÊ Education and prison buildings – occupant controls are for use by staff only.
UÊ Industrial units – if they contain no office space, this Issue does not apply.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Any recognised industry or sector best-

IM
practice guidance that sets out a thermal performance level in terms of a design temperature and a
‘time out of range’ metric is considered an appropriate standard for this Issue criterion. For example:
UÊ for pre-schools, schools and sixth-form colleges: internal summer temperatures must not
exceed 28°C for more than 60 hours a year
UÊ for patient and clinical areas in healthcare buildings: internal summer temperatures must not
EC
exceed 28°C for more than 50 hours a year, as stated in Health Technical Memorandum (HTM)
03-01.
CIBSE Guide A, Table 1.7 lists acceptable internal operative temperatures for a number of different
building types.
For smaller and more basic buildings with less complex heating and cooling systems and controls:
UÊ an alternative and less complex means of analysis is acceptable, such as the use of ClassCool
in certain schools
SP
UÊ controls such as thermostatic radiator values to control heating around a building’s perimeter
or local occupant controls, such as fan coil units, are acceptable.
Examples of potentially compliant heating controls can be found in the Carbon Trust’s Guide
CTG002: Heating Control.23
UÊ contract specification clauses or a letter from the service engineer confirming that perfor-
mance standards are being met
UÊ thermal modelling results
UÊ confirmation from the design team of the ‘time out of range’ metric adopted.
UÊ a copy of the building’s thermal comfort strategy confirming the proposed performance
standards
93
Hea03: Thermal comfort (continued)
UÊ a contract specification clause confirming the required performance standards

UÊ design drawings confirming the location and types of controls, etc.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status, with the thermal modelling updated
to reflect any design changes.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: The thermal modelling will have to be

completed for a notional layout. If the tenant is to install any of the systems or controls, any of the
Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the
EN
required performance standards.
Hea04: Water quality

1 0
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the risk of water contamination in building services and
to provide fresh sources of water for building users.
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For any BREEAM rating to be awarded, the requirements relating to
SP
minimising the risk of contamination to water systems must be achieved.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded if all building services
water systems are specified and installed to minimise the risk of contamination by compliance with
the following:
UÊ the Health and Safety Executive’s Legionnaires’ Disease – The Control of Legionella Bacteria
in Water Systems: Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (2000)
UÊ CIBSE TM13: Minimising the Risk of Legionnaires Disease (2002)
UÊ other recognised industry standards – such as Health Technical Memorandum 04-1: The Con-
trol of Legionella, Hygiene, Safe Hot Water, Cold Water and Drinking Water Systems
UÊ where humidification is required, a failsafe system is specified that will shut down the entire
system if the unit that sterilises the water vapour fails.
94
Hea04: Water quality (continued)
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Additionally, clean, fresh drinking water needs to be provided

for the following building types:
UÊ In education buildings and community centres:
– chilled, mains-fed point-of-use water coolers must be provided for pupils, students, users
and staff throughout the day – one per 200 building users
– the water coolers must be sited in dining rooms, assembly halls, classrooms, common
rooms, wide corridors, indoor social areas, changing rooms, concourses, etc., attached
to both wall and floor to prevent vandalism and incorporate safety covers to protect the
water and electricity connections.
UÊ In permanently staffed buildings and office areas:
EN
– chilled, mains-fed point-of-use water coolers or point-of-use water coolers must be
provided
– the water coolers must be sited in each staff kitchenette or other suitable position on each
floor and in the staff canteen (if provided).
UÊ In sports, fitness and recreational areas or buildings:
– chilled, mains-fed point-of-use water coolers must be provided
– the water coolers must be sited in each changing room or on a public concourse, attached
IM
to both wall and floor to prevent vandalism and incorporate safety covers to protect the
water and electricity connections.
The following do not comply:
UÊ water fountains
UÊ un-chilled mains-fed taps in toilets and kitchens
EC
UÊ bottled water.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The architect must ensure that sufficient space
is allowed in areas where water coolers are required.

ings and contract specification clauses confirming that the required performance standards are
SP
met.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status
plus
UÊ a letter from the principal contractor confirming compliance with the requirements of this Issue
criterion.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If the tenant is to install any water-fed

building services or fresh drinking water facilities, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter
2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
95
Ene02: Energy monitoring

2
(however, the second credit is
0
not awarded in certain building types)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to facilitate the monitoring of operational energy use through the
installation of energy sub-meters.
EN
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For a BREEAM Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding rating the first
credit for sub-meters must be awarded.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded where a building
energy management system (BEMS) or separate sub-meters (with pulsed outputs) are specified to
IM
monitor the energy from, and the end energy use identified for, the following systems:
UÊ space heating
UÊ domestic hot water
UÊ humidification
UÊ cooling
EC
UÊ major ventilation fans

UÊ lighting
UÊ small power
UÊ other major energy-consuming items (e.g. plant used for swimming pools, kitchens, cold stor-
age, laboratories, lifts and escalators).
Combined sub-meters for lighting and small power meters can be provided if installed at each floor
level or for each department.
SP
A second credit can be awarded (for most building types) for providing an accessible BEMS or sub-
meters for each tenanted building or area or for each function area or department. An extensive list
of appropriate function areas for each building type is given in the online Technical Manual.1 The
second credit is not awarded for the following building types:
UÊ pre-schools and primary schools
UÊ courts
UÊ prison buildings
UÊ multi-residential buildings.
96
Ene02: Energy monitoring (continued)
UÊ For healthcare buildings, in line with Department of Health requirements, all systems must be
monitored using the BEMS or another type of automated control system (such as a remote
computer). Large-scale medical equipment systems do not need to be sub-metered.
UÊ Small office, industrial or retail units (less than 200 m2) can have a single sub-meter per unit.
UÊ Large office, industrial or retail units (more than 200 m2) must have sub-meters for each
relevant function area within each unit.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If separate energy sub-meters are installed to

monitor the operational energy use they should be located to allow easy access for regular moni-
EN
toring. Typically, this will be in the main plant room.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Design drawings show-

ing the locations of sub-meters and contract specification clauses detailing the requirements of this
criterion.

IM
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant is to install building

services and associated sub-meters, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section
EC
Ene03: External lighting

SP
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the specification of energy-efficient light fittings to
external areas.
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded for specifying external
lighting (including decorative and floodlighting) that:
97
Ene03: External lighting (continued)
UÊ achieves the required levels of efficiency

UÊ does not operate during daylight hours (using time switches or daylight sensors).
The efficiency levels that different types of external lighting fittings must achieve are as follows:
Location of fittings Where colour rendering index (Ra) Where colour rendering index (Ra) is
greater than or equal to 60 then less than 60 then luminous efficacy is …
luminous efficacy is …
Fittings on buildings and footpaths At least 50 lamp lumens/circuit watt At least 60 lamp lumens/circuit watt
Fittings in car parking areas, At least 70 lamp lumens/circuit watt At least 80 lamp lumens/circuit watt
associated roads and floodlighting
EN
Where lamp wattage is greater than Where lamp wattage is less than 25W
or equal to 25W
Signs and fittings up-lighting buildings At least 60 lamp lumens/circuit watt At least 50 lamp lumens/circuit watt
© BRE Global Ltd 2011
Plus, the external lighting must be prevented from working during daylight hours by using:
either
UÊ time switches
IM
or
UÊ daylight sensors.
The credit can be awarded where a building is designed to operate with no external light fittings.
EC
UÊ For prison buildings, lights used for security are excluded from the requirements of this Issue.
UÊ Self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings that meet the requirements of the Code
for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Issue Ene 6 qualify for this BREEAM credit.
SP
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Use of low-energy lighting (using LEDs) where

each fitting consumes less than 5W should automatically comply with the requirements of this
Issue, but the details should be confirmed with the BREEAM Assessor. The use of daylight sensors
which override manual switches is also acceptable.

UÊ Design drawings showing the types and locations of external light fittings.
UÊ Contract specification clauses confirming the required performance standards.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status, plus:
UÊ manufacturers’ literature confirming the efficiencies of installed systems.
98
Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies

5 1
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollution by using local
energy generation from low- or zero-carbon technologies to supply a significant proportion of a
building’s energy demand.
EN
PREREQUISITES: The feasibility study described below has to be undertaken during RIBA Design
Stage C (Concept).
MINIMUM STANDARDS: If either a BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding rating is to be achieved,

one credit must be awarded for this Issue.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded in two ways.
IM
Either an energy specialist produces a feasibility study during RIBA Design Stage C (Concept) to
establish the most appropriate low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technology for the building
and at least one of the recommended technologies is specified to be installed. The feasibility study
should include:
UÊ all on-site or near-site low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technologies appropriate for
EC
the site
UÊ the chosen low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technology(ies), with the reasons for reject-
ing others
UÊ annual energy-generation potential from low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technologies
UÊ life-cycle costs of specified low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technology, including pay-
back periods
UÊ local planning criteria, including land use and noise issues
SP
UÊ the feasibility of exporting heat or electricity from the system

UÊ the availability of grants and tariffs (e.g. Feed-In Tariffs or the Renewable Heat Incentive)
UÊ where appropriate, the potential for connecting to an existing local community combined heat
and power (CHP) network or for specifying an on-site CHP system from which heat or electric-
ity could be exported.
Or the credit can be awarded where the building occupant places a contract with an energy sup-
plier to provide electricity for the building from a fully accredited, off-site renewable energy source.
The contract has to run for at least three years from the date of the building occupation. Any pro-
posed contract must be checked with the BREEAM Assessor for compliance.
Up to three credits can be awarded, although these may not be ‘quick wins’, where the feasibility
study has been completed and a local low- or zero-carbon energy technology has been selected
which reduces CO2 emissions from energy regulated by the Building Regulations. Two (out of
a possible three) credits can be awarded for a 10 per cent reduction. All three credits can be
awarded for a 20 per cent reduction.
⁄
99
Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies (continued)
Up to four credits can be awarded where the feasibility study has been completed and a local
low- or zero-carbon energy technology has been selected for installation and a Life-Cycle Assess-
ment (in accordance with ISO 1404424 for a 60-year period covering any necessary replacements
or maintenance requirements within this period) of the carbon impact of this technology has been
carried out. The assessment must account for the chosen technology’s embodied carbon emissions
and operational carbon savings and emissions. Where the technology reduces the life-cycle CO2
emissions:
UÊ two (out of a possible four) credits can be awarded for undertaking the study only
UÊ three (out of a possible four) credits can be awarded for a 10 per cent reduction
UÊ all four credits can be awarded for a 20 per cent reduction.
EN
Calculations showing percentage reductions in CO2 emissions must be provided from approved
energy modelling software.
An additional credit can be awarded in relation to this Issue’s Free cooling criterion, regardless of
the percentage reduction in the building’s CO2 emissions from low- or zero-carbon energy tech-
nologies and the number of credits already awarded, where:
UÊ the first credit has been awarded in relation to Issue Hea03: Thermal comfort
and
IM
UÊ the design incorporates any of the following free-cooling strategies:
– night-time cooling used with high thermal mass
– ground coupled air cooling
– displacement ventilation
EC
– groundwater cooling
– surface water cooling
– evaporative cooling
– desiccant dehumidification
– absorption cooling using waste heat.
The service engineer can be the energy specialist if they have suitable experience in low- and zero-
carbon energy technologies, although Low Carbon Consultants and BREEAM APs may also have
SP
the necessary experience.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where the feasibility study has
been completed and:
either
UÊ a local low- or zero-carbon energy technology has been chosen which reduces CO2 emissions
from energy regulated by the Buildings Regulations by 30 per cent, qualifying for the award
of four credits
or
UÊ a local low- or zero-carbon energy technology has been chosen and a Life Cycle Assessment
(as described above) has been carried out which shows that the chosen technology reduces
the life-cycle CO2 emissions by 30 per cent, qualifying for the award of five credits.
100
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: With planning policies increasingly demand-

ing that CO2 emissions are reduced by 10 or 20 per cent, achieving some of these additional credits
is becoming easier, so long as the feasibility study is undertaken during RIBA Design Stage C.
Note that systems fuelled by first-generation biofuels (manufactured from sugars, starch, vegetable
oil, animal fats, etc.) are not recognised as renewable by BREEAM 2011. However, second-generation
biofuels (derived from lignocellulosic biomass feed stock using advance technical processes)
or biofuels manufactured from biodegradable waste material (biogas or locally and sustainably
sourced solid biofuels, such as woodchip and wood pellets) are recognised as renewable.
EN
Where self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings have been assessed using the Code
for Sustainable Homes (CSH), credits awarded for CSH Issue Ene 7 cannot be applied directly to a
BREEAM 2011 Assessment.

Either
UÊ A copy of the feasibility study
IM
UÊ Design drawings and/or contract specification clauses confirming details of the chosen low- or
zero-energy technology.
Or
UÊ The name of the energy supplier providing electricity from an off-site renewable energy
source
EC
plus
UÊ a copy of the contract or other documentation confirming that the supplier is fully accredited.
For the additional credits relating to the reduction of CO2 emissions, in addition to the above, the
following evidence must be provided:
UÊ a report, calculations from manufacturers or modelling software confirming the carbon sav-
ings, etc.
UÊ a copy of the life-cycle assessment study demonstrating percentage carbon savings over the
SP
lifetime of the low- or zero-carbon energy technology system.

For the free-cooling credit:
UÊ a report from the service engineer describing the free-cooling strategy
UÊ results from a dynamic simulation model demonstrating the feasibility of the free-cooling
strategy
UÊ the evidence required for the first credit in relation to Hea03: Thermal comfort.

first credit:
UÊ as for the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status.
For the additional credits relating to the reduction of CO2 emissions:
For the free-cooling credit:
101
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: For speculative buildings, the feasibility

study must be completed but, if the tenant is responsible for installing the chosen low- or zero-
carbon energy technology, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can
be used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
Ene06: Energy-efficient transportation systems
EN
2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the specification of energy-efficient transport
systems.
IM
PREREQUISITES: None

EC
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded if:

UÊ an analysis is undertaken of the transportation demand and usage patterns to determine the
optimum number and size of lifts, escalators and moving walkway systems
UÊ the energy consumption for each transportation type is estimated for one of the following:
– at least two types of systems
– an arrangement of systems
SP
– a system strategy which is ‘fit for purpose’.

and the one using the least energy in each transportation type is specified.
The second credit can be awarded if, in addition to achieving the above, and if lifts are being
installed, three of the following energy-efficiency options which offer the greatest energy savings
are specified:
UÊ the ability to operate in stand-by mode during off-peak periods (i.e. the power side of the lift
controller and auxiliary equipment – lift car lighting, ventilation fans – is switched off) but this
should not prevent the emergency lighting in a lift from working when required
UÊ the installation of variable-speed lift motors, variable-voltage and variable-frequency controls
UÊ the provision of a regenerative unit to return energy generated by the lift (due to running up
empty and down full) back to the grid or to use elsewhere on site
UÊ the use of energy-efficient lighting and display lighting consuming, on average, less than 55
lamp lumens/circuit watt and lighting which switches off when the lift is idle.
102
Ene06: Energy-efficient transportation systems (continued)
If escalators or moving walkway systems are being installed, they need to be fitted with:
either
UÊ a load-sensing device to synchronise motor output to passenger demand
or
UÊ a passenger-sensing device to operate in stand-by mode when there is no demand.
EN
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The parts of this Issue relating to lifts do not
apply to lifting platforms, wheelchair stairlifts or platforms or other facilities to aid people with
impaired mobility, installed with rated speeds of less than 0.15 m per second. This Issue is also not
assessed if the building contains no lifts, escalators or moving walkway systems.
UÊ a copy of the transport analysis report with calculations.
IM
UÊ the contract specification clauses confirming the required performance standard
and either
UÊ the manufacturer’s literature confirming performance standards
or
EC
UÊ a letter from the system manufacturer containing a commitment to achieve the required per-
formance standards.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: For

both credits, the same as for the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status,
plus
UÊ manufacturers’ literature confirming that the required performance standards for the second
SP
credit have been implemented in the installed system.
103
Wat02: Water monitoring

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to provide the facility to monitor, manage and reduce a building’s
water consumption.
PREREQUISITES: A water meter for the mains water supply must be provided for each building
in a development.
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS: To achieve a BREEAM Good, Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding rat-
ing a water meter for the mains water supply for each building on a site must be specified.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the mains water
supply to each building, and any supply to water-consuming plant or areas (such as swimming
pools and kitchens) consuming 10 per cent or more of a building’s water usage, is provided with a
water meter which:
IM
UÊ has a pulsed output capable of being connected to a BMS
UÊ is connected to any BMS that may already exist on a site where a new building or extension is
being constructed.
On sites with multiple buildings or units (such as shopping centres, retail parks, industrial or ware-
EC
house units and educational campuses) compliant water meters must be specified for:
UÊ each lettable unit
UÊ common areas, such as toilets
UÊ service and delivery areas
UÊ ancillary and separate buildings.

SP
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For buildings containing laboratories, separate compliant water

meters must be specified for:
UÊ any process
UÊ cooling loops for ‘plumbed-in’ laboratory process equipment.
For healthcare buildings or sites with multiple departments, compliant meters are typically pro-
vided for:
UÊ staff and public areas
UÊ clinical areas and wards
UÊ any areas sub-let to tenants
UÊ laundries
UÊ main kitchens
UÊ hydrotherapy pools
104
Wat02: Water monitoring (continued)
UÊ laboratories
UÊ the central sterile supply department and hospital sterilisation and disinfection unit, pathology,
pharmacy, mortuary and any other major water usage
UÊ supply from a cold water tank.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If a building contains no water-using equip-

ment, a compliant water meter should be provided to the mains water supply of any existing build-
ing or water-consuming facilities that the occupants might use.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies of the design
EN
drawings and contract specification clauses confirming the required performance standards.

IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant is responsible for

metering arrangements, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be
IM
used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
EC
Wat03: Leak detection and prevention

(Detecting a major leak criterion)
1 0
SP
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce the impact of water leaks that might otherwise go
undetected.
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where a leak detection
system is provided for major water leaks in the mains water supply, both within the building and
between the building and the site boundary. The system must be:
UÊ audible
UÊ activated by flow rates exceeding pre-set maximum levels for set periods of time
105
Wat03: Leak detection and prevention (Detecting a major leak criterion) (continued)
UÊ capable of identifying different flow and potential leakage rates

UÊ programmable to suit occupants’ water consumption criteria
UÊ designed to avoid false alarms caused by normal operation of large water-consuming plant
(such as chillers).
There is no requirement for the system to shut off the water supply when the alarm is activated.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: The criterion for this Issue does not apply to clinical areas in
healthcare buildings.
EN
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Where a water utilities meter is installed at the
site or building boundary it may be necessary to install an additional flow-rate meter immediately
after the utility meter, towards the building, to detect leaks. If the water utility company agrees to
some form of leak detection being installed on their meter, this option would be acceptable.

IM
UÊ Copies of design drawings confirming the provision of a leak detection system.
UÊ The manufacturer’s product details.

EC

SP
Wat03: Leak detection and prevention

(Flow control devices criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce the impact of water leaks that might otherwise go
undetected.
PREREQUISITES: None

⁄
106
Wat03: Leak detection and prevention (Flow control devices criterion) (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where flow control
devices are provided to the water supply in WC areas to ensure that water is only supplied when
required. These devices can be:
UÊ a time controller to switch the water supply off after use at a predetermined interval
UÊ a programmed time controller to switch the water supply off or on at pre-determined times
UÊ a volume controller to turn the water supply off once a pre-set maximum volume is reached
UÊ presence detectors and controls to turn the water supply off when no people are present
UÊ a central, computer-based unit providing a managed water control system utilising any of the
above devices.
The above requirements still apply to buildings with a single WC, although the water supply shut-
EN
off can be activated by the same switch that controls the lighting.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: The requirement of this criterion does not apply to residential
en-suite facilities within multi-residential buildings, but it does apply to buildings with guest bed-
rooms, such as hotels.
IM
Note that the criterion for this BREEAM Issue does not apply to clinical areas in healthcare
buildings.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: A single control system may be fitted cover-

ing both male and female toilets within a single core.
EC
If there is no water supply to a building then the criterion will be used to assess the facilities which
the building occupants will use.

UÊ Copies of design drawings confirming the provision of a leak-detection system.
SP

IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant is responsible for the
installation of sanitary ware, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can
107
Mat04: Insulation
2 0
The requirements of this Issue are described earlier in this chapter. However, since the performance
standards also apply to any insulation used within the building services it is important for the service
engineer to be aware of the specification requirements to gain the credit.
EN
Pol02: NO x emissions
3 2 0
or
(for industrial buildings)
IM
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce pollution of the local environment by specifying heating
EC
and cooling systems that minimise nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions.
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: In offices, retail buildings, courts and other buildings
SP
where the dry NOx emissions from plant specified for space heating and cooling systems are as
described below, the following credits can be awarded:
UÊ equal to or less than 100 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): one credit
UÊ equal to or less than 70 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): two credits
UÊ equal to or less than 40 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): three credits.
In education, healthcare, multi-residential and prison buildings, where the dry NOx emissions from
space heating and cooling system are as described below, the following credits can be awarded:
UÊ equal to or less than 100 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): one credit
UÊ equal to or less than 70 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): two credits
UÊ equal to or less than 40 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2) plus the NOx emissions from the
water heating equal to or less than 100 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2): three credits.
108
Pol02: NO x emissions (continued)
For industrial buildings where dry NOx emissions from space heating and cooling system are as
described below, the credits are awarded separately as follows:
UÊ equal to or less than 70 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2) in office and associated areas: one
credit
UÊ equal to or less than 70 mg/kWh (at 0 per cent excess O2) in operational areas: one credit.
Typical concerns that are encountered in assessing this Issue, which might affect the award of cred-
its, include the following:
UÊ Manufacturers’ NOx emission data may be supplied at levels of excess oxygen greater than
zero or in different units (e.g. mg/m3, mg/MJ or ppm). Ask the manufacturer to convert their
data into the correct format, otherwise the BREEAM Assessor will convert it using factors
EN
included in the online Technical Manual,1 which assume worst-case efficiencies.
UÊ Heat pumps powered by grid electricity indirectly produce higher levels of NOx emissions than
stated in the criteria. The BREEAM Assessor will have to carry out a separate calculation for
these heat pumps.
UÊ Any electricity from zero-emission renewable sources used by heating and cooling systems will
be rated as having zero NOx emissions.
UÊ Heat recovery is assumed to have zero NOx emissions.
IM
UÊ Biomass heating, although reducing the use of fossil fuel, can produce significant NOx emis-
sions which may not meet the criteria.
UÊ District heating systems using waste incineration usually have NOx emissions that do not meet
the criteria.
UÊ Point-of-use grid electric water heaters may be exempt from the calculation if the service
EC
engineer can show that their energy demand is less than 10 per cent of the total demand for
space and water heating.
UÊ Where more than one source is used for heating or cooling, an average NOx emission value
will be calculated by the BREEAM Assessor.

SP
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: In addition to the variations outlined above, if there are no

offices within an industrial unit or there is no heating or cooling within the operational areas, the
criterion is not assessed.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: While the calculations for the evidence can be
complex, if the service engineer specifies the correct type of heating or cooling plant, credits can
be achieved relatively easily.
In highly insulated buildings, where the heating load is less than or equal to 7 per cent of the heat-
ing load of a Building Regulations compliant building of the same size and shape, one credit can
be awarded regardless of the NOx emissions. Calculations of the percentage heat demand must be
based on approved energy software.
The use of Green Electricity Tariffs does not provide adequate evidence of low NOx emissions.
109
Pol02: NO x emissions (continued)

UÊ Calculations confirming the NOx emissions.

IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant is responsible for speci-
fying the heating or cooling system, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section
EN
Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution

1 0
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce unnecessary light pollution, energy consumption and
nuisance to neighbours by concentrating external lighting in appropriate areas and minimising
upward lighting.
PREREQUISITES: None
SP

UÊ external lighting is designed to comply with Table 1 (and its accompanying notes) in the Insti-
tution of Lighting Engineers’ GN01: Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light
(2005)
UÊ all external lighting (including floodlighting, but with the exception of safety and security
lighting) is specified to switch off automatically between 11.00pm and 07.00am using timed
switches
UÊ safety and security lighting is specified to comply with the lower illuminance levels in Table 1
of the ILE’s GN01 by using automatic switches, allowing it to be used between 11.00pm and
07.00am
UÊ illuminated signs comply with ILE Technical Report 5: Brightness of Illuminated Advertise-
ments (1991).
110
Pol04: Reduction of night time light pollution (continued)
If external lighting is essential for 24-hour operation, it should switch automatically to the lower
illuminance levels recommended in the ILE Guidance for lighting between 11.00pm and 07.00am.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Buildings in Scotland must also comply with the light pollution
criteria detailed in the checklists in Annexes B and C of the Scottish Executive Guidance Note:
Controlling Light Pollution and Reducing Lighting Energy Consumption.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If there is no external lighting on or around
EN
the building, this credit can be awarded by default.
Flush stud lights used for safety reasons in vehicle manoeuvring areas may be excluded from the
assessment of this Issue.

UÊ Design drawings indicating the design of the external lighting.
UÊ Contract specification clauses confirming required performance standards.
IM
UÊ Examples provided by the service engineer or lighting designer indicating where and how the
proposed lighting strategy complies with the required standards.

the design stages, updated to show the as-constructed status.
EC

SP
111
3.5 Issues for which the structural engineer

Pol03: Surface water run-off

(Minimising watercourse pollution criterion)
1 0
EN
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the risk of watercourse pollution by avoiding, reducing
and delaying the discharge of rainfall to watercourses.
PREREQUISITES: The appointment of an appropriate consultant (usually the structural engineer)

to confirm that there will be no discharge from the developed site for rainfall depths up to 5 mm.
IM

UÊ sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) or permeable surfaces or infiltration trenches are speci-
fied for areas of low pollution risk
EC
UÊ oil and petrol separators, etc. are specified for areas of high contamination or spillage risk
UÊ all water pollution prevention systems are in accordance with the Environment Agency’s Pollu-
tion Prevention Guideline 325 and CIRIA’s SUDS Manual: C697 (2007)
UÊ on sites that have chemical or liquid gas storage, shut-off values are fitted to the drainage
system to prevent chemicals escaping off site
UÊ all external storage and delivery areas are designed to comply with the Environment Agency’s
Pollution Prevention Pays guidance26
SP
UÊ a comprehensive Drainage Plan is issued to the building’s occupant.

Areas that present a risk of pollution to watercourses include:
UÊ vehicle manoeuvring areas
UÊ car parks
UÊ waste disposal facilities
UÊ delivery and storage facilities
UÊ plant areas – including those on roofs where there is a risk of oil or petrol leakage.

⁄
112
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Minimising watercourse pollution criterion) (continued)
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The use of green roofs is deemed to comply

with the requirement for no surface water discharge off-site for rainfall depths up to 5 mm.
If it can be demonstrated that an area of permeable paving is able to retain silts and degrade oils,
this will meet the performance standard for minimising watercourse pollution for car parks and
access roads.

UÊ The consultant’s report detailing the design specification, calculations and drawings confirm-
ing the 5 mm rainfall discharge criterion.
UÊ Design drawings showing high- and low-risk areas on the site and contract specification clauses
EN
confirming the required performance standards for SuDS, source control systems, oil and pet-
rol separators and shut-off valves, etc.
Plus a letter from the structural engineer:
UÊ confirming that water pollution prevention systems are designed meet the criteria in the Envi-
ronment Agency’s Pollution Prevention Guide: PPG3 and CIRIA’s SUDS Manual
UÊ indicating examples of compliance with PPG3 and CIRIA’s SUDS Manual
UÊ confirming that a Drainage Plan will be produced and handed over to the building’s
occupant
IM
UÊ confirming that the design of all external storage and delivery areas complies with the require-
ments of the relevant PPG
UÊ indicating examples of compliance with the PPG.
EC

design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status.

SP
113
3.6 Tender specifications to ensure that the principal

contractor operates in an environmentally friendly way
Table 3.3 shows that around 11 per cent of a total possible BREEAM score can be achieved by
maximising the credits available in relation to environmentally friendly construction activities. The
design team must ensure that the following Issues’ performance standards are included in the con-
tract requirements at the tender stage so that contractors are fully aware of their requirements and
can make appropriate cost provisions.
TABLE 3.3: Issues relating to contractors constructing in an environmentally friendly manner
EN
buildings buildings
Ed
uca
Mu
tio
lti-
nal
Ed
res
uca
(hig
IM
dei
Ot
Ot
tio
her
ntia
her
her
nal
He
ed
l bu
bu
bu
Ind
(sc
uca
alth
Pri
Offi
Co
ildi
ildi
ildi
ho
ust
Re
son
tio
car
urt
ng
ng
ng
ols
ces
tail
rial
n)
s
)
Management Category
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Construction and handover criterion) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

EC
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Aftercare criterion) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Man02: Responsible construction practices 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Man03: Construction site impacts 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Total credits available in Management Category 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
SP
Health and Wellbeing Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Energy Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Transport Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Water Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Materials Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Wst01: Construction waste management (Construction resource efficiency criterion) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Wst01: Construction waste management (Diversion of resources from landfill criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total credits available in Waste Category 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
Land Use and Ecology Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Pollution Category No Issues relate to environmental construction activities
Overall % value of environmental construction activities towards overall BREEAM score 10.29 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00
114
Man01: Sustainable procurement

(Construction and handover criterion)
2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver a functional and sustainable building by ensuring that its
performance is tested prior to practical completion.
The first part of this criterion is described above in section 3.3 dealing with the service engineer’s
EN
responsibilities: it is repeated here to cover the principal contractor’s responsibilities.
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
IM
the two for this criterion.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the principal con-
tractor is required to commission and programme a thermographic survey of the completed build-
EC
ing fabric enclosing all heated and/or air conditioned areas of the building. The survey must:
UÊ be undertaken by the holder of a Level 2 Certificate in thermography27
UÊ identify the continuity of the insulation
UÊ highlight any excessive thermal bridges within and air leakage paths through the fabric
and must
UÊ meet the requirements of BS EN 13187 and CIBSE TM23
and
SP
UÊ carry the requirement for the contractor to rectify any faults found.
Another credit can be awarded where the principal contractor undertakes the following:
UÊ Appoints a specialist commissioning manager to monitor and programme the pre-
commissioning and commissioning of the building services on behalf of the client.
UÊ Ensures that building services are commissioned to the current Building Regulations, BSRIA
and CIBSE commissioning guidelines.
UÊ Ensures that the commissioning of any Building Management System (BMS) includes the fol-
lowing checks:
– commissioning of air and water systems are carried out when all controls are installed and
functional
– measurements of key parameters (e.g. room temperatures) are included
– satisfactory internal conditions are achieved when the BMS and controls are running in
automatic mode
115
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Construction and handover criterion) (continued)
– BMS schematics, graphics and user interfaces are fully installed and functional
– the building occupier is trained to operate the BMS.
UÊ Prepares a programme to account for appropriate commissioning periods.
The specialist commissioning manager can work for the subcontractor who is installing the services,
etc. but they must not be personally involved in installing the works.
EN
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If the building is naturally ventilated using
cross-ventilation from windows and/or trickle vents, a specialist commissioning manager may not
need to be appointed.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For the credit relating
to the thermographic survey:
UÊ contract specification clauses or a letter of appointment requiring the thermographic survey
to be carried out
IM
UÊ the construction programme showing the thermographic survey.
For the credit relating to commissioning:
UÊ a letter of appointment confirming commissioning responsibilities, if the specialist commis-
sioning manager is appointed by the client
EC
UÊ contract specification clauses confirming the appointment and responsibilities of the commis-
sioning manager
UÊ a copy of the principal contractor’s programme showing the commissioning period
UÊ a copy of the commissioning schedule.

credit relating to the thermographic survey:
SP
UÊ a copy of the thermographic survey

UÊ a copy of the Level 2 thermography certificate from the surveyor
UÊ written confirmation from the principal contractor that defects have been rectified.
For the credit relating to commissioning:
UÊ a copy of the commissioning records and reports
UÊ a copy of the principal contractor’s programme showing the commissioning period
UÊ a copy of the commissioning schedule.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: None for the thermographic survey. If the
shell spaces contain heating, ventilations, air-conditioning, domestic hot water and/or lighting, the
commissioning part of this criterion can be assessed. If none of these systems is installed as part of
the shell works, any of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to
assess compliance with the required performance standards.
116
Man01: Sustainable procurement (Aftercare criterion)

2 1
The aim of this Issue criterion is to deliver a functional and sustainable building by setting up com-
missioning and aftercare systems that offer greater support.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
UÊ For BREEAM Outstanding rating – two credits from any of the criteria in this Issue including
this one.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded for air-conditioned
IM
and ventilated buildings where a specialist commissioning manager is appointed to undertake
seasonal commissioning, including the following:
UÊ Testing all building services under full load conditions (e.g. heating systems in mid-winter and
cooling and ventilation systems in mid-summer).
UÊ Testing all building services under part-load conditions in spring and autumn.
EC
UÊ Testing in periods of high or low occupancy, if appropriate.

UÊ Interviewing building occupants to identify problems with and concerns about the effective-
ness of systems.
UÊ Re-commissioning systems, if necessary, and incorporating any revisions in operating proce-
dures in the Operations and Maintenance Manuals.
UÊ Checking specialist systems installed (e.g. fume cupboards, cold storage systems).
Or, in naturally ventilated buildings, the specialist commissioning manager undertakes the
SP
following:
UÊ Reviews of thermal comfort, ventilation and lighting at three, six and nine months after occu-
pation by measurement or occupant feedback.
UÊ Re-commissioning of systems following review and incorporating revisions into the Operations
and Maintenance Manuals.
Two credits can be awarded where either of the above seasonal commissioning procedures is
undertaken, depending on the building being assessed and, in addition to the above occupant
comfort feedback requirement, the contractor establishes a mechanism or installs equipment to:
UÊ collect energy- and water-consumption data for 12 months after occupation
UÊ compare collected data with projected usage
UÊ analyse discrepancies and adjust systems if they fail to operate as expected.
Plus, in relation to both air-conditioned and ventilated buildings and naturally ventilated buildings,
the contractor demonstrates commitment to providing aftercare support for the building occupier
by:
117
UÊ arranging a meeting with the building occupier shortly after completion to introduce the con-
tractor’s aftercare team, hand over the Building User Guide (if one is in place) and present key
information about how the building operates
UÊ providing initial aftercare by weekly site visits in the first month following completion
UÊ providing on-site training for the occupier’s facility management team
UÊ providing longer term aftercare, through a helpline or nominated individual.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where, during the first three
years of occupation, the facility manager or equivalent is contracted to undertake the following at
quarterly intervals:
EN
UÊ collect data on occupant satisfaction, energy and water consumption
UÊ use data to check that the building is performing as expected and, if not, make the necessary
adjustments
UÊ set targets for reducing energy and water consumption and monitor progress towards achiev-
ing them
UÊ feed back any lessons learned to the client and design team for future use
UÊ provide annual data on occupant satisfaction, energy and water consumption to BRE Global
for publication.
IM
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The BSRIA Soft Landings Framework21 require-

EC
ments provide a framework for achieving the performance standards of this Issue criterion.
UÊ a copy of the commissioning manager’s appointment letter confirming they have been
appointed to undertake seasonal commissioning
and/or
UÊ the commissioning responsibilities schedule.
SP
For the second credit, in addition to the above, a copy of a written commitment or contract to put
in place:
UÊ a mechanism to collect, compare and analyse relevant data
UÊ provisions to undertake the necessary adjustments to services
UÊ any aftercare support and training necessary.

first credit:
UÊ a copy of the seasonal commissioning records and reports
and/or
UÊ the specialist commissioning manager’s letter of appointment and the commissioning respon-
sibility schedule.
For the second credit, as for the design stage and, in addition to the above:
UÊ written evidence that the relevant mechanisms and procedures are in place or that there is a
commitment to provide them.
⁄
118
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: The performance standards of this Issue

criterion can be achieved if the above requirements are included in the fit-out works and credits
awarded as described in Chapter 2, using:
either
or
EN
Man02: Responsible construction practices
2 1
IM
The aim of this Issue criterion is to promote the environmentally and socially considerate, respon-
sible and accountable management of construction sites.
EC
PREREQUISITES: The principal contractor must use a compliant considerate construction scheme
to formally assess the construction site. One such scheme is the Considerate Constructors Scheme
operated by the Construction Confederation.28
MINIMUM STANDARDS: To achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, one credit must be awarded.
For a BREEAM Outstanding rating, two credits must be awarded.
SP
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the principal con-
tractor meets the criteria of a compliant scheme. For the Considerate Constructors Scheme, this
means achieving a score of between 24 and 31.5.
The second credit can be awarded where the principal contractor significantly exceeds compliance
with the criteria of a relevant scheme. For the Considerate Constructors Scheme, this means achiev-
ing a score of between 32 and 35.5.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where the principal contractor
achieves an exemplary level of practice in terms of the criteria of a compliant scheme. For the Con-
siderate Constructors Scheme, this means achieving a score of 36 or more.
119
Man02: Responsible construction practices (continued)
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Nearly all principal contractors are now

assessed under the Considerate Constructors Scheme, so compliance with the Scheme should
be entered into the requirements in the tender documents. Achieving two credits should be the
normal default position for any contractor.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For both credits:

either
UÊ contract specification clauses confirming the requirement to use a compliant Scheme and the
score required
or
EN
UÊ written confirmation from the client that the principal contractor is obliged to comply with the
requirements of this BREEAM Issue.

both credits, a copy of the Scheme certificate and/or compliance report confirming the score for
the site. IM
EC
Man03: Construction site impacts

5 0
SP
The aim of this Issue criterion is to ensure that construction sites are managed in an environmentally
sound way.
PREREQUISITES: The principal contractor must name the individual within their organisation
responsible for achieving the performance standards in relation to data on energy, water and trans-
port energy consumption.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Up to five credits can be awarded as follows:

UÊ One credit for monitoring, recording and reporting energy consumption data from construc-
tion plant, equipment and site accommodation as energy used (kW) by fuel type or CO2 emis-
sions (total kg/tonnesCO2equiv and tonnesCO2equiv per £100 of project value).
120
Man03: Construction site impacts (continued)
UÊ One credit for monitoring, recording and reporting water consumption data (m3) from con-
struction plant, equipment and site accommodation and reporting on net water consumption
if any recycled water is used on site.
UÊ One credit for monitoring, recording and reporting separately energy consumption data from
transport used in delivering the majority of construction materials in the major building ele-
ments, groundworks and landscaping (from production gate to site gate) and the removal
of construction waste (from site gate to waste disposal or recovery centre gate) as fuel con-
sumption by type (litres) or CO2 emissions (total kg/tonnesCO2equiv) plus distances travelled in
kilometres.
UÊ One credit for ensuring that all site timber is sourced in accordance with the UK Government’s
EN
Timber Procurement Policy.29 Site timber is timber used to facilitate the construction process
(e.g. formwork and site hoardings).
UÊ One credit if the principal contractor operates a certified environmental management system,
to BS EN ISO 1400130 or BS855531 (and reaches stage four of the implementation stage –
Implementation and Operation of Environmental Management system). The principal contrac-
tor must also implement a best practice pollution prevention policy as described in ‘Section
2.25 – Preventing Pollution’ of the Environment Agency’s Building a Better Environment: A
IM
Guide for Developers Environmental Checklist.32
While BREEAM does not require specific benchmarks or targets to be achieved in relation to
this Issue, it is recommended that site-specific targets are established and used as the basis for
reports.
EC
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Where self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings

have been assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), credits awarded for CSH Issue
Man 3 cannot be applied directly to a BREEAM 2011 Assessment.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: As there are no accepted protocols for the

SP
collection of data and reporting on energy and water consumption on construction sites, BREEAM
requires confirmation of the method used. The Strategic Forum has produced a number of reports33
offering guidance.

Either
UÊ contract specification clauses requiring the above performance standards to be achieved
or
UÊ a written commitment from the principal contractor to achieving the required performance
standards.

UÊ The name of the individual responsible for monitoring, recording and reporting on data.
UÊ A summary of the monitoring and data-gathering mechanism used to collect data.
121
Man03: Construction site impacts (continued)
UÊ Collected data for:

– the total site energy consumption by fuel type or CO2 emissions
– total site net water consumption
– fuel consumption for both the delivery of materials and removal of waste by fuel type or
CO2 emission, plus distances travelled.
UÊ A list of the certified and non-certified timber used on site, as required by Mat03: Responsible
sourcing of materials.
UÊ A copy of the principal contractor’s ISO 14001 Certificate or evidence of status under
BS8555.
UÊ A completed copy of Section 2.2.5 of the Environment Agency’s Environmental Checklist,
EN
signed by the principal contractor to confirm the site’s compliance.
Wst01: Construction waste management

IM
4 1
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to improve resource efficiency by effectively managing and reduc-
ing construction-related waste.
PREREQUISITES: A compliant Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) must be in place. Since April
SP
2008, all construction projects in England over a value of £300,000 require an SWMP by law.
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For a BREEAM Outstanding rating, one credit must be awarded.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Three credits can be awarded in relation to the Con-
struction resource efficiency criterion where the principal contractor meets the following bench-
marks in relation to non-hazardous construction waste (excluding demolition and excavation waste)
generated by the development:
UÊ One credit if the waste is equal to or less than 13.3 m3 (11.1 tonnes) per 100 m2 gross internal
floor area.
UÊ Two credits if it is equal to or less than 7.5 m3 (6.5 tonnes) per 100 m2 gross internal floor
area.
UÊ Three credits if it is equal to or less than 3.4 m3 (3.2 tonnes) per 100 m2 gross internal floor
area.
122
Wst01: Construction waste management (continued)
If an existing building is to be demolished, a pre-demolition audit, which is referenced in the SWMP,

must be carried out to:
UÊ identify key refurbishment or demolition materials
UÊ identify potential materials for reuse and recycling.
A further credit can be awarded in relation to the Diversion of resources from landfill criterion
where the following percentages of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste (if appli-
cable) are diverted from landfill:
UÊ 80 per cent by weight, or 70 per cent by volume, of non-demolition waste
UÊ 90 per cent by weight, or 80 per cent by volume, of demolition waste.
This waste must be sorted into key waste groups, either on or off site, by a licensed recovery con-
EN
tractor. ‘Diverted from landfill’ includes:
UÊ reusing on site in situ or for new applications
UÊ reusing on other sites
UÊ salvaging or reclaiming for reuse
UÊ returning to the supplier via a ‘take-back’ scheme
UÊ recovering by an approved waste management contractor and recycling
UÊ being sent for energy recovery.
IM
A list of what BREEAM considers ‘key waste groups’ is given in Table 10-1 in the online Technical
Manual.1
A compliant SWMP includes:

UÊ a target benchmark in relation to non-hazardous construction waste
EC
UÊ procedures for minimising non-hazardous construction waste in relation to this benchmark

UÊ procedures for minimising hazardous waste
UÊ procedures for monitoring, measuring and reporting hazardous and non-hazardous site waste
UÊ procedures for sorting, reusing and recycling defined construction waste groups
UÊ the name and job title of the individual on site responsible for implementing the SWMP.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded if the following exemplary
SP
levels are achieved:

UÊ Non-hazardous construction waste is equal to or less than 1.6 m3 (1.9 tonnes) per 100 m2 gross
internal floor area.
UÊ 90 per cent by weight, or 85 per cent by volume of non-hazardous non-demolition waste is
diverted from landfill.
UÊ 95 per cent by weight, or 85 per cent by volume of non-hazardous demolition waste is diverted
from landfill.
UÊ All key waste groups are identified for diversion from landfill in the pre-construction stage
SWMP.

⁄
123
Wst01: Construction waste management (continued)
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The SWMP should be started initially as part

of the design process, then passed on to the principal contractor for development and imple-
mentation. This process will help to identify how waste can be reduced by making changes in the
design and specification of products and materials. This is often the responsibility of the structural
engineer, but sometimes the architect is responsible for the process up to the start of works on site.
For further guidance on how to reduce construction waste, visit the Waste and Resources Action
Programme (WRAP) Construction and the Construction Resources and Waste Platform websites.34
The benchmarks listed above are derived from data collected through BRE’s SMARTWaste scheme.
BRE has indicated that the level of waste generated by projects using this scheme in terms of
potential credits equates to:
EN
UÊ one credit = top 50 per cent
UÊ two credits = top 25 per cent
UÊ three credits = top 10 per cent
UÊ an Innovation credit = top 5 per cent.
Registering the site with BRE’s SMARTWaste35 scheme will provide the principal contractor with the
relevant tools to monitor and target resource efficiency on site in a structured way.
IM
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: At least one of the fol-
lowing is required:
UÊ a copy of the SWMP
UÊ the contract specification clauses confirming requirements
UÊ a letter from the principal contractor confirming how the requirements of this Issue will be
EC
achieved.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: A copy

of the SWMP summary datasheets or equivalent monitoring reports and records confirming that the
required performance standards were achieved during the construction period.

SP
3.7 Benefits of appointing specialist consultants
As described in Chapter 2, it can be advantageous to appoint a number of specialist consultants,

who can provide evidence of compliance with the performance standards of a range of Issues. The
design team must know when the appointment of a specialist consultant is a prerequisite for the
award of a credit so that they can advise the client.
Table 2.4 shows which specialist consultants the client might need to appoint and when they should
be appointed. If all of these specialist consultants are appointed, approximately 17 per cent of a
BREEAM Assessment’s final score (Table 3.4) can be contributed from the Issues described below.
124
TABLE 3.4: Impact of appointing specialist consultants
buildings buildings
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ide
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her
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He
ed
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uca
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)
Management Category Possible credits from appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional and a specialist commissioning manager
Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Project brief and design criterion) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
EN
Man01: Sustainable procurement (part of Construction and handover criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Health and Wellbeing Category Possible credits from appointing an acoustic consultant
Energy Category No Issues in this category relate to specialists
Transport Category

IM 3
Possible credits from appointing a highway engineer
5 3 3 5 5 2 5 3 5
Tra05: Travel plan 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Water Category No Issues in this category relate to specialists

EC
Materials Category No Issues in this category relate to specialists
Waste Category No Issues in this category relate to specialists
Land Use and Ecology Category Possible credits from appointing an ecologist
LE03: Mitigating ecological impact 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

SP
Pollution Category Possible credits from appointing an acoustic consultant
Pol05: Noise attenuation 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Overall % value of client appointing specialist consultants towards overall BREEAM score 16.65 18.28 16.71 18.17 17.08 17.42 19.09 18.43 18.26 17.19
125
3.8 Appointing an ecologist
Of the five Issues in the Land use and ecology category, four can involve the appointment of a suit-
ably qualified ecologist. These four Issues alone are responsible for around 8 per cent of a BREEAM
score. A ‘suitably qualified ecologist’ is someone with:
UÊ a degree or equivalent qualification in ecology or a related subject (e.g. biological sci-

ences, zoology, botany, countryside management, environmental sciences, marine and
freshwater management, earth sciences, agriculture, forestry, geography or landscape
management)
UÊ a minimum of three years’ relevant and practical experience, gained within the past five
years, of the factors affecting a site’s ecology
UÊ membership of a professional association, such as:
EN
– the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
– the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
– the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment
– the Landscape Institute.
Details of an ecologist’s qualifications and experience must be provided to the BREEAM Assessor
in order to verify their suitability. The Issues for which ecologists can provide suitable evidence for
the award of credits are listed below.
IM
EC
LE02: Ecological value of site and

protection of ecological features
1 0
SP
The requirements for awarding the credit for this Issue are described earlier in this chapter, in sec-
tion 3.1 Measuring a site’s impact on an Assessment. While appointing an ecologist is not a prereq-
uisite for the award of the credit, it could greatly ease the task of providing the evidence required
to show that a site is of low ecological value. An ecologist is far better placed to apply professional
judgement to determine a site’s ecological value, and whether certain features have an ecological
value, than a layman using the simple BREEAM checklist.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Where self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings

have been assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) and the requirements of CSH
Issues Eco 1 and Eco 3 are met, this credit can be awarded.
126
LE03: Mitigating ecological impact

2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the impact of a development on a site’s existing
ecology.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For a BREEAM Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding rating, one credit
must be awarded.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the change in
a site’s ecological value, as measured in plant species richness, is less than zero but equal to or
greater than minus nine. This is determined in one of two ways.
Either provide the following information for the BREEAM Assessor to insert into the LE03/LE04
calculator:
IM
UÊ the broad habitat types existing on the site and those proposed – this can be done using
Tables 11-2 and 11-3 in the online Technical Manual1
UÊ details of the areas of existing and proposed broad habitat types.
Or, if appointed by the client, a suitably qualified ecologist provides the information for the LE03/
EC
LE04 calculator by:

UÊ undertaking an ecological survey of the site to determine the existing broad habitat types,
average plant species richness and areas
UÊ confirming the broad habitat types proposed in the development, average plant species rich-
ness and areas.
Two credits can be awarded where the change in a site’s ecological value, as measured in plant
species richness, is equal to or greater than zero, as determined above.
SP
The ecological value of a site is the sum of the average plant species richness for each habitat type,
multiplied by its area, divided by the total area of the site.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Where self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings are

assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), credits awarded for CSH Issue Eco 4 cannot
be applied directly to a BREEAM 2011 Assessment.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: It is important to note that derelict sites are

not devoid of ecological habitats. Once a site has been derelict for more than five years, BREEAM
presumes that flora and fauna will start to colonise it. So do not assume that a derelict site is devoid
of ecological habitats: you must check.
If the client appoints an ecologist, assessing this BREEAM Issue can be much easier.
⁄
127
LE03: Mitigating ecological impact (continued)
A living roof can mitigate the ecological impact of a development, but an ecologist will have to be
appointed to confirm its impact.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Design drawings (site

plan, survey, etc.) must be provided showing existing and proposed habitat types and:
either
UÊ a completed LE03/LE04 calculation from the BREEAM Assessor
or
UÊ an ecologist’s report covering the issues in Appendix F in the online Technical Manual.1
EN
the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status of the site and in large mixed-use
developments, where the planting of the site being assessed has not yet been completed, confir-
mation that any planting will be completed within 18 months by:
either
UÊ contract specification clauses
or
IM
UÊ a letter from the client or principal contractor.

EC
LE04: Enhancing site ecology

3 2 0
SP
or
(for prison buildings)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to maintain and enhance the ecological value of sites.
PREREQUISITES: A suitably qualified ecologist must be appointed during RIBA Preparation Stage
B (Brief).
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Except for prison buildings, one credit can be
awarded where an ecologist is appointed and they:
128
LE04: Enhancing site ecology (continued)
UÊ undertake a site ecological survey prior to initial site works during RIBA Preparation Stage B
(Brief)
UÊ produce an Ecology Report, based on the survey, making recommendations for the protection
and enhancement of the site’s ecology.
Plus
UÊ confirmation is supplied that the ecologist’s recommendations will be implemented.
Two credits can be awarded where, in addition to the above:
UÊ the ecologist confirms that the Ecology Report recommendations increase the site’s ecological
value by up to (but not including) six plant species
UÊ the increase in plant species is determined using the LE03/LE04 calculator using actual plant
EN
species reported by the ecologist.
Three credits can be awarded where:
UÊ the ecologist confirms that the Ecology Report recommendations increase the site’s ecological
value by six plant species or more
UÊ the increase in plant species is determined using the LE03/LE04 calculator using actual plant
species reported by the ecologist.
A site’s ecology can be protected and enhanced by the incorporation of design solutions such as:
IM
UÊ planting native species to attract and benefit local wildlife – see the Natural History Museum’s
online postcode plant database36
UÊ adopting horticultural good practice (e.g. reduced use of pesticides)
UÊ installing bird, bat and/or insect boxes
UÊ developing a full Biodiversity Management Plan with recommendations on when clearance
EC
works should occur, to avoid breeding seasons, etc.

UÊ the integration of sustainable drainage schemes, green roofs, community orchards, etc.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For prison buildings, two credits can be awarded where a suit-
ably qualified ecologist:
SP
UÊ undertakes a site ecological survey prior to initial site works

UÊ produces an Ecology Report, based on the survey, making recommendations for the protec-
tion and enhancement of the site’s ecology.
Plus
UÊ confirmation is supplied that the ecologist’s recommendations will be implemented.
Where self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings are assessed using the Code for
Sustainable Homes (CSH), credits awarded for CSH Issue Eco 4 cannot be applied directly to a
BREEAM 2011 Assessment.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: It is important to advise the client that a suit-

ably qualified ecologist must be appointed during RIBA Preparation Stage B (Brief) for any credits
to be awarded in relation to this Issue.
129
LE04: Enhancing site ecology (continued)
Guidance on the range of possible design solutions to improve a site’s ecology is given in Dr Carol
Williams’ Biodiversity for Low and Zero Carbon Buildings: A Technical Guide for New Build.37 This
includes advice on living roofs, providing habitats for birds and bats and planting for wildlife.

UÊ The Ecology Report covering the issues in Appendix F of the online Technical Manual.1
UÊ Design drawings, including site plans, surveys, etc.
UÊ Written confirmation from the client or design team confirming how the ecologist’s recom-
mendations will be implemented.
EN
the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status of the site and, in large mixed-use
developments, where the planting of the site has not yet been completed, confirmation that any
planting will be completed within 18 months by:
either
UÊ contract specification clauses
or
IM
UÊ a letter from the client or principal contractor.

EC
LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity

2 3 0
SP
or
(for prison buildings)
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the long-term impact of the development on the site
and its surrounding area.
PREREQUISITES: A suitably qualified ecologist must be appointed.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded to all building types,
except prison buildings, if a suitably qualified ecologist is appointed and they:
UÊ confirm that all relevant UK and EU legislation relating to the protection and enhancement of
a site’s ecology will be a contract requirement
⁄
130
LE05: Long-term impact on biodiversity (continued)
UÊ produce a Landscape and Habitat Management Plan for the first five years after completion,
to be handed over to the building occupants, which includes:
– management of protected ecological features on site
– details of any new, existing or enhanced habitats
– references to local Biodiversity Action Plans.
Plus two of the following additional recommendations must be part of the contract requirements.
Four of these recommendations require the principal contractor to:
UÊ appoint a Biodiversity Champion to ensure that site activities do not impact detrimentally on
site biodiversity
UÊ train the site workforce on protecting the site’s ecology during construction
EN
UÊ record actions taken to protect site biodiversity and monitor the effectiveness of these
actions
UÊ programme site preparation, ground and landscaping works to minimise disturbance to wild-
life and phase clearance of vegetation to mitigate impact on site biodiversity.
The fifth additional recommendation requires:
UÊ the creation of new ecologically valuable habitats to support nationally, regionally or locally
important biodiversity issues. This will be difficult to achieve unless it is included in the design
from the concept stage.
IM
Two credits can be awarded for all building types, except prisons, where at least four of the above
additional recommendations are contract requirements.
If the ecologist confirms that some of the additional recommendations cannot be undertaken due
EC
to site constraints or context, the number of additional recommendations that have to be imple-
mented can vary, as described in the online Technical Manual.1
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: In the case of prison buildings, up to three credits can be

awarded if a suitably qualified ecologist is appointed, as detailed above, and the following addi-
SP
tional recommendations are implemented:

UÊ two recommendations – one credit
UÊ three recommendations – two credits
UÊ four recommendations – three credits.
Additionally, in educational buildings the design team must establish a partnership with a local
wildlife trust to provide:
UÊ early advice on protecting species important to the locality by taking into account the local
Biodiversity Action Plan
UÊ advice on developing the design in harmony with the local environment
UÊ ongoing help for the educational establishment in managing, maintaining and developing
their outdoor spaces.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The client must be advised that unless a suit-
ably qualified ecologist is appointed, no credits can be awarded in relation to this Issue.
131
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For one credit, a copy of
the Ecology Report covering the issues in Appendix F of the online Technical Manual1 and:
either
UÊ a copy of the site’s Landscape and Habitat Management Plan
or
UÊ contract specification clauses confirming the requirement to produce a Landscape and Habitat
Management Plan
or
UÊ written confirmation from the client confirming their commitment to producing a Landscape
and Habitat Management Plan and its scope.
EN
For the second and third credits, in addition to the above, any of the following, as appropriate for
the additional recommendations being adopted:
UÊ Contract specification clauses or a letter from the principal contractor confirming the appoint-
ment of a Biodiversity Champion.
UÊ Contract specification clauses requiring the training of the site’s workforce or a letter from
principal contractor committing to training.
UÊ Contract specification clauses requiring ongoing monitoring and reporting or a letter from the
IM
principal contractor confirming ongoing monitoring and reporting.
UÊ A copy of plans showing new ecologically valuable habitat and an ecologist’s report or letter
confirming that the habitat will support the relevant Biodiversity Action Plan.
UÊ Contract specification clauses requiring the programming of site works to minimise distur-
bance to wildlife or an ecologist’s report or letter confirming the actions required to minimise
EC
disturbance and the principal contractor’s programme of works demonstrating compliance.

In relation to educational buildings, written confirmation of the following must be provided:
UÊ the scope of the partnership with the local wildlife group
UÊ details and remit of the wildlife group
UÊ the process established to provide ongoing support
UÊ details of meetings and actions to date.
SP
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: For one

credit:
UÊ a letter from the ecologist confirming that all UK and EU legislation relating to the protection
and enhancement of a site’s ecology has been complied with
UÊ a copy of the Landscape and Habitat Management Plan.
For the second and third credits, in addition to the above, any of the following, as appropriate for
the additional recommendations being adopted:
either
UÊ a copy of sections from the site log book confirming any actions taken by the Biodiversity
Champion
UÊ records and details of training undertaken by the site’s workforce
UÊ records of monitoring and actions taken to protect the site’s biodiversity with records and
outcomes of any requests to view this information
UÊ photographs of completed new ecologically valuable habitat
132
or
UÊ a letter or report from the ecologist confirming that site works were undertaken as recom-
mended with minimum disturbance to wildlife.
For educational buildings, written confirmation from the design team and wildlife group of:
UÊ meeting minutes, detailing advice given and actions taken
UÊ the framework for future support by the wildlife group, including a timetable for future meet-
ings and events.
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3.9 Appointing an acoustic consultant
Appointing a suitably qualified acoustic consultant to advise the design team on achieving the
IM
performance standards of the next two Issues will have less impact than appointing an ecologist,
since these Issues only account for between 2 and 3 per cent of the final BREEAM score. However,
an acoustic consultant’s appointment is a prerequisite for the award of any credits in both of these
Issues. A ‘suitably qualified acoustic consultant’ is one who:
EC
UÊ holds a recognised acoustic qualification

UÊ is a member of a professional body, such as the Institute of Acoustics.
Hea05: Acoustic performance

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2, 3 or 4 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to ensure that a building’s acoustic performance meets the stan-
dards appropriate to its purpose.
PREREQUISITES: The appointment of a suitably qualified acoustic consultant during RIBA Prepa-
ration Stage B (Brief) to provide design advice on:
UÊ external sources of noise which impact on the building or site
UÊ how to achieve good acoustics for a building through the site layout and zoning
UÊ acoustic requirements of users with special hearing or communication needs
UÊ acoustic treatment of different building zones and facades.
⁄
133
Hea05: Acoustic performance (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The required performance standards vary between

building types and may be quite complex, so check the online Technical Manual.1 A summary of
the requirements follows.
Up to two credits can be awarded for offices, retail and industrial buildings, prisons, courts and
other building types where the following requirements are met:
For the first credit:
UÊ indoor ambient noise levels must comply with good practice criteria in Tables 5 and 6 of BS8233
EN
plus
UÊ the acoustic consultant must carry out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
achieve the required performance standards
plus
UÊ for teaching and lecturing spaces, airborne and impact sound levels must comply with Health
Technical Memorandum 08-01 (HTM08-01)
UÊ for medical treatment rooms, airborne and impact sound levels must comply with HTM08-
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01 plus the acoustic consultant must carry out pre-completion testing to check that relevant
spaces achieve the required performance standards
UÊ for acoustically sensitive rooms (e.g. cellular offices, meeting and interview rooms, witness
and consultation rooms and jury rooms), sound insulation must comply with section 7.6.3.1
of BS8233 plus the acoustic consultant must carry out pre-completion testing to check that
EC
relevant spaces achieve the required performance standards.

For the second credit:
UÊ reverberation times must meet the specification in Table 8 of BS8233 for rooms or areas for
speech and performance or, if relevant, the specification for classrooms and seminar rooms or
lecture theatres in Table 1.5 of Building Bulletin 93 (BB93).
Up to two credits can be awarded for healthcare buildings as follows:
UÊ One credit is awarded if values for noise intrusion from external sources are achieved as
SP
specified in Table 1 of HTM08-01; for internal noise from mechanical and electrical services as
specified in Table 2 of HTM08-01; and measured differences between rooms as Tables 4 and
3, plus the acoustic consultant carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
achieve the required performance standards.
UÊ One credit is awarded if reverberation in rooms and circulation spaces is controlled with
sound-absorbent materials as specified in paragraph 2.110 of HTM08-01.
Up to three credits can be awarded for pre-schools, schools and sixth-form colleges as follows:
UÊ One credit is awarded if the performance standards set out by BB93 to suit each room function are
achieved, based on the required sample measurement described in Section 1.3 of BB93 and The
Association of Noise Consultants’ Good Practice Guide,38 plus the acoustic consultant carries out
pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces achieve the required performance standards.
UÊ One credit is awarded if the noise of rain on lightweight (150 kg/m2) glazed roofs or roof lights
in teaching and learning areas does not exceed acceptable limits plus the acoustic consultant
carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces achieve the required perfor-
mance standards.
⁄
134
UÊ One credit is awarded if performance levels set in BB93 for all music rooms and spaces
are achieved and suitable sound insulation is installed where noise levels will exceed 95 dB
plus the acoustic consultant carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
achieve the required performance standards.
Up to two credits can be awarded for further or higher education buildings as follows:
UÊ One credit is awarded if indoor ambient noise-level criteria are met for rooms as stipulated for
secondary schools in section 1 of BB93 or if the criteria in BS8233 are met if the room use is
not covered by BB93 plus the acoustic consultant carries out pre-completion testing to check
that relevant spaces achieve the required performance standards.
UÊ One credit is awarded if all teaching, training and education areas achieve reverberation times
EN
as specified in Table 1.5 of BB93 plus the acoustic consultant carries out pre-completion test-
ing to check that relevant spaces achieve the required performance standards.
Up to four credits can be awarded for multi-residential buildings that meet the following criteria:
UÊ One credit is awarded if airborne sound insulation values are at least 3 dB higher and impact
sound insulation values at least 3 dB lower than required by the Building Regulations plus
a compliant testing body carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
achieve the required performance standards or robust details approved by Robust Details
Limited39 are used.
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UÊ Three credits are awarded if airborne sound insulation values are at least 5 dB higher and
impact sound insulation values at least 5 dB lower than required by the Building Regulations
plus a compliant testing body carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
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Limited39 are used.

UÊ Four credits are awarded if airborne sound insulation values are at least 8 dB higher and
impact sound insulation values at least 8 dB lower than required by the Building Regulations
plus a compliant testing body carries out pre-completion testing to check that relevant spaces
Limited39 are used.
Compliant test bodies for multi-residential buildings include those which:
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either
UÊ have appropriate United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation or are members
of the International Accreditation Forum
or
UÊ provide evidence that they meet the requirements of BS EN ISO/IEC 17024.40
Table 5-4 in the online Technical Manual1 provides a selection of good practice indoor ambient
noise-level targets from BS8233.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: In addition to the above, buildings without areas used for speech
(other than education, healthcare and multi-residential buildings) need not comply with reverbera-
tion time performance standards.
135
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The performance standards associated with

this Issue are complex and need careful consideration at the detailed design stage.

UÊ A letter of appointment confirming the date of appointment of a suitably qualified acoustic
consultant.
UÊ A report from the consultant confirming performance standards, including calculations.
UÊ Contract specification clauses or a letter from the design team confirming commitment to
achieving the required performance standards.
Plus for multi-residential buildings, if pre-completion testing is to be carried out:
EN
either
UÊ a letter from the client confirming commitment to meeting the required sound insulation per-
formance levels
and
UÊ using a compliant test body to complete the testing.
Or, if robust details are being used:
UÊ confirmation that the chosen robust details meet the required performance standard
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UÊ confirmation that the development is registered with Robust Details Limited.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: A post-

completion report and calculations from a suitably qualified acoustic consultant will be required for
all building types
EC
plus
UÊ a letter or field-test report from the acoustic consultant confirming that required standards
have been met
UÊ a letter from the design team or principal contractor confirming that any remedial works
required in the acoustic consultant’s report have been carried out.
Plus, for multi-residential buildings:
either
SP
UÊ copies of sound insulation field-test results and/or a letter confirming that sound insulation as
detailed has been achieved
and
UÊ evidence that the tests were carried out by a compliant test body
or
UÊ a completed Robust Details Limited Compliance Certificate signed by the client for all relevant
details.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If it is not possible to define a type of

office space, it will be assumed to be open plan with an occupancy rate of one person per 10 m2.
Performance standards for noise-sensitive rooms will not apply to buildings that are not fully
fitted out.
136
Pol05: Noise attenuation

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to ensure that buildings or areas that might be sensitive to noise
from the proposed development are not affected.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where no buildings or

areas that might be sensitive to noise generated by the proposed development lie within an 800 m
radius. Noise-sensitive buildings or areas include:
UÊ houses and residential areas
UÊ hospitals, health centres, care homes, surgeries, etc.
UÊ schools, colleges, etc.
UÊ libraries
IM
UÊ places of worship
UÊ wildlife areas, parks, gardens or historic landscape
UÊ areas of outstanding natural beauty or sites of special scientific interest.
EC
If any of the above are located within 800 m of the development, for one credit to be awarded, the
client must undertake the following:
UÊ Appoint an acoustic consultant to carry out a Noise Impact Assessment, which complies with
BS7445, of the proposed building’s service plant to establish:
– existing background noise levels at the nearest or most exposed noise-sensitive location
– the rating noise level for proposed noise sources, confirming that it will be no greater than
plus 5 dB compared to background noise levels during the day (07.00am to 10.00pm) and
SP
plus 3 dB at night (10.00pm to 07.00am).

UÊ Instruct the acoustic consultant to produce a Noise Impact Assessment, calculations and speci-
fication clauses demonstrating:
– attenuation measures needed to reduce noise levels at source where noise levels from the
proposed development will be greater than identified in the survey.
UÊ Ensure that any attenuation measures are incorporated into the contract requirements.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The presence of noise-sensitive buildings or

areas close to the proposed development should be established early in the design process so
that any necessary sound attenuation measures can be incorporated in the building design prior to
submission for planning approval.
⁄
137
Pol05: Noise attenuation (continued)
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Design drawings are

required showing:
UÊ all existing and proposed noise-sensitive buildings or areas within 800 m of the development
UÊ sources of noise from the development
UÊ distances from noise sources to noise-sensitive buildings or areas.
Plus either
UÊ an acoustic consultant’s report, details of qualifications and experience
or
UÊ contract specification clauses requiring a Noise Impact Assessment to be carried out by a suit-
ably qualified acoustic consultant to comply with BS4142
EN
or
UÊ a letter from the client or design team confirming that they will appoint a suitably qualified
acoustic consultant to carry out a Noise Impact Assessment to comply with BS4142.
Plus
UÊ an acoustic consultant’s report recommending suitable noise-attenuation measures.
Plus either
UÊ a marked-up plan showing the acoustic consultant’s proposed attenuation measures
or
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UÊ a letter from the client or design team confirming that the proposed attenuation measures will
be installed.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: Photo-

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graphic evidence must be provided identifying:

UÊ all noise-sensitive buildings or areas within 800 m of the development
UÊ sources of noise from the development
UÊ distances from noise sources to noise-sensitive buildings or areas
plus
UÊ the acoustic consultant’s report with measurements based on installed and operating plant
plus either
SP
UÊ photographic evidence confirming the existence of specified noise-attenuation measures

or
UÊ a letter from the acoustic consultant confirming that all specified noise-attenuation measures
have been installed to the required performance standards.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant is responsible for the
specification and installation of plant that can generate noise, the acoustic consultant must assume
the worst-case noise rating levels for their proposals, based on existing examples. Alternatively,
one of Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance
with the required performance standards .
138
3.10 Appointing a highway engineer
Although not a prerequisite for either of the two Issues described below, the client may appoint a
highway engineer to assist in providing the evidence of compliance with their performance stan-
dards. The highway engineer can:
UÊ provide the necessary data for calculating a site’s Accessibility Index (AI)
UÊ investigate options for dedicated bus services, where required
UÊ undertake site transport surveys for the Travel Plan.
Together, these two Issues could contribute around 4 per cent of a final BREEAM score.
EN
3, 4 or 5 0
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The detailed requirements for awarding the credits relating to this Issue are described earlier in
section 3.1 Measuring a site’s impact on an Assessment. Appointing a highway engineer can make
it easier to establish the location and frequency of compliant public transport nodes when calculat-
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ing the AI.
The highway engineer can also help to establish the feasibility of providing a dedicated bus service
to the site for a credit where the AI for a site is zero. This can apply to buildings with fixed shift
patterns where the building occupants arrive and depart at certain times (such as offices, factories,
schools and prisons) as discussed earlier.
SP
139
Tra05: Travel plan

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the reduction in use of those forms of transport with
the highest environmental impact (e.g. car-based travel).
PREREQUISITES: The Travel Plan has to be developed as part of a building’s feasibility and design
stages at RIBA Design Stages C (Concept) and D (Design Development).
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where a site-specific

Travel Plan is developed. It must be:
UÊ site specific
UÊ based on the findings of a site-specific transport survey or assessment
IM
UÊ related to the proposed use and occupation.
The site-specific transport survey or assessment must cover:
UÊ existing travel patterns and opinions of existing building or site users (where relevant) in terms
of cycling and walking to identify constraints and opportunities
UÊ travel patterns and transport impact of future occupants or users and operational transport (if
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appropriate)
UÊ the existing local environment for cyclists and pedestrians
UÊ disabled access
UÊ public transport links serving the site
UÊ existing facilities for the site and area.
The types of building occupants and users whose needs a Travel Plan must consider include, where
appropriate:
SP
UÊ staff (for commuting journeys and business travel)

UÊ pupils and students
UÊ visitors
UÊ patients
UÊ customers
UÊ personnel who make deliveries and collections to and from the development
UÊ contractors and service providers who will work regularly in the development.
The Travel Plan has to include measures that can be incorporated into the design to assist in mini-
mising car-based travel, which could include:
UÊ parking priority for car sharing
UÊ dedicated, convenient and safe cycle storage and changing facilities
UÊ improved lighting to pedestrian and public transport waiting areas
UÊ improving existing bus services on larger developments
UÊ restricting or charging for car parking
140
Tra05: Travel plan (continued)
UÊ providing information on public transport and car sharing in a prominent place within the
building
UÊ pedestrian and cycle-friendly access
UÊ taxi drop-off points and waiting areas
UÊ locating rural buildings so that transport generated by the development can also serve the
local community
UÊ control of deliveries to and from the site.
If the building occupier is known, they must confirm that they will implement and support the Travel
Plan.
EN
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Appointing a highway engineer will make it

easier to undertake site-specific transport surveys and produce a site-specific Travel Plan.
Some of the above design options can also result in additional credits under other Issues, such as:
UÊ Tra02: Cyclist facilities
IM
UÊ Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion).

UÊ A copy of the Travel Plan.
EC
UÊ A copy of the site-specific transport survey or assessment.

UÊ Copies of design drawings showing how the measures recommended by the Travel Plan are
incorporated or a letter from the client confirming that these measures will be implemented.

SP
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: None. Where the building occupier is

unknown, a Travel Plan that addresses the issues typically generated by that type of building is still
required for the credit to be awarded.
141
3.11 Appointing a specialist commissioning manager
If the appointed service engineer does not have the necessary expertise, the client will have to
appoint a specialist commissioning manager for the credit detailed below to be awarded.
Man01: Sustainable procurement (second part

of Construction and handover criterion)
1 0
EN
Although the principal requirements of this criterion are described earlier in this chapter, in section
3.3, the client may be required to appoint a specialist commissioning manager during the RIBA
Design Stages C–E to provide:
UÊ commissioning advice which may affect the design
UÊ commissioning management advice which may influence the proposed construction pro-
gramme and commissioning processes
IM
UÊ advice on the type of commissioning, testing, handover and post-handover procedures
required.
EC
3.12 Appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP)
Up to three credits can be awarded in relation to the Man01: Sustainable procurement Issue,
contributing over 1.5 per cent to the final BREEAM score, if the client appoints a BREEAM AP at
SP
the right time.
Man01: Sustainable procurement (three parts

of the Project brief and design criterion)
3 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to assist in the delivery of functional and sustainably designed
buildings by utilising the expertise of a BREEAM AP.
142
Man01: Sustainable procurement (three parts of the Project brief and design criterion) (continued)
PREREQUISITES: A BREEAM AP must be appointed at the appropriate time.
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
in this Issue, including one of the three available for these parts of this criterion.
these two, of the three available for these parts of this criterion.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded if:

UÊ the AP is appointed early in RIBA Stage C (Concept Design) to assist in establishing a BREEAM
EN
rating target and the Issues that have to be considered
UÊ the client or design team agree to the BREEAM rating target and which Issues should be con-
sidered before the end of RIBA Stage C (Concept Design)
UÊ the AP provides evidence of how this will be achieved to the Assessor for the BREEAM design
stage assessment.
A second credit can be awarded if the AP is appointed to:
UÊ attend key design team meetings during RIBA Preparation Stage B up to the end of RIBA
Design Stage E
IM
UÊ monitor progress against the defined BREEAM targets with regular written reports to the client
or design team.
A third credit can be awarded if the AP is appointed to:
UÊ attend key meetings from the start of RIBA Stage F (Production Information) up to the end of
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RIBA Stage K (Construction to Practical Completion)

UÊ monitor and report progress against the defined BREEAM targets with regular written reports
to the client or design team
UÊ confirm that the agreed BREEAM targets form part of the contract requirements
UÊ confirm that the target is achieved in a report submitted to the Assessor for the BREEAM post-
construction stage assessment.
SP
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The appointed AP and appointed Assessor

can be the same person or organisation, although the fee incurred will reflect the additional work-
load for this dual role. For clarity, it is best if the AP and Assessor are different people even if they
work for the same organisation.
A list of registered APs is available at the GreenBookLive website.41

UÊ The letter confirming the appointment of the AP
plus
UÊ contract specification clauses or the contract programme confirming the key work stages of
the development
⁄
143
Man01: Sustainable procurement (three parts of the Project brief and design criterion) (continued)
UÊ meeting minutes, notes, correspondence or schedules demonstrating the AP’s regular atten-
dance and action on Issues.
UÊ the AP’s progress reports.

the design stage plus the final post-construction AP reports.
EN
3.13 Overall impact of good design and specification
Credits awarded in relation to the Issues described in this chapter can add up to around 60 per
cent of the total BREEAM score (see Table 3.5) from around three-quarters of the Issues, or part
IM
Issues, available. This would be sufficient in itself to achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating. While it
is unlikely that all of the potential credits considered would be awarded, this table shows the contri-
bution that this set of Issues can make towards the overall score and the importance of agreeing a
good design and specification at the earliest opportunity. It should not be forgotten, however, that
the remaining Issues can still contribute one-third of the final score. As will be seen in Chapter 4, the
EC
remaining Issues can prove more complex and their credits more difficult to achieve.
TABLE 3.5: Summary of potential value to BREEAM score of Issues discussed in Chapter 3
buildings buildings
SP
Ed
uca
Mu
tio
lti
nal
Ed
-re
uca
sid
hig
Ot
Ot
ent
t
h
ion
er
her
her
ial
al (
He
ed
bu
bu
bu
Ind
sch
alth
Pri
Offi
cat
Co
ildi
ildi
ildi
ust
Re
oo
son
c
ion
urt
ng
ng
ng
ces
are
tail
rial
ls
s
)
Overall % value of the site towards the overall BREEAM score from Table 3.1 9.46 11.24 9.59 10.51 10.06 10.49 10.24 11.24 10.14 10.06
Overall % value of good design and specification towards the overall 27.49 25.68 27.06 25.74 24.37 24.94 27.52 25.71 25.34 24.76
BREEAM score from Table 3.2
Overall % value of environmentally friendly construction activities towards the 10.29 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00 11.00
overall BREEAM score from Table 3.3
Overall % value of the client appointing specialist consultants towards the 16.65 18.28 16.71 18.17 17.08 17.42 19.09 18.43 18.26 17.19
overall BREEAM score from Table 3.4
Total % value towards the overall BREEAM score from Issues discussed in Chapter 3* 60.79 63.10 61.26 62.32 59.41 60.75 64.75 63.28 61.64 59.91
* Adjusted for some credits appearing in more than one section of this chapter
144
References
1 BREEAM New Construction: Non-Domestic Buildings – Technical Manual, see at:
2 The Greater London public transport accessibility map is available at:
www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/maps-diagrams/map-2a-03.jsp
3 Transport for London’s Planning Information Database, which can generate an AI for a site, is available at:
http://webpid.elgin.gov.uk/
4 Planning Policy Guidance 3 (PPG3): Housing (2000) has now been cancelled and is no longer available
for download.
5 For information in relation to nature sites, see the following:
www.natureonthemap.naturalengland.org.uk/
http://magic.defra.gov.uk/
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/designatedareas/ramsars/default.aspx
EN
6 Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk is available at:
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps25floodrisk
7 Environment Agency Flood Maps are available online through:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/default.aspx
8 Scottish Environment Protection Agency Flood Maps are available at: www.sepa.org.uk/flooding/flood_map.aspx
9 Creating Excellent Buildings: A Guide for Clients (2010), Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment,
available at:
IM
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118095356/http://www.cabe.org.uk/buildings/downloads
To see the web version of the section covering ‘Defining the Outline Brief’ go to: http://webarchive.
nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118095356/http:/www.cabe.org.uk/buildings/defining-the-outline-brief
10 Architect’s Job Book 8th edition (2008), RIBA Publishing, London
11 Design and Access Statements: How to Write, Read and Use Them (2007), Commission for Architecture and the
EC
Built Environment, available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110118095356/http:/www.cabe.org.

uk/files/design-and-access-statements.pdf
12 BS8206: Lighting for Buildings – Part 2: Code of Practice for Daylighting (2008), British Standards Institute, London
13 For Sustrans technical guidance, see: www.sustrans.org.uk/resources/design-and-construction/technical-guidelines
14 For the National Cycle Network Design and Construction Checklist, see:
www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/guidelines/appendix.pdf
15 BS5489 Part 1: Code of practice for the design of road lighting. Lighting of roads and public amenity areas (2003),
SP
British Standards Institute, London

16 Secured by Design website: www.securedbydesign.com
17 For Safer Parking documents, see: www.britishparking.co.uk/Documents-Guidelines-for-the-Safer-Parking-Scheme
18 The Green Guide to Specification is available at: www.bre.co.uk/greenguide/podpage.jsp?id=2126. This can be
accessed by anybody if they first register, by selecting:
UÊ >ÊLÕ`}ÊÌÞ«iÊi°}°ÊViÀV>ÊÜ V ÊVÕìÃÊvwVi]ÊÀiÌ>Ê>`Ê`ÕÃÌÀ>ÊLÕ`}Ã®
UÊ >Ê>ÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊi°}°ÊiÝÌiÀ>ÊÜ>ÊVÃÌÀÕVÌ®
UÊ >Ê`Û`Õ>ÊiiiÌÊÌÞ«iÊÌ >ÌÊvÀÃÊ«>ÀÌÊvÊÌ iÊV ÃiÊ>ÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊi°}°ÊÀiìÀi`ÊÀÊv>Àv>Vi`Ê
blockwork cavity wall) and possibly another sub-element layer
UÊ >Ê}iiÀVÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊìÃVÀ«ÌÊÜÌ Ê>ÊÀiiÊÕìÊÀ>Ì}ÊvÀÊ³ÊÌÊ ]ÊÜ V ÊÃÊÌÊ>ÊìÌ>i`Ê
breakdown of its environmental impacts (including a 60-year kgCO2 equivalent figure which is required for
calculating how many points can be achieved).
However, this can sometimes seem to be a long-winded process before the descriptions of the building elements
are eventually reached.
145
19 Health Technical Memorandum 07-1: Safe Management of Healthcare Waste available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_063274
20 Metric Handbook – Planning and Design Date 3rd edition (2008), David Littlefield (ed.), Architectural Press, Oxford
21 For BSRIA Soft Landings Framework, see: www.bsria.co.uk/services/design/soft-landings/
22 Pollock, R., McNair, D., McGuire, B. and Cunningham, C. (2008) Design Lighting for People with Dementia,
Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling
23 Carbon Trust’s Guide CTG002: Heating Control, available at:
www.carbontrust.co.uk/publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=CTG002
24 ISO 14044:2006 Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment – Requirements and Guidelines
25 Environment Agency: Pollution Prevention Guidelines 3, see:
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/PMHO0406BIYL-E-E.pdf
26 Environment Agency: Pollution Prevention Pays – Getting Your Site Right, see:
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/PMHO0104BHQI-E-E.pdf
EN
27 See UK Thermography Association at: www.ukta.org/
28 Considerate Constructors Scheme website, see: www.ccscheme.org.uk/
29 UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, see: www.cpet.org.uk/uk-government-timber-procurement-policy
30 BS EN ISO 14001 (2004): Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use
31 BS8555 (2003): Environmental management systems. Guide to the phased implementation of an environmental
management system including the use of environmental performance evaluation
32 Environment Agency: Building a Better Environment: A Guide for Developers, see:
IM
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/32695.aspx
33 Strategic Forum’s reports on reducing energy and water consumption can be found at:
www.strategicforum.org.uk/Sustain.shtml
34 Construction Resource and Waste Platform, see: http://conwaste.aeastaging.co.uk/conwaste/
WRAP Construction website, see: www.wrap.org.uk/construction/index.html
EC
35 BRE SMARTWaste Scheme, see: www.smartwaste.co.uk/

36 Natural History Museum – Postcode Plant Database, see:
www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/plants-fungi/postcode-plants/index.html
37 Williams, Dr C. (2010) Biodiversity for Low and Zero Carbon Buildings: A Technical Guide for New Build,
RIBA Publishing
38 The Association of Noise Consultants’ Schools Testing Good Practice Guide, see:
www.association-of-noise-consultants.co.uk/index.php?*p=schools
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39 Robust Details Limited, see: www.robustdetails.com/

40 BS EN ISO/IEC 17024 (2003): Conformity Assessment. General requirements for bodies operating certification of
persons
41 For a list of BREEAM Accredited Professionals see GreenBookLive website at:
146
chapter four
Difficult BREEAM Issues
This chapter examines those Issues that have not yet been considered in detail. The design team
and client must give these Issues greater consideration because they:
EN
UÊ are more complex in terms of how credits are awarded and where a best practice design
is required
UÊ are difficult to achieve in certain building types
UÊ require the client to instruct the design team to undertake additional activities outside
what many would consider their normal terms of appointment
UÊ are building-type specific. IM
There are around 20 Issues, or criteria within Issues, that fall into the above categories (see Table
4.1) and they can account for around 40 per cent of a final BREEAM score. So it is important to
understand how credits can be awarded for these Issues and criteria.
4.1 Issues with complex scoring and

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where best practice design is required
The eight complete Issues and part of one Issue criterion described below all involve some com-
plexity in assessing the number of credits that can be awarded. This complexity lies either in the
way the credits are calculated or in the level of activity required of the design team to obtain the
necessary evidence for the Assessor. They may also require best practice design solutions to be
SP
applied before credits can be awarded. These credits can contribute around 30 per cent of a final
BREEAM score (see Table 4.2). Half of this potential comes from just one Issue, Ene01: Reduction
of CO2 emissions. In reality, it is unlikely that all these credits will be awarded, except in very well-
designed, sustainable buildings. Over 8 per cent of a final BREEAM score comes from two Issues in
the Materials Category, although maximising these credits may also present difficulties.
147
Difficult BREEAM Issues
TABLE 4.1: The value of the more difficult Issues
buildings buildings
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Management Category
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Consultation criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
EN
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Post-occupancy evaluation/information dissemination
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
criterion)
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) IM 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1
Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts criterion) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Hea02: Indoor air quality (part of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Potential for natural ventilation criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards criterion) 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1
EC
Energy Category
SP
Transport Category
148
buildings buildings
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Water Category
EN
Materials Category
Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials IM 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Waste Category
Land Use and Ecology Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
EC
Overall % value of Issues considered in Chapter 4 towards the overall BREEAM score 38.93 38.57 38.57 37.85 41.55 40.53 35.17 37.94 37.72 40.94
SP
149
TABLE 4.2: Issues where scoring is complex and best practice design is required
buildings buildings
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Management Category
EN
Hea02: Indoor air quality (part of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Energy Category IM
Transport Category
EC
Water Category
Materials Category

SP
Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Waste Category
150
Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning

3 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the use of life-cycle costing and service life planning
in the design of buildings.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded when:

UÊ a life-cycle cost analysis is carried out on the proposed feasibility design during RIBA Design
Stages C (Concept) or D (Design Development)
UÊ a service life planning appraisal is completed during the feasibility stage.
The life-cycle cost analysis must:
IM
UÊ meet the requirements of PD156865 (2008) Standardized Method of Life Cycle Costing for
Construction Procurement: A Supplement to BS ISO 15686 (2008) Buildings and Constructed
Assets – Service Life Planning – Part 5: Life Cycle Costing
UÊ analyse a 60-year period, including
– construction
EC
– operation (covering utilities, cleaning and management costs as a minimum)

– planned maintenance
– replacement and repair costs.
The service life planning appraisal has to:
UÊ comply with the service life principles set out in BS ISO 15686 (2008) Buildings and Con-
structed Assets – Service Life Planning – Part 1: General Principles
UÊ cover the service life estimates and maintenance implications of different design options.
SP
Two credits can be awarded where, in addition to achieving the above performance standards, the
following requirements are met:
UÊ The life-cycle cost analysis demonstrates that at least two of the following building elements,
which are of critical value to the building (in terms of costs, maintenance burden and volume
or area), have been analysed at a strategic and system level as set out in Figure 6 of BS ISO
15686: Part 5:
– envelope (cladding, windows and/or roofing)
– services (heat source, cooling source and/or controls)
– finishes (walls, floors and/or ceilings)
– external spaces.
UÊ The two options, referred to above, must meet the building’s performance criteria and the lowest
discounted life-cycle cost over the assessment period and achieve at least one of the following:
– lower the building’s energy consumption over its operational life span
– reduce maintenance requirements and frequency
151
Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning (continued)
– extend service lives of systems and/or the building fabric, resulting in fewer replacements
– improve dismantling and recycling or reuse of building components.
Three credits can be awarded where, in addition to meeting all of the above:
UÊ the life-cycle cost analysis is updated during RIBA Design Stage D (Design Development) or
E (Technical Design)
UÊ results of the study are incorporated into the constructed building and shown in the construc-
tion specification and drawings
UÊ a maintenance strategy is developed, informed by the life-cycle cost analysis, that details:
– the extent to which maintenance has been designed out and safe, efficient and cost-
effective operation and maintenance procedures incorporated in the systems
EN
– how the removal or replacement of major plant is facilitated by the design
– a Management Plan for the landscaping.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For schools and other educational buildings:

UÊ storage space must meet the requirements of either Building Bulletins 98 or 991
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UÊ storage space must be evenly distributed over a site or building and, as a minimum, provided
on each floor.
For court buildings, the Department of Constitutional Affairs may have to be consulted during the
process. Seek advice from BRE in this instance.
EC
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: BREEAM requires a 60-year study period

in relation to this Issue, to align with the Green Guide to Specification. The Green Guide uses
a 60-year period for quantifying the environmental impacts of building specifications and their
replacement components. It can be difficult to obtain reliable information about the durability of
building components. One possible source is a product’s British Board of Agrément Certificate.2
BS7543 (2003): Guide to durability of buildings and building elements, products and components
offers generic advice on design lives.
SP
It should also be noted that undertaking a BREEAM Life Cycle Cost will attract additional fees.
UÊ the feasibility stage life-cycle cost analysis report
UÊ the feasibility service life planning appraisal.
For the second credit, the evidence listed above, plus:
UÊ details of the alternative options considered and benefits of selected options
UÊ confirmation that the selected options are of critical value.
For the third credit, the evidence listed above, plus:
UÊ design drawings or contract specification clauses requiring the implementation of the pre-
ferred latest life-cycle cost analysis options
UÊ a copy of the maintenance strategy and/or a letter from the client committing to providing one
UÊ evidence of how the maintenance strategy was informed by the life-cycle cost analysis.
152
Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning (continued )

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status, plus:
UÊ for two credits, evidence that the preferred options selected at the design stage have been
implemented
UÊ for three credits, as-constructed drawings confirming that strategies recommended at the
design stage have been implemented.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If services and finishes are not provided
as part of the shell works, they can be excluded from the life-cycle cost analysis. If the shell works
exclude services and finishes, and there are no external spaces, elements within the building’s
EN
envelope must meet the required standards for the second credit to be awarded.
Hea02: Indoor air quality (second and third parts

IM
of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion)
2 0
EC
The aim of these parts of this Issue criterion is to create healthy internal environments by minimising
sources of internal air pollution. This is achieved by specifying materials and products which emit
low levels of volatile organic compound (VOC) and formaldehyde.
PREREQUISITES: An Indoor Air Quality Plan must be produced. This is described in Chapter 3 in
SP
section 3.1 Measuring a site’s impact on an Assessment.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded, for the second part of
this criterion, where all decorative paints and varnishes specified or used are:
UÊ tested for VOC emissions levels in accordance with BS EN 13300 (2001) or by another calcula-
tion technique which complies with the European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and
Packaging of Substances and Mixtures3 or the UK Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packing
for Supply) Regulations (2009)4
UÊ verified to comply with Phase 2 levels of VOC emissions contained in the Decorative Paint
Directive 2004/42/CE5
UÊ confirmed as fungus- and algae-resistant, as required by BS EN 13300 (2001)
UÊ produced by an ISO 9001 certified manufacturing process (formulation and raw material mixing).
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Hea02: Indoor air quality (second and third parts of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) (continued)
Plus five of the following eight categories must achieve the testing requirements and VOC emission
levels determined by the appropriate standard:
UÊ Wood panels (including particleboard, fibreboard including medium density fibreboard
(MDF), orientated strand board (OSB), cement-bonded particleboard, plywood, solid wood
panel and acoustic board) must achieve Class E1 when tested for formaldehyde in accordance
with BS EN 13986 (2004) and the absence of regulated wood preservatives, as defined by BS
EN 13986 (2004), must be proved.
UÊ Timber structures (glued laminated timber, etc.) must achieve Class E1 when tested for form-
aldehyde in accordance with BS EN 14080 (2005).
UÊ Wood flooring (parquet flooring, etc.) must achieve Class E1 when tested for formaldehyde in
EN
accordance with BS EN 14342 (2005).
UÊ Resilient, textile and laminated floor covering (vinyl, linoleum, cork and rubber, carpet, lami-
nated wood flooring) must achieve Class E1 when tested for formaldehyde in accordance with
BS EN 14041 (2004) and the absence of wood preservatives, as defined by BS EN 14041
(2004), must be proved.
UÊ Suspended ceiling tiles must achieve Class E1 when tested for formaldehyde in accordance
with BS EN 13964 (2004) and contain no asbestos.
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UÊ Flooring adhesives (and adhesives for rigid wall coverings) the absence of carcinogenic or
sensitising volatile substances must be proved by testing to BS EN 13999 – Part 1 (2007).
UÊ Wall-coverings (wallpapers, wall vinyls and plastic wall coverings) formaldehyde and vinyl
chloride monomer (VCM) release is low when tested to BS EN 12149 (1998) and in accordance
with BS ENs 233 (1999), 234 (1997), 259 (2001) and 266 (1992).
EC
UÊ Adhesives for hanging flexible wall coverings – should contain no harmful substances and
any preservatives should be of minimum toxicity in accordance with BS 3046 (1981).
Where there are five or fewer of these products present in a building, all of them must meet the
required standards for the credit to be awarded.
One credit can be awarded, for the third part of this criterion, where:
UÊ post-construction formaldehyde concentration levels are measured, prior to occupancy, at less
than 100 μg/m3 over 30 minutes
SP
UÊ post-construction total VOC concentration levels are measured, prior to occupancy, at less
than 300 μg/m3 over eight hours
UÊ if measurements show post-construction formaldehyde and total VOC concentration levels
exceeding the above limits, it is confirmed that steps will be taken, in accordance with the
Indoor Air Quality Plan, to reduce the levels to meet the limits
UÊ the testing and measurement of the above is done in accordance with the requirements of:
BS EN ISO 16000 – Part 4 (2004) in relation to the diffusive sampling of formaldehyde in the
air; BS EN ISO 16000 – Part 6 in relation to VOCs in the air by active sampling; BS EN 16017
– Part 2 (2003) in relation to indoor, ambient and workplace air by passive sampling; and
BS EN ISO 16000 – Part 3 (2001) in relation to formaldehyde and other carbonyls in the air by
pumped sampling
and
UÊ the results of the above measurements are reported.
154
Hea02: Indoor air quality (second and third parts of Minimising sources of air pollution criterion) (continued)
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The number of products likely to fall within

this criterion is large, and considerable effort is needed on the part of the design team to obtain
the relevant information for even the first of the above credits to be awarded. Failure to obtain
the necessary information for one product could jeopardise the award of the entire credit. Certain
products are excluded from some of the above requirements:
UÊ furniture, such as desks, shelving, etc., does not have to meet the testing requirements
EN
UÊ if manufacturers make a written declaration that their products do not contain formaldehyde,
those products achieve formaldehyde Class E1 without testing.
BRE Digest 464 Parts 1 and 2 offer advice and guidance on the sources of emissions from materials
and assessing their impact.
UÊ the Indoor Air Quality Plan, as described in Chapter 3, section 3.1 on Hea 02: Indoor air
quality
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UÊ contract specification clauses confirming testing standards and emission levels required for
products.
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quality
UÊ contract specification clauses confirming a commitment to undertake post-construction test-
ing and achieve required emission levels.

the design stage, updated to show the as-constructed status, plus for the first credit:
UÊ manufacturers’ letters or literature confirming testing regimes and emission levels.
SP

quality
UÊ a copy of the testing results from the post-construction measurements at the post-construction
stage assessment.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If any of the materials or products referred

to in these parts of this Issue’s criterion are to be part of a tenant’s fit-out works, any of the Options
1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the required
performance standards.
155
Ene01: Reduction of CO 2 emissions

15 up to 5
The aim of this Issue is to minimise operational energy consumption and CO2 emissions through
good building design.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
UÊ For BREEAM Excellent – six credits
UÊ For BREEAM Outstanding – ten credits.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The process for assessing this Issue under BREEAM
2011 has changed significantly from that used in the BREEAM 2008 Schemes. This has been nec-
essary due to changes, in 2010, to Part L2A of the Building Regulations. Under the new Regula-
IM
tions, employing the previous BREEAM method of simply comparing a building’s Carbon Index
(taken from the Energy Performance Certificate Rating calculation used for England, Wales and
Northern Ireland), with set benchmarks, could result in the paradox of more credits being awarded
to certain buildings which actually have higher CO2 emissions than others. This is because the
new Regulations aim to achieve a 25 per cent aggregate reduction in CO2 emissions across all
EC
non-domestic building types. However, improvements for different building types vary, as can be
seen in Table 4.3.
TABLE 4.3: Percentage CO2 reductions for various Building Regulations Part L2A
compliant non-domestic building types
Building type Percentage reduction for compliant building

SP
Shallow plan heated office building –22
Shallow plan air-conditioned office building – 40
Deep plan air-conditioned office building –26
Warehouse –34
Hotel –16
Retail unit –21
Supermarket –26
School –27
Source: Table 7 – Implementation Stage Impact Assessment of Revisions to Parts F and L of the Building Regulations from 2010,
Department for Communities and Local Government (March 2010).
Available at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partlf2010ia
BRE has, therefore, adopted a new approach which requires a building’s Energy Performance Ratio for
New Construction (EPRNC) to be established if credits are to be awarded. This is based on the following
156
Ene01: Reduction of CO 2 emissions (continued)
benchmark outputs from a National Calculation Methodology software analysis (Simplified Building
Energy Model (SBEM) or other approved software), undertaken by an accredited energy assessor:
UÊ Energy demand (EPRNCDemand) – the building’s actual energy demand for heating and cooling as
a proportion of the notional building’s heating and cooling energy demand (in MJ/m2).
UÊ Energy consumption (EPRNCConsumption) – the building’s actual energy consumption as a propor-
tion of the notional building’s energy consumption (in kWh/m2).
UÊ CO2 emissions (EPRNCCO ) – the building’s Building Emission Rate (BER) as a proportion of the
2
Target Emission Rate (in kgCO2/m2).
There are four steps in determining a building’s EPRNC figure:
UÊ Stage 1: a building’s actual performance, expressed as a percentage of its 2010
EN
Building Regulations’ notional building performance, is determined for its energy demand
(EPRNCDemand), energy consumption (EPRNCConsumption) and CO2 emissions (EPRNCCO ) using the
2
Ene01 calculator.
UÊ Stage 2: each of the percentages from Stage 1 is then translated into a building’s EPRNC
expressed as a value between zero and one, based on where it lies within the range of building
stock modelled by BRE. This is done automatically by the Ene01 calculator.
UÊ Stage 3: the ratios from Stage 2 are then multiplied by the following weightings, again using
IM
the Ene01 calculator, to reflect the degree of influence the designer has over a building’s per-
formance measured against each parameter. The permitted maximum contribution that each
parameter can make towards the overall EPRNC figure is:
– energy demand (EPRNCDemand) – 0.28
– energy consumption (EPRNCConsumption) – 0.34
EC
– CO2 emissions (EPRNCCO ) – 0.38.

2
UÊ Stage 4: The weighted ratios from Stage 3 are then totalled to give an overall EPRNC.
A building’s overall EPRNC is then compared with the benchmarks given in Table 6.1 in the online
Technical Manual,6 to establish the number of credits that can be awarded, which are:
UÊ one credit if a building’s EPRNC is 0.05
UÊ for each 0.1 increment in the EPRNC an additional credit can be awarded, up to six credits
UÊ then, for each 0.04 increment in the EPRNC an additional credit can be awarded, up to nine
SP
credits
UÊ ten credits are awarded for an EPRNC of 0.72
UÊ 11 credits for an EPRNC of 0.75
UÊ then an additional credit is awarded for each 0.04 increment, up to 14 credits
UÊ 15 credits are awarded for an EPRNC of 0.90.
Low- and zero-carbon energy-generating technologies considered in relation to this Issue can be
installed:
either
UÊ on site
or
UÊ near to the site where a private wire arrangement is in place. If any energy generated off site
is fed directly to the building by a dedicated power supply network and the energy gener-
ated is surplus to the demand of the building at the time of supply, it can be fed back into the
national electricity grid.
157
It might be possible to use off-site low- and zero-carbon energy-generating technologies via accred-
ited external renewable energy suppliers but the proposed arrangement for their use must be
agreed with BRE, since generic mechanisms for accrediting their use are not currently recognised.
INNOVATION CREDITS: Innovation credits can be awarded for achieving the following exemplar
levels of performance:
UÊ Five credits where the building is carbon negative in terms of:
– its total operational energy (i.e. regulated and unregulated energy) consumption
– being a net exporter of zero-carbon energy.
The building has to generate more energy from renewable or carbon-neutral energy generation
EN
technologies than it needs to meet its own regulated and unregulated energy use (that is, any
energy use not covered by the Building Regulations, such as energy for office equipment, appli-
ances, cooking, lifts, etc.).
Or
UÊ Up to four credits can be awarded where a building’s EPRNC is equal to or less than 0.90, there
are net CO2 emissions from space heating or cooling, water heating, ventilation and lighting
and a percentage of its regulated operational energy consumption is provided by carbon-
for
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neutral on-site, near-site or accredited external sources of energy generation,
– one additional credit can be awarded where this percentage is 10 per cent
– two credits where it is 20 per cent
– three credits for 50 per cent
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– four credits for 80 per cent.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For self-contained dwellings in multi-residential buildings, two

sets of energy performance data may be required: one set from a Standard Assessment Procedure
(SAP) calculation7 for the dwellings and one from a SBEM calculation for any for non-domestic
areas. Both sets of information must then be inserted into the BREEAM Ene01 calculator to deter-
mine the number of credits to be awarded.
SP
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The benchmarks that make up a building’s

EPRNC are influenced by the following:
UÊ Energy demand (EPRNCDemand) – the design and form of a building contribute by reducing fabric
heat loss, minimising air leakage, reducing solar gains from excessive glazing, etc.
UÊ Energy consumption (EPRNCConsumption) – the type and efficiency of the building services contribute
by using highly efficient boilers and lighting and reducing consumption through controls, etc.
UÊ CO2 emissions (EPRNCCO ) – the type of fuel used by building services contributes, especially if
2
low- or zero-carbon energy-generating technologies are used.
In order to maximise the credits from this Issue, designers must adopt an energy hierarchy approach
to the design:
UÊ First, reducing energy demand as far as possible through architectural passive measures
appropriate to the local climate, site constraints and building use.
158
UÊ Second, reducing energy consumption through the careful choice of plant and equipment.
UÊ Finally, only when demand has been reduced as far as possible should low-carbon and zero-
carbon renewable energy technologies, appropriate for the required energy profile and loca-
tion, be considered in order to reduce the building’s CO2 emissions further.
The BREEAM online Technical Manual6 states that, for any credits to be awarded, a building must
perform better than a Building Regulations compliant building. It also suggests the level of improve-
ment required to Building Regulations compliant buildings for the following credits to be awarded:
UÊ For one credit, a building’s BER has to be 5 per cent lower than its Target Emission Rate (TER),
even if demand and consumption are no better than those of the notional building. Alternatively,
a 5 per cent improvement in a building’s energy demand or energy consumption will also result
EN
in a single credit, even if the improvement of the BER over the TER is less than 5 per cent.
UÊ The minimum EPRNC required to achieve the six credits needed for a BREEAM Excellent rating
is 0.55, which will require an EPRNCCO of 0.22, equating to a building’s BER showing a 25 per
2
cent improvement on its TER.
UÊ The minimum EPRNC required to achieve the ten credits needed for a BREEAM Outstanding
rating is 0.72, which will require a EPRNCCO of 0.30, equating to a building’s BER showing a 40
2
per cent improvement on its TER.
IM
UÊ The maximum number of 15 credits, in relation to regulated energy, can only be awarded to a
net zero-carbon building with an EPRNC of 0.90, which will require an EPRNCCO of 0.38, equat-
2
ing to a building’s BER showing a 100 per cent improvement on its TER.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: To determine a building’s

EC
EPRNC and the number of credits available:

UÊ a copy of the Building Regulations Part L (BRUKL) Output Document produced by an accred-
ited energy assessor using an approved form of software.
For the Innovation credits associated with the exemplar levels of performance, the following addi-
tional information is required:
UÊ A report, calculations, etc. from manufacturers, suppliers or service engineers confirming the
source and quantity of carbon-neutral energy generation for the building, and a calculation esti-
SP
mating the energy consumption of any unregulated energy and of any exported energy surplus.
UÊ Written confirmation from the client that any surplus carbon-neutral energy generated and
exported to the grid will not be used to claim Renewable Obligations Certificates (ROCs).

To determine a building’s EPRNC, the same as at the design stage, but updated to show the
as-constructed status.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: When calculating the energy perfor-

mance for a shell and core building, the most intensive heating, ventilation, air conditioning and
lighting efficiencies permissible for a fit-out under the Building Regulations have to be assumed
in determining the number of credits to be awarded, unless performance specification levels are
confirmed with a tenant within a legally enforceable Green Lease Agreement.
Green Building Guides cannot be used in relation to this Issue.
159
Tra03: Cyclist facilities

1 or 2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage building users to cycle by providing adequate facili-
ties for cyclists.
PREREQUISITES: None relating to cycle storage, but credits relating to cyclist facilities are only
EN
awarded if sufficient cycle storage is provided.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The detailed requirements regarding the number of

cycle storage spaces and cyclist facilities required for the award of credits can be summarised as
follows (but check the online Technical Manual6 for details):
UÊ Pre-school:
–
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for one credit – one cycle space per ten staff
– for two credits – required cycle storage
plus
– two compliant cyclist facilities.
EC
UÊ Primary schools:
– for one credit – five cycle spaces per form or class in year group
plus
UÊ Secondary schools and sixth-form colleges:
– for one credit – one cycle space per ten staff and pupils
SP

plus
UÊ Further and higher education buildings:
– for one credit – one cycle space per ten staff and students
plus
UÊ Offices and industrial buildings:
– for one credit – one cycle space per ten building occupants
plus
160
Tra03: Cyclist facilities (continued)
UÊ Retail buildings – shopping centres and retail parks:

– for one credit – one cycle space per ten staff
plus
– one cycle space per 20 public car-parking spaces (with a minimum of ten and a maximum
of 50 spaces)
plus
– two compliant cyclist facilities for staff only.
UÊ Individual retail units:
– for one credit – ten cycle spaces per unit
EN
plus
UÊ Healthcare buildings:
plus
– one cycle space per two consulting rooms or ten beds
–
plus
IM
for two credits – required cycle storage

UÊ Law courts:
EC
plus
– one cycle space per ten building visitors
plus
UÊ Prison establishment located building:
SP
plus
UÊ Multi-residential buildings – student residences and key worker accommodation:
plus
– one cycle space per two residents.
UÊ Multi-residential buildings – sheltered housing, care homes and supported housing for the
disabled:
plus
– two compliant cyclist facilities for staff, and
– one wheelchair or electric buggy storage space per ten residents.
UÊ Other buildings predominantly occupied by staff with occasional business-related visitors:
– for one credit – one cycle space per ten building occupants
⁄
161
plus
UÊ Other buildings – occupied by a core of staff with a larger number of consistently frequent
visitors:
plus
– one cycle space per ten visitors or beds
plus
EN
UÊ Other buildings – occupied by a core of staff with a larger number of consistently frequent
visitors but located rurally:
– for one credit – one cycle space per 20 staff
plus
– two compliant cyclist facilities for staff only
– for one credit – one cycle space per 20 visitors or beds.
UÊ Other buildings – transport hubs:
–
–
IM
for one credit – one cycle space per ten staff
for one credit – one cycle space per ten public users.
UÊ Other buildings – MOD non-residential buildings:
– for one credit – one cycle space per ten living-out personnel
EC
plus
UÊ Other buildings – MOD residential buildings:
– one credit – one cycle space per two residents.
Compliant cycle storage requires the following provisions:
UÊ One storage space per unit of measure (i.e. number of staff or other user groups) as defined
above with a minimum of four spaces.
SP
UÊ For up to 500 users, one space per ten users; between 500 and 1,000 users, one space per 15
users; and over 1,000 users, one space per 20 users.
UÊ A permanent structure with a roof to protect from the weather.
UÊ To be located within view of, or overlooked by, an occupied building or main access road.
UÊ The majority of the cycle storage must be within 50 m of the building entrance. However, if
site constraints dictate that it can be only within 100 m, this might be accepted if supporting
evidence is provided.
UÊ Lighting must achieve the performance standards set out in Hea01: Visual comfort, controlled
to avoid out-of-hours use or operation during daylight hours.
UÊ Cycle storage racks which allow the cycle’s frame and wheels to be securely locked to them.
Alternatively, cycle storage can be located in a locked enclosure or room, but this must be
equipped with CCTV surveillance, which imposes a maintenance and management burden.
UÊ Distances between cycle racks must be as indicated in the Metric Handbook8 for easy storage
and removal of cycles.
162
UÊ The minimum distance between cycle storage racks and obstructions or walls is 300 mm for
single-sided storage and 900 mm for double-sided storage.
If it is not possible to confirm the number of building occupants:
either
UÊ use the default occupancy rates given in Table 7-1 in relation to Tra04: Maximum car parking
capacity
or
UÊ quote examples of similar sized buildings.
There is a choice of three types of cyclist facilities:
UÊ showers
EN
UÊ changing facilities and lockers
UÊ drying space for clothes.
Compliant showers must have:
UÊ one shower per ten cycle storage spaces with a minimum of one shower, though showers do
not need to be dedicated for cyclist use only
UÊ provision for both male and female cyclists by providing either separate showers or a single
shower cubicle with changing space for mixed use.
IM
Additional requirements for schools are described in the online Technical Manual.6
Compliant changing facilities and lockers must:

UÊ be appropriately sized for the numbers using them (this is left to the judgement of the Asses-
sor so any proposals should be based on a recognised standard, such as the Metric Hand-
EC
book,8 and discussed with the Assessor)

UÊ provide adequate space to store clothes and equipment while cyclists change and shower
UÊ have a number of lockers equal to the number of cycle spaces provided, for both male and
female cyclists, adjacent to changing rooms.
Note that toilet and shower cubicles cannot be counted as changing facilities.
Compliant drying space for clothes must:

SP
UÊ be designed and designated as a drying space

UÊ be adequately heated and ventilated to comply with Part F of the Building Regulations.
Plant rooms cannot be used as drying spaces
Compliant wheelchair and buggy storage facilities must have:

UÊ charging points for at least two electric buggies provided within the storage space
UÊ easy access from inside and outside the building and must be secure
UÊ direct access to the inside of the building
UÊ lighting that meets the criteria of Hea01: Visual comfort.

assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), the requirements of CSH Issue Ene 8 must
be achieved for any BREEAM credits to be awarded.
⁄
163
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: For buildings with large numbers of staff or

visitors the required number of cycle spaces can be reduced using a sliding scale. If the cycle provi-
sion is for one cycle space per ten staff or visitors, this is used for up to 500 users, then:
UÊ between 500 and 1,000 the requirement is one cycle space per 15 users
UÊ over 1,000, one cycle space per 20 users.
The cycle storage provision can be halved:
UÊ for sites where at least 50 per cent of the credits have been awarded in relation to Tra01: Public
transport accessibility
UÊ for sites in rural locations where the average building user’s commuting distance is more than
ten miles, including sites in villages, greenfield sites or small urban areas with populations of
EN
under 3,000.
In both cases this will also reduce the requirement for compliant showers, etc. However, the two 50
per cent reductions cannot be added together.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Design drawings and/or

contract specification clauses confirming provision
plus (if relevant):
IM
UÊ the location and size of wheelchair and buggy storage
UÊ the location and number of charging points
UÊ assumptions and calculations used to determine the number of public users.

EC

SP

5 1
The aim of this Issue is to reduce the consumption of potable water for sanitary use in buildings.
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS:
UÊ For a BREEAM Good, Very Good or Excellent rating – one credit.
UÊ For a BREEAM Outstanding rating – two credits.
⁄
164
Wat01: Water consumption (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Where a building’s water consumption is reduced in

comparison with a notional baseline consumption level for a particular building type, the following
credits can be awarded:
UÊ for a 12.5 per cent reduction – one credit
UÊ for a 25 per cent reduction – two credits
UÊ for a 40 per cent reduction – three credits
UÊ for a 50 per cent reduction – four credits
UÊ for a 55 per cent reduction – five credits.
Credits are calculated by the Assessor using the Wat01 calculator using net water consumption
figures provided by the design team or contractor for the following:
EN
UÊ WCs – actual maximum or, where a dual flush cistern is specified, the effective volume in litres
per use. The effective volume for a dual flush cistern is calculated as the ratio of one full flush
for every three reduced volume flushes. So the effective volume of a 6/4 litre dual flush cistern
is 4.5 litres per use.
UÊ Urinals – flush volume in litres per user for a single use flush urinal. For cistern-fed urinals the
flushing frequency per hour and cistern capacity in litres must be provided.
UÊ Taps – flush rate for each tap type must be provided, including any reduction achieved by any
IM
flow restrictor at full flow rate in litres per minute, at a pressure of 3.0±0.2 bar/0.3±0.02 MPa
if they are high pressure (Type 1) taps or at 0.1±0.02 bar/0.01±0.002 MPa if they are low pres-
sure (Type 2) taps, as defined by BS EN 200: Sanitary tapware: Single taps and combination
taps for water supply systems of type 1 and type 2: General technical specification (2008).
UÊ Showers – flow rate for each shower type at the outlet, when using cold water, in litres per min-
EC
ute at a pressure of 3.0±0.2 bar/0.3±0.02 MPa if they are high pressure (Type 1) supply systems
or at a dynamic pressure of 0.1±0.05 bar/0.01±0.005 MPa if they are low pressure (Type 2) sup-
ply systems, as defined by BS EN 1112: Sanitary tapware: Shower outlets for sanitary tapware
for water supply systems type 1 and type 2. General technical specification (2008).
UÊ Kitchen taps – maximum flow rate in litres per minute.
UÊ Baths – capacity up to the overflow level in litres. The Wat01 calculator will then assume 40
per cent of this for the water consumption calculation and flow rates for any taps on the bath
SP
are not required.

UÊ Dishwashers – for domestic situations, litres per cycle, and for non-domestic situations, litres
per rack.
UÊ Washing machines – for domestic situations, litres per use, and for non-domestic situations,
litres per kilogram of washing.
UÊ Waste disposal units – flow rate in litres per minute.
Additionally, the water consumption of a building can be reduced through the use of either a rain-
water harvesting or greywater system for flushing WCs and/or urinals as follows:
UÊ Rainwater harvesting system – to be specified and installed to BS8515: Rainwater Harvesting
System – Code of Practice (2009). Its capacity to reduce the water consumption is based on
a calculation either using the intermediate approach in this standard (which will require the
area of the collection zone, yield co-efficient for the system, hydraulic filter efficiency and the
appropriate rainfall for the site in mm per year) or the detailed approach using the daily rainfall
collection figure in litres.
165
UÊ Greywater system – to be specified to BS8525: Greywater System – Part 1: Code of Practice

(2010). Capacity to reduce water consumption is based on a calculation from this standard
using manufacturers’ data and the percentage volume of waste water collected from wash-
hand basins, showers, kitchen basins, baths, dishwashers, washing machines and other appro-
priate sources of waste water.
UÊ Water consumption should be reduced first, prior to considering the use of either a rainwater
harvesting or greywater system if either four or five credits, or an Innovation credit, are
targeted for award. The rainwater harvesting and/or greywater systems must, in themselves,
provide water for reuse that is equivalent to a 25 per cent reduction on the notional baseline
consumption level for a particular building type.
EN
UÊ Water from either a rainwater harvesting or greywater system could also be used to offset
mains water usage for other consistent non-potable water demand within a building, such as a
laundry. It is advisable to seek advice from the Assessor in these instances.
If the building being assessed is a mixed-use development, the overall building’s total water con-
sumption performance is determined by a separate assessment for each area of different uses or
building types from which the Assessor will calculate an overall reduction level.
IM
In some instances, the proposed building use may not be covered by the Wat01 calculator, in which
case the Assessor will contact BRE to agree an appropriate methodology for calculating the build-
ing’s water consumption. Where a building, or an extension to a building, does not contain any
water-consuming equipment, the facilities that are most likely to be used by the building users must
be assessed, applying the criteria of this Issue.
EC
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded if the exemplar performance
standard is achieved for a 65 per cent reduction when compared with a notional baseline consump-
tion level for a particular building type.
UÊ For healthcare buildings, in addition to meeting an overall percentage in water consumption,
SP
each bath must also be fitted with a device which automatically stops the flow from taps once
the bath’s maximum capacity is reached. The flushing control for each WC and urinal must
also be suitable for operation by patients with frail or infirm hands or activated by electronic
sensors. Water-consuming equipment in clinical areas, such as scrub facilities, can be excluded
from the calculations.
UÊ For prison buildings, in addition to meeting an overall percentage in water consumption,
where sanitary fittings are specified in cells, a volume controller, which will turn off the water
supply once the maximum preset volume has been reached within a defined period, must be
attached to each fitting or to the water supply to each cell.
UÊ For multi-residential buildings, where self-contained dwellings are assessed using the Code for
Sustainable Homes (CSH), any credits awarded for CSH Issue Wat 1 cannot be applied directly
to a BREEAM 2011 Assessment.
166
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The online Technical Manual 6 suggests

the typical water efficiency levels that different pieces of water-consuming equipment have to
achieve in relation to the number of credits that can be awarded. This information is summarised
in Table 4.4. These figures are indicative only and the consumption figures obtained for each
specified item should be checked with the Assessor using the Wat01 calculator to ensure that
the credits being targeted can be awarded before the contract specification is finalised and
components ordered.
TABLE 4.4: Wat01: Water consumption – typical water efficiency levels for the award of credits, © BRE Global Ltd 2011
EN
Component Unit of measure For 1 credit to For 2 credits For 3 credits For 4 credits For 5 credits
be awarded to be awarded to be awarded to be awarded to be awarded
WCs Effective flush 5.00 4.50 4.00 3.75 3.00

volume (litres)
Wash-hand Volume 9.00 7.50 4.50 3.75 3.00
basin taps (litres/minute)
Showers Volume 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 3.50
Baths
(litres/minute)
Volume
(litres)
180.00
IM 160.00 140.00 120.00 100.00
Single urinal Volume 8.00 4.00 2.00 1.00 0.00

(litres/bowl/hour)
Two or more Volume 6.00 3.00 1.50 0.75 0.00
EC
urinals (litres/bowl/hour)
Kitchen taps Volume 10.00 7.50 5.00 5.00 5.00
(litres/minute)
Kitchen taps in Volume 9.00 8.30 7.30 6.30 6.00

restaurants (litres/minute)
(pre-rinse
nozzles)
SP
Domestic-sized Volume 13.00 13.00 12.00 11.00 10.00

dishwashers (litres/cycle)
Commercial Volume 7.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00
dishwashers (litres/rack)
Domestic- Volume
60.00 50.00 40.00 35.00 30.00
sized washing (litres/use)
machines
Commercial/ Volume 12.00 10.00 7.50 5.00 4.50

industrial- (litres/kg)
sized washing
machines
Waste disposal Volume 17.00 Not specified Not specified Not specified Not specified
unit (litres/minute)
167

UÊ Specification clauses confirming technical requirements for all sanitary fittings and rainwater
harvesting or greywater systems.
UÊ Manufacturers’ data sheets confirming the capacity of the sanitary fittings specified or installed.
UÊ A copy of the instruction to or a letter from the client or principal contractor confirming that
sufficient information will be provided to allow the Wat01 calculations to be completed.
Where documentary information is not available at this stage, the client must forward a copy of
the written instruction to the main contractor and/or suppliers to provide sufficient information to
complete the water calculations.
EN
Either
UÊ a completed Wat01 calculation supported by manufacturers’ literature confirming consump-
tion figures
UÊ written confirmation from the client that fittings specified at the design stage have been
installed, supported by a BREEAM Assessor site inspection or photographic evidence con-
firming a compliant installation
IM
UÊ where only a letter of commitment has been provided at the design stage, revised calculations
and detailed evidence as required at the design stage
or
UÊ where installed sanitary fittings differ from those proposed at the design stage, a revised Wat01
calculation is undertaken, supported by manufacturers’ literature confirming water consumption
EC
figures and revised calculations for rainwater harvesting or greywater systems, if necessary.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If a water supply is provided to tenanted

areas but sanitary fittings are to be specified and fitted by the tenant, one of the Options 1, 2
or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the required
performance standards.
SP
Wat04: Water-efficient equipment

1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce unregulated water consumption by the procurement of
water-efficient equipment.
PREREQUISITES: None
⁄
168
Wat04: Water-efficient equipment (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the irrigation
method for both internal and external planting is one of the following:
UÊ Drip-feed sub-surface zoned irrigation incorporating soil-moisture sensors to provide variable
levels of irrigation (a rainstat must also be installed to prevent automatic irrigation to external
planting during periods of rainfall).
UÊ Water from a rainwater harvesting and/or greywater system with storage sized to suit the area
of soft landscaping.
UÊ External planting that relies solely on precipitation all year round.
EN
UÊ Specified planting of species that thrive in hot and dry conditions.
UÊ Manual watering where no dedicated, mains-fed irrigation system (including pop-up sprinklers
and hoses) is provided.
Plus, where a vehicle-wash facility is specified, it must be either a full or partial water-reclaim unit
containing one or more of the following items, provided by a product listed on the Enhanced Capi-
tal Allowances Water Technology List:9
UÊ a Hydro-cyclone
UÊ a sand or activated filter
UÊ a sump tank
IM
UÊ three chamber interceptors
UÊ a cartridge or bag filter.
If there is no planting or vehicle wash in a particular development, this Issue will not be assessed.
EC

assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), and the requirements of CSH Issue Wat 4
are achieved, this BREEAM credit can be awarded, provided that the external water collection facil-
ity provides sufficient storage volume for all the buildings.
SP
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: It is important that the architect works closely

with the landscape architect and service engineer so that they are aware of the requirements of
this Issue. The products listed on the Enhanced Capital Allowances Water Technology List9 must be
checked prior to specifying the vehicle-wash facility.

UÊ Documents detailing the proposed internal and/or external planting and the irrigation
strategy.
UÊ Drawings and specification clauses confirming the planting and irrigation or vehicle-wash sys-
tem proposed.
And/or
UÊ manufacturers’ product details.
169
Wat04: Water-efficient equipment (continued)

UÊ As-constructed drawings or specification confirming internal and external planting and irriga-
tion or vehicle-wash system.
UÊ Manufacturer’s product details of the system installed.
EN
Mat01: Life-cycle impacts
2, 4, 5 or 6 1
IM
The aim of this Issue is to encourage the use of construction materials with low environmental
impact over the full life cycle of a building.
EC
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Credits will be awarded in relation to the environ-

mental life-cycle impact of the following main building elements:
UÊ external walls
SP
UÊ windows
UÊ roofs
UÊ upper floor construction
UÊ internal walls
UÊ floor finishes and coverings.
Not all of the above building elements are assessed for every building type, so the number of
credits that can be awarded varies between building types, as follows:
UÊ industrial buildings – up to two credits
UÊ prison buildings – up to four credits
UÊ office and retail buildings – up to five credits
UÊ education, healthcare buildings, courts, multi-residential buildings and other building types –
up to six credits.
The environmental life-cycle impacts of main building elements are expressed by the following:
UÊ Their Green Guide rating: a generic rating can be obtained from the BRE’s Green Guide to
Specification website.10
⁄
170
Mat01: Life-cycle impacts (continued)
UÊ A bespoke Green Guide rating, which the Assessor can obtain by completing the online Green
Guide calculator or by submitting a bespoke Green Guide query pro-forma to BRE. A detailed
specification and detailed drawings of the element must be submitted for BRE to provide the
rating.
UÊ An independently verified third party Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), produced in
accordance with the requirements of the BS ISO 14020 series. Where a product within a build-
ing element has an EPD, its impact can be assessed by inserting its details into a request for
a bespoke Green Guide rating. The extent of the EPD should also be considered. If it covers
the whole life cycle of a product (i.e. cradle to grave), it is considered to be a Tier 1 EPD. If it
only covers part of a product’s life cycle (i.e. cradle to gate), it is considered a Tier 2 EPD. This
EN
information is inserted into the Mat01 calculator.
Credits are awarded in relation to the points scored when the details of the specified building ele-
ments are inserted into the Mat01 calculator.
The steps required to translate the environmental life-cycle impacts of building elements, as rep-
resented by their Green Guide rating,10 into an overall performance score for a building’s life-cycle
impact, and the corresponding number of credits, are detailed below:
IM
UÊ Step 1: the Green Guide rating is translated into a number of points as indicated in the online
Technical Manual6 for use in the Mat01 calculator, as follows:
– A+ rating – 3.00 points
– A rating – 2.00 points
– B rating – 1.00 point
EC
– C rating – 0.5 points

– D rating – 0.25 points
– E rating – 0.0 points
UÊ Step 2: the maximum number of points available for any building is the number of main build-
ing elements being assessed multiplied by three. For an office building, five main building
elements are assessed, so the maximum number of points available is 15 (i.e. 5 × 3 = 15).
UÊ Step 3: where a main building element (e.g. external walls) consists of a number of different
SP
specifications, an overall weighted points score is calculated according to the relative area and
points scored for each element.
UÊ Step 4: a weighted overall building performance is calculated by totalling the sum of each
main building element area, multiplied by its weighted Green Guide score, divided by the
total area of all of the main building elements.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded in the following circumstances:
Either
UÊ Where four or more main building elements are assessed, the overall building score is two points
better that the score required for the maximum number of credits for that building type.
Or
UÊ where fewer than four main building elements are assessed, the overall building score is at
least one point better than the score required for the maximum number of credits for that
building type.
171
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: The main building elements assessed by this Issue vary between
different building types, as follows:
UÊ industrial buildings – external walls and roof
UÊ prison buildings – external walls, roof, upper floors and floor finishes and coverings
UÊ office and retail buildings – external walls, windows, roofs, upper floors and floor finishes and
coverings
UÊ education, healthcare, courts, multi-residential and other building types – external walls, win-
dows, roofs, upper floors, internal walls and floor finishes and coverings.
Not all of the building types for which a BREEAM Assessment can be carried out are indicated
on the Green Guide to Specification web page. The online Technical Manual6 provides additional
EN
guidance in relation to the following building types:
UÊ Further or higher education buildings – use elements in the education section or, if the build-
ing use is closer to another building type (e.g. an office), use the appropriate section.
UÊ Prison buildings – use the healthcare section for elements that might not be common in other
building types. If the prison building is closer to another building type, select the appropriate
section.
UÊ Law courts – the education section may be most appropriate in this case.
IM
UÊ Multi-residential buildings – use the domestic section, unless it is a high-rise building (that is,
over three storeys), in which case use the commercial section for external walls and windows,
although the healthcare section might provide more appropriate guidance on floor finishes.
UÊ Other building types – if there is any doubt about which section to use, the Assessor will seek
advice from BRE.
EC
UÊ Common elements – the Green Guide ratings for external wall, landscaping and commercial
windows are common to all building types.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The choice of materials for the major build-
ing elements clearly has a significant impact on the credits that can be awarded for this Issue. The
architect should discuss this choice with the Assessor at the earliest possible stage so that a sample
calculation using the Mat01 calculator can be undertaken and, if any changes are required, they can
SP
be included as soon as possible.
Some building elements will have a greater influence than others on the score and the number of
credits to be awarded. This is because the Green Guide rating levels vary for each building element
due to the fact that their environmental impacts, measured by BRE’s Ecopoints, also vary. Some
building elements (such as external walls) have a larger number of Ecopoints than others (such as
internal walls), making it crucial that they have a higher Green Guide rating score. For example, in
multi-storey buildings it is often more critical that the upper floor construction specification has an
A+ rated than that the windows do.

UÊ Drawings showing locations and areas of all the various building element specifications.
UÊ Confirmation of the Green Guide rating and element number for each element specified or
copies of an element’s EPD or a copy of BRE’s bespoke Green Guide rating or a copy of an
Environmental Profile Certificate.
⁄
172
UÊ Contract specification clauses providing a detailed description of each building element.

UÊ Drawings showing locations and areas of all the various as-constructed building element speci-
fications and highlighting any changes since the design stages.
UÊ Confirmation of the as-constructed Green Guide rating.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where floor finishes are not specified,
one of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compli-
ance with the required performance standards.
EN
Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials IM
3 1
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the specification of responsibly sourced key building
materials and products.
PREREQUISITES: None
MINIMUM STANDARDS: For any BREEAM rating to be achieved, all timber specified and
installed in a building must be sourced in accordance with the UK Government’s Timber Procure-
SP
ment Policy. Details of this policy and the individual policies of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern
Irish Governments can be found on the Central Point of Expertise for Timber Procurement web-
site.11 Government policy requires all timber and wood-derived products to be sourced only from
one of the following:
Either
UÊ independently verified legal and sustainable sources, such as those certified by the Programme
for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
As an umbrella scheme, PEFC also endorses national schemes, such as the Canadian CSA and
North American SFI schemes.
Or
UÊ Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensed timber or equivalent sources,
although at the time of writing no FLEGT licensed timber was available. For the latest position,
consult the Central Point of Expertise for Timber Procurement website.11
Plus
173
Mat03: Responsible sourcing of materials (continued)
UÊ the timber must not be listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES) agreement as species threatened with extinction (Appendix I), or as species in which
trade must be controlled to avoid utilisation incompatible with their survival (Appendix II). The
Convention applies to species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other
CITES parties for assistance in controlling trade in that timber species (Appendix III).12
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The number of credits available is determined by

assessing the rigour of the process involved in responsibly sourcing the products or materials within
a range of building elements. The points scored are given as a percentage of the possible maxi-
mum score, as follows:
EN
UÊ one credit – where 18 per cent of the available points are achieved
UÊ two credits – where 36 per cent of the available points are achieved
UÊ three credits – where 54 per cent of the available points are achieved.
A maximum of 4.0 points can be scored for each of the following building elements, if present,
within a building:
UÊ structural frame
UÊ ground floor
UÊ upper floors
UÊ roof
IM
UÊ external walls
UÊ internal walls
UÊ foundations or substructure
EC
UÊ fittings, including staircases, windows (frame and glazing units), doors (internal and external),
floor finishes and any other significant fittings
UÊ hard landscaping, including materials for surfacing (and sub-bases) external pedestrian areas
and lightly and heavily trafficked areas. Where the area of hard landscaping is smaller than the
gross floor area of the building, it is excluded from the assessment.
The number of points that can be scored will vary depending on the number of building elements
being assessed. So, if all of the nine building elements listed above are present, the maximum
SP
number of points available would be 36, i.e.

9 × 4 = 36 points
So, in this case, for one credit to be awarded, 6.5 points would have to be achieved, i.e.
36 × 18% (0.18) = 6.5 points = one credit
Plus, to achieve any points in a given building element at least 80 per cent of that element must com-
prise materials that are responsibly sourced and fall within Tier Levels 1 to 7, as described below.
The range of materials that must be assessed within a building element, and the key processes and
key supply chain processes that must be assessed in relation to a material, are as follows:
UÊ Bricks (including clay tiles, clay pavers and other ceramic products):
– key process – product manufacture
– key supply chain processes – clay extraction.
174
UÊ Resin-based composites and materials (including GRP and polymeric renders):

– key process – composite product manufacture
– key supply chain processes – glass fibre production (or other principal matrix materials)
and polymer production.
UÊ In-situ concrete (including ready mix, cementitious mortars and renders):
– key process – ready mix concrete plant
– key supply chain processes – cement production and aggregate extraction and
production.
UÊ Pre-cast concrete and other concrete products (including blocks, cladding, pre-cast flooring,
pavers, concrete or cementitious roof tiles):
EN
– key process – concrete product manufacture
– key supply chain processes – cement production and aggregate extraction and
production.
UÊ Glass:
– key process – glass production
– key supply chain processes – sand extraction and soda ash production or extraction.
UÊ Plastic and rubbers (including EPDM, TPO, PVC and VET roofing and other membranes and
polymeric renders):
–
IM
key process – plastic and rubber product manufacture
– key supply chain process – main polymer production.
UÊ Metals (steel, aluminium, etc.):
– key process – metal production manufacture for steel section or cladding, etc.
EC
– key supply chain processes – for steel: electric arc furnace or basic oxygen furnace pro-
cess; for aluminium: ingot production; for copper: ingot or cathode production.
UÊ Dressed or building stone (including slate):
– key process – stone product manufacture
– key supply chain process – stone extraction.
UÊ Stone and gravel:
SP
– key supply chain processes – one or two inputs with significant production or extraction
impacts have to be identified.
UÊ Timber, wood-based composite and panels (including glulam, plywood, OSB, MDF, chipboard
and cement-bonded particle board):
– key process – timber from certified sources
– key supply chain process – timber production from certified sources.
UÊ Cement-bonded particle board:
– key process – production manufacture and timber production from certified sources
– key supply chain processes – cement production and timber production from certified
sources.
UÊ Plasterboard and plaster:
– key process – plasterboard or plaster manufacture
– key supply chain processes – gypsum extraction, synthetic gypsum (from flue gas desul-
phurisation) by default (recycled content).
175
UÊ Bituminous materials (including roofing membranes and asphalt):

– key supply chain processes – bitumen production, aggregate extraction and production.
UÊ Other mineral-based materials (including fibre cement and calcium silicate products):
– key supply chain processes – cement production, lime production, other mineral extrac-
tion and production.
UÊ Products with 100 per cent recycled content:
– key supply chain processes – recycled input by default.
EN
UÊ Products with lower percentage of recycled content:
– key supply chain processes – supply chain processes for any virgin material in the product
type above, recycled input by default.
For other materials forming part of the building elements being assessed which are not described
above, ask your BREEAM Assessor to confirm the relevant key process and supply chain process(es)
with BRE. Insulation materials, fixings, adhesives and additives are excluded from the assessment
of this Issue.
IM
BREEAM has allocated a Tier Level, ranging from 1 to 7, to the various responsible sourcing certifi-
cation schemes used to assess a material’s key process and key supply chain processes. The levels
are intended to represent the rigour of the certification scheme in terms of BREEAM’s responsible
EC
sourcing criteria. The following certification schemes are recognised by BREEAM:

UÊ BRE Global BES60001 product certification,13 for certification level or scope:
– Excellent – Tier Level 2
– Very Good – Tier Level 3
– Good – Tier Level 4
– Pass – Tier Level 5.
UÊ BRE Global BES60001 standard certification,13 for certification level or scope:
SP
– Excellent – Tier Level 2

– Very Good – Tier Level 3
– Good – Tier Level 4
– Pass – Tier Level 5.
UÊ Canadian Standards Association’s (CSA) Chain of Custody certification – Tier Level 3.
UÊ Certified Environmental Management System for key process and supply chain extraction pro-
cess – Tier Level 6.
UÊ Certified Environmental Management System for the key process only – Tier Level 7.
UÊ Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) Chain of Custody certification – Tier Level 3.
UÊ Green Dragon Environmental Standard for Level 4 or above – Tier Level 7.
UÊ Recycled materials, with a certified EMS for the key process – Tier Level 6.
UÊ Reused materials – Tier Level 3.
UÊ Malaysian Timber Certification Council’s (MTCC) Chain of Custody certification – Tier Level 6.
UÊ Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody certification
– Tier Level 3.
⁄
176
UÊ Sustainable Forestry Initiative Chain of Custody certification – Tier Level 3.

UÊ Société Général de Surveillance’s (SGS) Timber Legality and Traceability Scheme verification
– Tier Level 6.
UÊ Rainforest Alliance’s Verification of Legal Origin and Compliance Scheme – Tier Level 6.
The points awarded for each Tier Level are:
UÊ Tier Level 1 – 4.0 points
EN
UÊ Tier Level 7 – 0 points.
Where a building element is made up of several materials, each material has to be considered
separately and a relative proportion of points awarded for its use as follows:
1 Establish the percentage of each applicable material in relation to the overall building element
(e.g. bricks make up 60 per cent of an external wall).
2 Determine the Tier Level of each applicable material and the points applicable to that Tier
3
IM
Level (i.e. a Tier Level 3 material will score 3.0 points).
Establish the percentage of each responsibly sourced material in relation to the overall contri-
bution of the responsibly sourced materials (e.g. if 85 per cent of an external wall comprises
responsibly sourced materials, then the bricks contribute 70.5 per cent to the responsible
sourcing of this element, 60/85 × 100. The points achieved by the bricks are 2.12 points, 3 ×
EC
70.5 per cent).

4 The adjusted points for each responsibly sourced material are then totalled to establish the
points scored for that building element.
In addition to consisting of several materials, a building element may also incorporate a number of
different specifications. In this case, the above process should be repeated for each specification
as follows:
UÊ Establish the percentage of each applicable material, both in relation to each building element
SP
specification and in relation to the overall building element.

UÊ Determine the Tier Level of each applicable material and the points applicable to that Tier
Level.
UÊ Establish the percentage of each responsibly sourced material in relation to its overall con-
tribution to the whole building element and calculate the adjusted points scored for each
applicable material in each specification.
UÊ Total the adjusted points for each responsibly sourced material within a building element to
establish the points scored for that building element.
The percentage breakdown of materials within a building element is determined:
either
UÊ where a specification matches a Green Guide rated element specification, by use of the BRE
online Responsible Sourcing calculator, available to BREEAM Assessors on their Extranet site
or
UÊ by use of an applicable materials breakdown provided by the design team giving a volume or
percentage for each material in the building element.
⁄
177
Timber volumes in window and door components can be established by obtaining the following
manufacturers’ product data:
UÊ Timber windows: for fixed lights multiply the total length of the window frame by 0.00653 and
for opening lights multiply the total length of the frame by 0.01089 to establish a volume.
UÊ Timber flush doors: multiply the face areas of all the doors by 0.02187 to establish a volume
for the door leafs and frames.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where 70 per cent of the avail-
able responsible sourcing points are achieved.
EN
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: In industrial buildings, fittings can be excluded from the range
of building elements to be assessed.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: This can be one of the most complex Issues
to assess, making it very difficult to gauge how many credits can be awarded at an early stage in
the BREEAM process. It is, therefore, important to establish as early in the design process as pos-
sible that responsible sourcing data is available from potential suppliers of products that may be
IM
specified. Unfortunately, it is often very difficult to obtain the appropriate information from manu-
facturers’ websites.
The GreenBookLive website provides a list of manufacturers whose processes have been assessed
using BES60001.13 Currently, this is limited mainly to manufacturers of concrete or brick-related
EC
products and steel reinforcement, etc. BRE Global also certifies a limited number of manufactures’
ISO 14001 environmental management schemes. A list of these is available on the GreenBookLive
website.
The design team must be prepared to put considerable effort into tracking down the information
required by the Assessor.
SP

UÊ Copies of design plans and details of the materials specified for each building element.
UÊ Copies of relevant responsible source certificates for the applicable materials within the build-
ing elements, or the relevant contract specification clause or a letter of commitment from the
design team that the applicable products will be responsibly sourced from suppliers capable
of providing certification appropriate to the level required for the Tier Level claimed.
UÊ A copy of the completed output from the Mat03 calculator.
If any recycled materials are proposed, the design team must provide:
UÊ a report from the design team confirming the use of recycled materials in relation to building
elements and applicable materials
UÊ a letter of intent to use suppliers that can provide the required certification for their recycling
processes.
178
In relation to the procurement of timber and wood-derived products, the following must be
provided:
Either
UÊ Written confirmation from the supplier(s) of the timber products that all the timber to be used
is sourced in compliance with the UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy for legal and
sustainable sourcing.
Or
UÊ copies of actual Chain of Custody evidence meeting the Central Point of Expertise for Timber
Procurement requirements.
Or
EN
UÊ a letter of intent from the design team confirming that all timber will be procured in accor-
dance with the above.
In relation to the Green Dragon Environmental Standard, the following must be provided:
UÊ Written confirmation from the proposed supplier of a product or material that the Green
Dragon Environmental Standard has been completed up to and including Tier Level 4, as
indicated on the Green Dragon Environmental Standard Certificate. This certificate should be
dated within one year of the date of the last purchase made from the company, although for
IM
smaller companies with low environmental impacts a renewal date within two years would be
acceptable.
In relation to suppliers who are classed as small or medium-sized companies (i.e. those with turn-
overs of no more than £5.6 million per year and with 50 employees or fewer, with Environmental
Management Systems (EMS)), written confirmation should be obtained from the company that:
EC
UÊ the EMS complies with the requirements of BS8555 (2003)

UÊ the EMS has completed Phase Audits one to four as outlined in BS8555 (2003)
and
UÊ copies of independent certification of the above, where it exists, should be obtained.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: Essen-

tially the same as for the design stage, except that the following must be provided:
SP
UÊ Written confirmation from the design team that evidence provided at the design stage regard-
ing the use of materials in building elements is still applicable.
UÊ Where the specification of materials has altered, evidence as required at the design stage for
any replacement materials on as-constructed drawings, specification, etc.
UÊ Copies of all relevant certificates of as-constructed materials, etc.
UÊ A revised copy of the output from the Mat03 calculator, updated for any new materials, etc.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Fittings, as described in the performance

standards section of this criterion, can be excluded from the range of building elements to be
assessed if they are not included in the base build.
179
Wst02: Recycled aggregates

1 1
The aim of this Issue is to reduce the demand for virgin building materials and optimise mate-
rial efficiency in the construction of buildings by encouraging the use of recycled and secondary
aggregates.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the total amount
of recycled and/or secondary aggregates specified for the development is greater than 25 per cent
(by weight or volume) of the total high-grade aggregates required.
Plus the minimum levels are achieved in relation to the following applications:
IM
UÊ Structural frames, floor slabs (including ground floor slabs), concrete road surfaces, building
foundations – 25 per cent for each element.
UÊ Bitumen or hydraulic bound base, binder and surface courses for paved areas and roads – 50
per cent.
UÊ Pipe bedding – 50 per cent.
EC
UÊ Granular fill and capping – 75 per cent; for granular fill to be considered a high-grade aggre-
gate it must conform to one of the classes described in the Specification for Highway Works
Series – 600 Earthworks.
UÊ Gravel landscaping – 100 per cent.
Recycled and secondary aggregates are defined as:
either
UÊ recycled aggregate obtained from the site being developed
SP
UÊ recycled aggregate obtained from construction, demolition or excavation waste (including road
planings) from a waste processing site within a 30 km radius of the site being developed
or
UÊ secondary aggregate obtained from non-construction, post-consumer or post-industrial by-
products. This includes china clay waste, slate overburden, pulverised fuel ash (PFA), ground
granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), air-cooled blast furnace slag, steel slag, furnace bot-
tom ash (FBA), incinerator bottom ash, foundry sands, recycled glass, recycled plastic, tyres,
spent oil shale, colliery spoil and municipal solid waste treatment residues.
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where the total amount of recy-
cled and/or secondary aggregates specified is greater than 35 per cent (by weight or volume) of
the total high-grade aggregate specified for the development, plus minimum levels are achieved
in relation to the following applications:
UÊ Structural frames, floor slabs (including ground floor slabs), concrete road surfaces, building
foundations – 50 per cent for each element.
⁄
180
Wst02: Recycled aggregates (continued)
UÊ Bitumen or hydraulic bound base, binder and surface courses for paved areas and roads –
75 per cent.
UÊ Pipe bedding – 100 per cent.
UÊ Granular fill and capping – 100 per cent.
UÊ Gravel landscaping – 100 per cent.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The principal difficulties in achieving the

requirements of this Issue are twofold:
EN
UÊ The calculation that the structural engineer must complete to demonstrate that the required
performance standards are being achieved can involve significant work.
UÊ Suitable recycled and/or secondary aggregates may not be available in the required quantities
at the time stipulated in the construction programme, although the supply of recycled and/or
secondary aggregates is increasing.
WRAP has set up AggRegain, a website that helps designers to source recycled and/or secondary
aggregates.14
IM
UÊ Copies of contract specification clauses requiring the use of recycled and/or secondary aggre-
gates for each of the above applications.
UÊ A calculation, usually carried out by the structural engineer, confirming the weight or volume
EC
of high-grade aggregate used for each of the above applications and a calculation confirming
the percentage of recycled and/or secondary aggregates specified for use.
UÊ Documentation confirming the source of the proposed recycled and/or secondary aggregates
and confirmation that the amounts required can be sourced.

UÊ Calculations detailing the weights or volumes and types of aggregates actually used in the
SP
construction works to demonstrate that the design intent was carried out.
UÊ Copies of delivery notes, or letters of confirmation from suppliers, confirming the types and
quantities of aggregate used on site during the construction.
181
Pol01: Impact of refrigerants

3 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions arising from the
leakage of refrigerants from buildings.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Three credits can be awarded if the building does
not require the use of any refrigerants within the following installed systems:
UÊ air conditioning and refrigeration systems
UÊ comfort cooling
UÊ cold storage (excluding domestic fridges and freezers)
IM
UÊ process-based cooling loads (e.g. server room systems).
Alternatively, if the building does require the use of refrigerants in these systems:
UÊ one credit can be awarded where the systems using the refrigerants have a Direct Effect Life
Cycle CO2 equivalent emissions (DELC CO2e) of ≤1,000 kgCO2e per kW cooling capacity
UÊ two credits can be awarded where the systems using the refrigerants have DELC CO2e of
EC
≤100 kgCO2e per kW cooling capacity or the refrigerants have a Global Warming Potential
(GWP) of ≤10. GWP is a measure of potential for global warming relative to one unit of carbon
dioxide. A list of common refrigerants with a GWP of ≤10 is given in Table 12-1 in the online
Technical Manual.6
DELC CO2e is a measure of the refrigerant’s effect on global warming and is calculated using the
Pol01 calculator by entering the following information:
UÊ Global Warming Potential (GWP) of specified refrigerants
SP
UÊ total refrigerant charge (kg)

UÊ cooling capacity of the system(s) (kW)
UÊ sectoral release factors covering:
– annual refrigerant leakage rate, as a percentage of the refrigerant charge – typical rates
for average annual leakage are given in Table 12-2 in the online Technical Manual6
– annual purge release factor, as a percentage of the refrigerant charge
– annual service release factor, as a percentage of the refrigerant charge
– probability factors for catastrophic system failure (as a percentage)
– recovery efficiency, as a percentage of the refrigerant charge.
One further credit can be awarded for buildings with systems using refrigerants in the following
circumstances:
UÊ The systems are contained in a moderately airtight enclosure (one that produces a draught or
significant fresh air ingress), or a mechanically ventilated plant room, and an automated refrig-
erant leak detection system covering high-risk parts of the plant (typically pipe connections
182
Pol01: Impact of refrigerants (continued)
close to the compressor) or a refrigerant leakage or charge loss detection system (not based
on measuring refrigerant in the air) is specified.
UÊ An automatic shut down and pump down of refrigerant will occur on the detection of refrigerant
leakage or charge loss. This can be to either a separate storage tank or into the heat exchanger
if automatic isolation valves are fitted to contain the refrigerant once pumped down.
UÊ The alarm threshold triggering the automatic pump down is set to a maximum level of
2,000 ppm (0.2 per cent).
UÊ The proposed refrigerant leak detection system is included on the Enhanced Capital Allow-
ances Energy Technology Products List.9
This credit is awarded by default for small multiple hermetic systems where the refrigerant charge
EN
is less than 5 kg.
There are also specific performance standards if certain types of refrigerants are proposed:
UÊ CO2 as refrigerant – the installation must comply with BS EN 378 (2008) and the Institute of
Refrigeration’s (IOR) Carbon Dioxide as a Refrigerant Code of Practice,15 except for the criteria
relating to the refrigerant recovery system.
UÊ Ammonia as refrigerant – one credit can be awarded without the need for a recovery system if
IM
designed to BS EN 378 (2008) and the IOR’s Ammonia Refrigeration Systems Code of Practice.16
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: For industrial buildings, this Issue will not be assessed if there are
EC
no offices and the operational areas are untreated.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: If the building is designed to have no

refrigerant-using building services, the credits can be awarded even for a shell-only development,
provided that the tenant does not install refrigerant-using systems before the post-construction
stage assessment is undertaken.
SP

UÊ Documentary evidence confirming the absence of refrigerants in the building.
UÊ A copy of the contract specification clauses or a letter from the service engineer confirming
relevant refrigerant types and systems proposed.
UÊ The information described above must be provided to allow the Assessor to complete the
DELC CO2e calculation using the Pol01 calculator.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: As for the

design stage, updated to show any design changes, confirmed by the provision of as-constructed
drawings and specification.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If the building does contain refrigerant-

using systems and the tenant is to be responsible for part or all of the refrigerant system, one of the
Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the
required performance standards.
183
4.2 Issues which are difficult

to achieve in certain buildings
The parts of the three Issues described below and the credits available for them can be difficult to
achieve in certain buildings. Table 4.5 shows that these Issues only generally contribute between
three and four per cent towards a final BREEAM score. Although the issues they address are impor-
tant, their limited impact can, unfortunately, make failure to achieved their performance standards
less critical than in the case of credits from other Issues.
TABLE 4.5: Issues which are difficult to achieve in certain buildings
EN
buildings buildings
Ed
uca
Mu
tio
lti-
nal
Ed
res
uca
(hig
dei
Ot
Ot
tio
her
ntia
her
her
IM nal
He
ed
l bu
bu
bu
Ind
(sc
uca
alth
Pri
Offi
Co
ildi
ildi
ildi
ho
ust
Re
son
tio
car
urt
ng
ng
ng
ols
ces
tail
rial
n)
s
)
Management Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1

EC
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Potential for natural ventilation criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1
Energy Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Transport Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Water Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4

SP
Materials Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Waste Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Overall % value of the Issues considered in Chapter 4 towards the overall BREEAM score 3.68 4.54 3.81 3.30 4.19 4.04 2.61 3.68 3.41 3.41
184
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion)

1 or 2 1
The aim of this Issue criterion is to achieve best practice visual performance in buildings and
improve comfort for the occupants through the provision of adequate levels of daylighting.
PREREQUISITES: All fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps have to be fitted with high-
EN
frequency ballasts.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The following daylight factors (DF) have to be

achieved in the relevant occupied spaces of the building types described plus the additional stan-
dards indicated below:
IM
UÊ Pre-schools, schools and further education buildings:
– One credit where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of the occupied spaces
plus
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria described below are met.
EC
UÊ Higher education buildings:

– One credit where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 60 per cent of the occupied spaces
plus
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met.
– Two credits where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of the occupied spaces
plus
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met.
SP
UÊ Healthcare buildings:
– two credits where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of the staff and public areas,
and
– 3 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of the occupied patient areas (day rooms,
wards, etc.) and consulting rooms.
UÊ Multi-residential buildings:
– One credit where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of kitchens, and
– 1.5 per cent DF over 80 per cent of living rooms, dining rooms and studies, and
– 2 per cent DF over 80 per cent of non-residential and communal occupied spaces
plus
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met in non-residential and
communal occupied spaces.
UÊ Retail units:
– One credit where point DF of 2 per cent or more is achieved over 35 per cent of sales
185
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) (continued)
areas. It is best to use software to calculate and link all the points of the same daylight
factor values with isolux contours.
– One credit where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of other occupied areas,
plus
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met in other occupied
areas only
UÊ Offices, industrial, courts, prison and other building types:
– one credit where 2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of occupied spaces in each
of these building types.
plus
EN
– the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met
except for
– 1.5 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of cells and custody cells (e.g. in prisons,
courts, etc.)
– 3 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of the internal association and atrium areas
(prison buildings only) and a uniformity ratio of at least 0.7 or a minimum point DF of 2.1
per cent is achieved
–
–
IM
3 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of patient care spaces
2 per cent DF is achieved over 80 per cent of teaching, lecture and seminar spaces and
the uniformity ratio or the sky view and room depth criteria are met
– a point DF of 2 per cent or more over 35 per cent of any retail spaces in these building types.
The additional performance standards over and above the DF levels that have to be achieved are
EC
listed below:
UÊ Uniformity ratio – the ratio between lowest and highest calculated DFs must be at least 0.4,
or there must be a minimum point DF of at least 0.8 per cent. In teaching spaces this unifor-
mity ratio can be 0.3 as defined in Building Bulletin 87: Guidelines for Environmental Design
in Schools. In spaces with glazed roofs a uniformity ratio of at least 0.7 must be achieved or a
minimum point of DF of at least 1.4 per cent.
UÊ Sky view – a direct view of the sky must be achieved from a desk height of 0.7 m in the 80 per
SP
cent of a room that complies with the average DF requirement.

UÊ Room depth criterion – the room depth criterion is calculated from:
d/w + d/HW < 2/(1 - RB), where:
d = room depth
w = room width
HW = window head height from floor level
RB = the average reflectance of surfaces in the rear half of the rooms.
For rooms lit by windows on two opposite sides, the maximum room depth that can be satis-
factorily daylit is usually twice the limiting depth (d) for a room with windows in one wall. The
room depth criterion cannot be used on rooms lit by rooflights, so daylight calculations should
be carried out using appropriate software and Figure 2.36 in CIBSE Lighting Guide LG10 used
to determine the uniformity ratio.
‘Relevant occupied spaces’ in relation to this criterion are areas that are generally occupied continu-
ously for 30 minutes or more. It is important to ensure that all the relevant occupied areas are con-
sidered and the daylighting performance standards achieved to avoid credits being lost. Even small
⁄
186
Hea01: Visual comfort (Daylighting criterion) (continued)
offices, meeting rooms, kitchens and catering areas can be counted as occupied. It is advisable to
agree a list of relevant occupied areas with the Assessor as early as possible in the design process.
INNOVATION CREDITS: Innovation credits can be awarded for achieving the following exem-
plary levels of performance in relation to the specified building types:
UÊ All multi-storey building types (except retail units): 3 per cent DF over 80 per cent of the occu-
pied spaces or, where used, a minimum point DF of 1.2 per cent or 2.1 per cent for spaces
with glazed roofs – one credit.
UÊ All single-storey building types (except retail units): 4 per cent DF over 80 per cent of the occu-
pied spaces or, where used, a minimum point DF of 1.6 per cent or 2.8 per cent for spaces
EN
with glazed roofs – one credit.
UÊ Prison and court cells: 2 per cent DF over 80 per cent of the cell area – one credit.
UÊ Prison, in addition to the above cell requirement, internal association and atrium areas:
5 per cent DF over 80 per cent of the area plus a uniformity ratio of at least 0.7 or a minimum
point DF of 3.5 per cent – one credit.
UÊ Retail units: one credit can be awarded where the following are achieved:
– in sales areas – a point DF of 2 per cent over 50 per cent of the sales area
–
IM
in common areas and offices in multi-storey retail units – 3 per cent DF over 80 per cent
of the occupied spaces or, where used, a minimum point DF of 1.2 per cent, or 2.1 per
cent for spaces with glazed roofs
– in common areas and offices in single-storey retail units – 4 per cent DF over 80 per cent
of the occupied spaces or, where used, a minimum point DF of 1.6 per cent or 2.8 per
EC
cent for spaces with glazed roofs.

In all of the above cases, the relevant requirements for achieving either the required uniformity ratio
or the sky view and room depth criteria must be achieved for the Innovation credit to be awarded.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Where self-contained dwellings are assessed in multi-residential

buildings using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), achieving the requirements of CSH Issue
Hea 1 can contribute towards the award of BREEAM credits, as long as any other occupied spaces
SP
meet the requirements of this Issue.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Achieving the daylighting performance stan-

dards depends to a great extent on a building’s design. The depth of a building, the size and the
location of windows all play crucial roles in determining daylight levels. For instance, deep-plan
office buildings are very unlikely to achieve the daylight factor requirements for this credit. Some
building types have not included sufficient glazing to meet these standards.

UÊ Design drawings.
UÊ Daylight calculations covering all the necessary issues.

the design stage, with calculations updated to show any changes in the as-constructed drawings.

187
Hea02: Indoor air quality

(Potential for natural ventilation criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage a healthy internal environment by providing fresh air
to a building using a natural ventilation strategy.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where it is demonstrated

that occupied spaces within a building have been designed so that fresh air can be provided by a
natural ventilation strategy, such as the following:
UÊ Openable windows equal to 5 per cent of the gross internal area of the occupied space,
IM
defined as the geometric free ventilation area when a window is open, not the glazed area.
UÊ Openable windows, evenly distributed, on opposite sides of rooms or floors which are between
7 and 15 m deep, to provide cross-ventilation.
UÊ The proposed natural ventilation strategy can be shown to maintain thermal comfort condi-
tions and ventilation rates by using ventilation design software recommended by CIBSE AM10
EC
or the ClassVent tool for schools.

UÊ Where a natural ventilation strategy does not rely on openable windows or the occupied space
is deeper than 15 m, it must be demonstrated that an adequate cross-ventilation flow of air will
be provided to maintain the required thermal comfort conditions and ventilation rates.
Plus the proposed natural ventilation strategy must be capable of providing the following two levels
of easily accessible user controls offering adequate control of flow rates to the supply of fresh air:
UÊ higher level control – to provide increased rates of ventilation to remove odours and/or pre-
SP
vent overheating in summer

UÊ lower level control – to provide draught-free fresh air levels to appropriate standards in order
to meet indoor air quality standards throughout the year appropriate to the occupancy load
for the occupied space and any possible internal pollution levels.
An ‘occupied space’ is one that is occupied for 30 minutes or more by a building occupant or user.
The online Technical Manual6 contains a long list of spaces within buildings that can be excluded
from this definition. The Assessor will determine whether any of these apply.
UÊ In multi-residential buildings with self-contained flats, individual bedrooms must have some
form of openable windows. Although these do not need to provide the two levels of user-
control described above, they do have to be occupant controlled.
188
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Potential for natural ventilation criterion) (continued)
UÊ In industrial buildings, the above performance standards only apply to office areas, not opera-
tional areas. If the industrial building does not contain an office area, this criterion is not
assessed.
UÊ This credit is not applicable to prison buildings.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Buildings which are mechanically ventilated

and cooled, but have the potential to be naturally ventilated, can still be awarded the credit if they
can be easily modified to comply with all the above performance standards. This might be accom-
plished by including the appropriate number of openable windows, even if they are sealed initially
to balance a mechanical ventilation system.
EN
Buildings which are predominantly naturally ventilated but require some mechanical ventilation
to boost ventilation rates during peak conditions (e.g. maximum occupancy levels and/or peak
temperatures) can still be awarded the credit provided that the ventilation modelling shows that
the mechanical ventilation is only required during a period that is equal to or less than 5 per cent
of the annual occupied hours. IM
UÊ A copy of the building’s specification clauses or contract requirements and drawings showing
the natural ventilation requirement.
UÊ A letter from the design team confirming details of the ventilation strategy with calculations or
results from software demonstrating how the required performance will be achieved.
EC
UÊ Copies of any manufacturers’ literature to support the potential for natural ventilation (e.g.
window details confirming ventilation area).

Either
UÊ As-constructed drawings, specifications, calculations, etc. confirming how the required perfor-
mance standards have been achieved.
SP
Or
UÊ a letter from the design team or contractor confirming that the design has not changed since
the design stage.
189
Pol03: Surface water run-off

(Surface water run-off criterion)
2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the risk of localised flooding on and close to the site by
avoiding, reducing and delaying the discharge of rainfall to public sewers and watercourses.
PREREQUISITES: A consultant must be appointed to carry out the necessary calculation and
EN
confirm that the performance standards described below can be achieved. This is normally the
structural engineer, although a specialist hydrologist might have to be appointed if the project’s
structural engineer does not have this expertise.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the drainage
system is designed so that:
IM
UÊ the site’s peak rate of run-off is no greater for the developed site than it was for the pre-
developed site in relation to one-year and 100-year return period events
UÊ calculations include an allowance for climate change in accordance with best practice planning
guidance – currently Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk.17
EC
Where a site’s impermeable paving area discharging to a watercourse or surface water drainage
system decreases or remains the same from pre- to post-development, the above credit can be
awarded by default. While flow calculations are not necessary, the following must be provided:
UÊ drawings indicating pre- and post-development areas of impermeable paving
UÊ measurements of areas of pre- and post-development impermeable paving
UÊ a Flood Risk Assessment which identifies any opportunities for reducing surface water run-off.
If the site includes new non-adoptable highways, these must be taken into account within the calcu-
SP
lations for a site’s peak and volume run-off rates. However, the following highways can be excluded
from the calculations:
UÊ existing highways
UÊ new adoptable highways.
One credit can be awarded, independently of the other credit, where it is shown that the site will
not flood in the event of a local drainage system failure (caused by either extreme rainfall or lack of
maintenance) and the following can be shown:
Either
UÊ The post-development run-off volume, over a development’s life time, is no greater than it
would have been prior to development,
plus
UÊ any additional predicted volume of run-off from the 100-year six-hour event must be pre-
vented from escaping from the site by the use of an infiltration design or another sustainable
drainage scheme (SuDS) technique.
190
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Surface water run-off criterion) (continued)
Or
UÊ the appropriate consultant must explain why the above criteria cannot be achieved and show
that the post-development peak run-off is reduced to a limiting discharge level that equals
either:
– the pre-development one-year peak flow rate or
– the mean annual flow rate (Qbar) or
– two litres per second per hectare.
UÊ Calculations must include an allowance for climate change in accordance with best practice
planning guidance – currently Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk.17
With regard to both of the above, where the building being assessed forms part of a larger devel-
EN
opment or site:
UÊ each building can be dealt with on an individual basis, with its own dedicated catchment area
that serves only that building
UÊ where a number of buildings are being assessed, the drainage from the sub-catchment areas
serving all the buildings must be considered
UÊ the whole development or site must be assessed for compliance.
Other issues that must be considered are detailed below:
IM
UÊ Sites which have been derelict for five years or more require a reasonable assessment of their
previous drainage network, flow rates and volumes to be made by the consultant undertaking
the calculations.
UÊ Where rainwater harvesting systems are used to reduce flood risk, BS8515: Rainwater Har-
vesting Systems – Code of Practice Annex A should be used for the calculations and the
EC
exceedance flow route capacity provided in accordance with CIRIA report C635 should ignore
the beneficial effect of the rainwater harvesting system.

assessed using the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), and the requirements of CSH Issues Sur 1
SP
and Sur 218 are met, BREEAM credits can be awarded if the whole site is compliant.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Guidance on how to calculate a site’s peak

run-off rate can be obtained from the following sources:
UÊ the SUDS Manual19
UÊ DEFRA/Environment Agency’s Preliminary Rainfall Runoff Management for Developments20
UÊ the Institute of Hydrology’s Report 124, Flood Estimation for Small Catchments21
UÊ the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s Flood Estimation Handbook.22
However, the peak run-off rate and volume run-off criteria are deemed to be met if a site discharges
rainwater directly to a tidal estuary or into the sea.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: In addition to evidence

from the consultant carrying out the calculations that they hold appropriate qualifications to comply
with the BREEAM requirements, the consultant should provide a report including:
191
Pol03: Surface water run-off (Surface water run-off criterion) (continued)
UÊ the type and storage volume of the drainage measures on the site
UÊ the total area of hard surfaces
UÊ peak and volume flow rates (in litres per second) pre- and post-development for the period
return events required
UÊ confirmation of the additional allowance for climate change designed into the drainage
system
UÊ the impact on the building of flooding from a local drainage system failure.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: Evi-

dence is required to confirm that maintenance responsibilities have been defined for any SuDS
EN
solutions installed and:
either
UÊ written confirmation from the developer or consultant that the solutions assessed at the design
stage have been implemented
or
UÊ where the design has changed, evidence for the design stage assessment or as-constructed
details are provided.
IM
EC
4.3 Issues requiring the client to instruct the design team

to undertake additional activities outside their normal
terms of appointment
The one Issue and three parts of Issue criteria described below all require the client to instruct the
design team to undertake additional activities that their normal terms of appointment are unlikely
SP
to include. It can be seen from Table 4.6 that these Issues can generally only contribute 1 or 2 per
cent towards a final BREEAM score. As discussed above, while the issues address important aspects,
their limited impact can make failure to achieved their performance standards less critical than in the
case of credits from other Issues.
192
TABLE 4.6: Issues that require the client to instruct the design team
to undertake additional activities outside their normal appointment terms
buildings buildings
Ed
uca
Mu
tio
lti-
n
Ed
al (
res
uca
hig
ide
Ot
Ot
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her
ntia
her
her
n
al (
He
ed
l bu
bu
bu
Ind
s ch
uca
alth
Pri
Offi
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ildi
us t
Re
oo
s on
tio
car
urt
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ce
tail
rial
gs
gs
gs
ls)
e
s
s
)
Management Category
EN
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Consultation criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Post-occupancy evaluation/information dissemination criterion) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts criterion) IM 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Energy Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Transport Category
EC
SP
193

(Consultation criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to assist in delivering accessible and inclusive buildings through
consultation with those people or organisations affected by the proposed building.
PREREQUISITES: The consultation process should occur during the preparation of the design
EN
brief; normally during RIBA Preparation Stage B (Design Brief).
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the relevant peo-
ple or organisations who will be affected by the proposed building are identified and consulted
during preparation of the design brief. A Consultation Plan has to be developed outlining how and
IM
when the consultation process will happen and how the relevant people or organisations will be
kept informed during the development’s progress.
Relevant people or organisations include:

UÊ actual or potential building users (if known) including facility management staff
EC
UÊ groups representing the community in which the development will take place
UÊ organisations with knowledge of the proposed building type
UÊ potential users of any shared facilities within a proposed building
UÊ local or national heritage groups (to ensure that any historic features or buildings are
protected).
The consultation process has to include the following aspects:
UÊ impacts of the proposed building, including functionality, buildability and aesthetics
SP
UÊ what facilities should be provided, both within and outside the building for its occupants, visi-
tors and users
UÊ management and operational implications of the design
UÊ impacts on the local community arising from a building’s design and construction
UÊ opportunities for any shared use of the building facilities and new infrastructure by the local
community
UÊ confirmation that any statutory consultation has been or will be undertaken.
During the RIBA Design Stages C–D, feedback must be given to the relevant people or organisa-
tions explaining how the consultation has influenced the design.
194
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Consultation criterion) (continued)
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: Certain people or organisations are relevant to specific building

types as follows:
UÊ For educational buildings – representatives of the Board of Governors, local education author-
ity, etc.
UÊ For buildings containing complex environments (e.g. laboratories) – specialist service or main-
tenance contractors.
Some performance standards are specific to certain building types:
UÊ Education, healthcare, law court and major transport node buildings – an independent third-
party review of the proposed development must be carried out during the preparation of the
brief in RIBA Stage B and RIBA Design Stages C–D using methods such as the Design Quality
EN
Indicator23 or the Achieving Excellence Design Evaluation Toolkit in the case of healthcare
buildings.24
UÊ Healthcare buildings – additionally, consultation must be undertaken between the design
team and the client or senior management and staff representatives during RIBA Design Stage
K (Construction to Practical Completion) using the Good Corporate Citizen model25 and a
minimum score of six achieved. There must also be a commitment from the client, facility man-
ager or senior management to reassess the development annually using the Good Corporate
IM
Citizen model, review policies and strategies covered by the model and report back to the
NHS Trust Board.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The level of consultation required for this

Issue is greater than the usual degree of formalisation of the client’s brief. If the credit for this crite-
EC
rion is to be awarded, it is important that the architect and other consultants agree with the client
that this level of service is reflected in their terms of appointment.

UÊ A list of the people or organisations consulted.
UÊ The Consultation Plan.
UÊ Agendas and minutes of consultation meetings.
SP
UÊ Reports demonstrating how consultation feedback was subsequently acted on.

UÊ For healthcare buildings, Good Corporate Citizen documentation and reviewing and reporting
commitments.

the design stage assessment, updated as necessary and, for healthcare buildings, evidence that the
Good Corporate Citizen review and reporting procedures are in place.
195

(Post-occupancy evaluation and
information dissemination criterion)
1 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to assist in delivering accessible and inclusive buildings by under-
taking a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) to gain building performance feedback.
EN
PREREQUISITES: None
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded where the client com-
mits to undertaking a POE one year after the building is completed. The POE must be carried out
by an independent third party and must cover the following:
IM
UÊ A review of the design, procurement, construction and handover processes.
UÊ Feedback from a wide range of building users and the facilities management team on:
– the building’s internal environmental conditions (temperature, air quality, light, noise)
– control of these conditions
– facilities and amenities
EC
– access and layout

– other relevant issues.
UÊ The sustainability performance of the building (energy and water consumption, performance
of sustainable features and technologies, including materials, low- or zero-carbon technolo-
gies, rainwater harvesting, etc.).
The client must also make a commitment to disseminate information on the building’s post-
occupancy performance, to share good practice and lessons learned, on:
SP
either
UÊ the client or building owner’s website through publicly available literature or a press release
or
UÊ an industry sector, government or local authority sponsored website.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: When buildings do not perform as planned,

there are impacts on their running costs and on staff satisfaction and performance. For repeat
construction clients, learning from the past can be very important. Although undertaking a POE
involves costs, it can be a cost-effective way of correcting mistakes in design and commissioning of
buildings in the future, resulting in improved workplace productivity.
196
Man04: Stakeholder participation (Post-occupancy evaluation and information dissemination criterion)

(continued)
Further information on POEs can be obtained from the BRE’s website26 and the Usable Building
Trust.27
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: A signed and dated

commitment from the client, or future building occupier, to undertake the POE.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: A signed

and dated commitment from the client, or future building occupier, to undertake the POE.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: The client can demonstrate compliance,
EN
and be awarded the full credit, by making the POE part of a tenancy lease or by developer and
tenant collaboration, but the client or developer must be involved in the POE exercise.
IM
Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts criterion)
1 0
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to assist in providing a best practice visual environment and com-
fort for building users through implementing an art strategy in healthcare buildings only.
frequency ballasts.
SP

Either
UÊ an art coordinator is appointed to the development, who:
– holds a relevant qualification in an arts-related subject
– has at least two years’ experience relating to the application of arts in a social context
– is solely dedicated to the project or is working on similar projects.
Or
UÊ an art policy or strategy is prepared and endorsed at senior management level during RIBA
Stage B (Design Brief), which addresses the following issues:
– enhancing the healthcare environment
– building relationships with the local community, patients and their families
⁄
197
Hea01: Visual comfort (Visual arts criterion) (continued)
– relieving the anxiety of both patients and their families through interventions in treatment
and recovery areas
– inclusion of living plants
– generating creative opportunities for staff through training.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This Issue criterion only applies to healthcare buildings.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: It is not necessary for the project being
EN
assessed to have an art coordinator allocated to it exclusively. The art coordinator can work on
several projects, or with several establishments run by the same Health Trust. This might reduce
the cost of achieving this credit as the art coordinator’s fees can be spread across a number of
projects.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies of correspon-

dence from the design team or Health Trust confirming the appointment of the art coordinator or
IM
a copy of the Trust’s arts policy and strategy document.

Either
UÊ Documentation demonstrating the work of the appointed art coordinator and confirmation of
EC
their qualifications and experience

Or
UÊ a copy of the Trust’s arts policy and strategy document.

SP
Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity

1 or 2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the use of non-car travel by restricting the number of
car parking spaces on a site.
PREREQUISITES: None
⁄
198
Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded for the following build-
ing types, where the number of parking spaces is not greater than the figure indicated:
UÊ Public (non-housing) buildings – healthcare hospital buildings (acute, specialist, teaching,
mental health) – one parking space per:
– four members of staff
plus
– one parking space per four beds
plus
EN
– two parking spaces per consulting, examination, treatment or therapy room and accident
and emergency cubicle.
UÊ Public (non-housing) buildings – GP surgeries, health centres and community hospitals: one
parking space per:
– two medical staff
plus
– one parking space per three non-medical staff
plus
–
IM
two parking spaces per consulting, examination, treatment or therapy room and accident
and emergency cubicle.
Up to two credits can be awarded for the following building types, depending on the number of
building users and the Accessibility Index (AI), as indicated in Table 4.7 (overleaf):
EC
UÊ Commercial buildings – office and industrial buildings.

UÊ Multi-residential buildings – student residences, key worker accommodation, sheltered hous-
ing, care homes and supported housing for the disabled.
UÊ Public (non-housing) buildings – further and higher education buildings.
UÊ Other buildings – transport type 1 and 2 buildings and MOD buildings (where building users
are living-out personnel).
SP
The following types of car parking spaces are excluded from the calculation to determine credits
in relation to this Issue:
UÊ disabled
UÊ mother/parent and child
UÊ motorbike
UÊ car-share spaces (the building occupier will have to confirm that they have an enforceable
car-share policy).
Unless the design team can provide evidence of the number of building users, the default occu-
pancy rates given in Table 7-1 in the online Technical Manual6 should be used to calculate the
number of building users. Building users, depending on building type, are defined as:
UÊ staff – those who work in a building
UÊ students – those who access a building for study during an academic term or day
UÊ residents – those who live in a building permanently or for a short period of time.
199
TABLE 4.7: Tra04: Maximum car parking capacity – credit allocation, © BRE Global Ltd 2011
Building type Building’s Accessibility Index Number

of credits
<4 ≥4 – <8 ≥8
Maximum car parking capacity = 1

space per number of building users
(X), where X is:
Commercial buildings – offices and industrial 3 4 5 1
Multi-residential buildings – student residences and key worker accommodation 4 5 6 2
Multi-residential buildings – sheltered housing, care homes and supported 4 5 6 1
EN
housing for the disabled 5 6 7 2
Public (non-housing) buildings – further and higher education buildings 15 20 25 1
20 25 30 2
Other buildings – transport types 1 and 2 3 4 5 1
IM 4 5 6 2
Other buildings – MOD buildings (where building users are living-out personnel) 2 3 4 1
3 4 5 2
Note: ‘Other buildings, transport type 1’ is a building predominantly occupied by staff with occasional business-related
visitors/users (check with BREEAM Assessor).
‘Other buildings, transport type 2’ is a building occupied by a number of core staff with a large number of
consistently frequent visitors/users, either resident or non-resident (check with BREEAM Assessor).
EC
Where the assessed building is part of a wider development and parking is not designated to indi-
vidual buildings, compliance is assessed:
either
UÊ on the basis of the car parking capacity of the whole development
or
SP
UÊ on the basis of the car parking allocated on a pro-rata basis to each building type.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This Issue is not assessed for the following building types:
UÊ commercial buildings – retail
UÊ public (non-housing) buildings – pre-schools, schools, sixth-form colleges, prison buildings,
courts
UÊ other buildings – buildings specifically required to be located rurally (e.g. National Park visitor
centre) occupied by a core number of staff with a large number of consistently frequent visitors
or users, either resident or non-resident, and transport hubs.
200
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: The architect must clarify the client’s car park-
ing requirement as early as possible in the design process. This often exceeds the performance
standard for this Issue for commercial reasons.

UÊ Drawings or specification clauses or contract documentation confirming numbers and types
of car parking spaces.
UÊ Correspondence from the design team or client confirming the number of building users.
UÊ Confirmation of the building’s AI as calculated for Tra01: Public transport accessibility.
UÊ For healthcare buildings, correspondence from the design team or client confirming:
EN
– the number of patient and residential beds
plus
– the number of consulting, examination, treatment, therapy and accident and emergency
rooms.

UÊ The Assessor’s site inspection report, photographic evidence and as-constructed drawings
IM
confirming the number and type of parking spaces provided.
UÊ Correspondence from the design team, client or building occupier confirming the number
of building users or a physical check by the Assessor of the number of building users, if
practicable.
EC

SP
201
4.4 Issues which are building-type specific
There are three Issues and one Issue criterion within the Energy and Health and Wellbeing
Categories described below which are building-type specific and/or specific as the result of the
inclusion of certain types of facilities, such as laboratories. It can be seen from Table 4.8 that the
contribution of these Issues is variable as they impact on some building types and not on others.
The potential impact on higher education buildings or other buildings with laboratories and cold
storage systems can be as high as a 6 per cent contribution to the final BREEAM score.
TABLE 4.8: Issues that are building-type specific
EN
buildings buildings
Ed
uca
Mu
tio
lti-
nal
Ed
res
uca
(hig
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Ot
Ot
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her
ntia
IM
her
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ed
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bu
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rial
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s
)
Management Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4

EC
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards criterion) 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 2
Energy Category

SP
Transport Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
Pollution Category No Issues in this category are considered in Chapter 4
202
Hea02: Indoor air quality

(Laboratory fume cupboards criterion)
1 or 2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage a healthy internal environment by the specification of
appropriate ventilation of laboratory fume cupboards and containment areas.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded for buildings containing
fume cupboards which are manufactured and installed to comply with:
either
UÊ BS EN 14175: Part 2 (2003) for general purpose fume cupboards
IM
UÊ BS7989 (2001) for re-circulatory filtration fume cupboards
UÊ BS EN 12469 (2000) for microbiological safety cabinets
or
UÊ for schools, sixth-form colleges and further education buildings with laboratories and fume
cupboards for subjects up to A-level standard to Building Bulletin 8828
EC
UÊ where ducted fume cupboards are used, the discharge velocity from the extract fan stack must
be ≥10 m/s to BS EN 14175: Part 2 (2003).
One credit can be awarded for buildings with Containment Level 2 and 3 laboratories where the
following are provided:
UÊ Ventilation systems constructed to best practice guidance in the Advisory Committee on
Dangerous Pathogens’ Management, Design and Operation of Microbiological Containment
Laboratories: Approved Code of Practice.29
SP
UÊ Filters must be located outside these areas for ease of cleaning and replacement.
UÊ An emergency button in each Containment Level 2 and 3 laboratory.
UÊ Confirmation that individual fume cupboard locations and stack heights are in accordance with
HMIP Technical Guidance Note (Dispersion) D1.30
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: This Issue criterion only applies to building types containing the
laboratories and fume cupboards described above. Where a building does not contain fume cup-
boards, or Containment Level 2 and 3 laboratories, this Issue criterion will not be assessed.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Confirming that the performance standards

have been achieved in relation to this Issue criterion is likely to be the responsibility of a specialist
within the service engineer consultancy.
203
Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards criterion) (continued)
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: Copies of contract speci-

fication clauses, drawings confirming the design for the fume cupboards and/or Containment Level
2 and 3 laboratories are required.
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR POST-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ASSESSMENT: In addi-

tion to the Assessor’s site inspection report and photographs:
UÊ as-constructed drawings or specification confirming the installation of fume cupboards and
Containment Level 2 and 3 laboratories as proposed at the design stage
UÊ manufacturers’ or suppliers’ literature or letters confirming that fume cupboards have been
manufactured and installed in accordance with the required performance standards.
EN
Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage

IM
2 1
EC
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the use of energy-efficient cold storage refrigeration
systems to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions.
PREREQUISITES: None
SP
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: The first credit can be awarded where the compo-
nents and controls of cold storage refrigeration systems have been designed, installed and com-
missioned to:
UÊ comply with the Code of Conduct for Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Retail Sector31
UÊ use only cold storage refrigeration systems and components on the Enhanced Capital Allow-
ances Energy Technology Products List9
UÊ comply with the performance standards set out for Man01: Sustainable procurement (Con-
struction and handover criterion).
The second credit can be awarded where, in addition to the above, the cold storage refrigeration
systems must meet the following standards:
UÊ For retail buildings: emit fewer indirect greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) than a baseline
supermarket by using the CO2e saving technologies described in the Carbon Trust’s Refrigera-
tion Road Map.32
⁄
204
Ene05: Energy-efficient cold storage (continued)
UÊ For non-retail buildings: emit less CO2e than an appropriate alternative baseline system with
the same duty, service conditions and ancillary equipment. The design team must supply
details of the alternative baseline system and confirm that the technologies included are typi-
cal of the building type.
Indirect greenhouse gas emissions must be calculated as described for total equivalent warming
impact in Annex B of BS EN 378: Part 1 – Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps and Environmental
Requirements. Additional guidance on undertaking these calculations can be found in Guideline
Methods of Calculation TEWI.33
INNOVATION CREDITS: One Innovation credit can be awarded where, in addition to meeting
EN
the above performance standards, the refrigeration system installed is:
UÊ described in the Future Technologies section of the Carbon Trust’s Refrigeration Road Map32
UÊ one that will achieve a saving in CO2e emissions when compared with current technologies.
BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: No additional variations besides those described above.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: While the Carbon Trust’s Refrigeration Road

IM
Map32 was developed for use in the retail sector, many of the technologies it describes can be used
in non-retail situations.
UÊ Contract specification clauses or a letter from the design specialist confirming that the speci-
EC
fication of the cold storage refrigeration systems and components meet the required perfor-
mance standards.
UÊ Confirmation that the proposed cold storage refrigeration systems and components are on the
Enhanced Capital Allowances Energy Technology Products List.9
UÊ Evidence to demonstrate compliance with the performance standards of Man01: Sustainable
procurement (Construction and Handover criterion).
For the second and the Innovation credit, in addition to the above, evidence must be provided:
SP
UÊ to confirm the savings in CO2e emissions for the specified technology and how these savings
will be achieved, including justification of assumptions and methods used for the calculations
UÊ to show that the calculations have been carried out by an appropriately qualified professional.

first credit:
UÊ as provided at the design stage, updated to show any design changes.
For the second and the Innovation credit:
UÊ as provided at the design stage, updated to show any design changes
plus
UÊ confirmation of the installed technology.
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: Where the tenant will install the cold stor-
age refrigeration systems, one of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chapter 2, section 2.11) can
205
Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems

1, 3 or 5 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to minimise the CO2 emissions from operational energy in labora-
tories, which can consume four times the energy of a typical office.
PREREQUISITES: None
EN
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: One credit can be awarded for schools, sixth-form
colleges and further education buildings in the following circumstances:
UÊ Where re-circulatory filter fume cupboards are used, in the majority of cases, instead of ducted
fume cupboards. (The credit can still be awarded where ducted fume cupboards are specified
if their use is required by the building’s brief. This will occur in situations where laboratories
IM
require full extraction systems on health and safety grounds, due to the type of experiments
being undertaken. Usually these will be laboratories undertaking research and development
work, such as further education buildings.)
UÊ Where the specification of fume cupboards in schools, sixth-form colleges and further educa-
tion buildings teaching A-level subjects complies with Building Bulletin 88 and BS7989 (2001)
EC
in the case of re-circulatory fume cupboards and BS EN 14175: Part 2 (2003) for ducted fume
cupboards.
One credit can be awarded for other building types with laboratories which address the following
points:
UÊ The performance standards set out for Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards
and containment areas criterion) are met.
UÊ Average design air flow rates in fume cupboards need be no greater than 0.16 m3/second per
SP
linear metre of sash opening to fume cupboard.

UÊ Measurement of volume flow rates in the exhaust ducts as they leave the laboratory boundary
takes into account any reduction in (inward) fume cupboard leakage.
UÊ Any reduction in air flow does not compromise the health and safety of laboratory occupants.
Where the area of the following laboratory plant or systems exceed the following figures, then
additional credits can be awarded:
either
UÊ up to two additional credits can be awarded if the laboratory area accounts for at least 10
per cent of the building’s floor area
or
UÊ up to four additional credits can be awarded if the area of the laboratories accounts for at
least 25 per cent of the building area.
These additional credits are only awarded where best energy practices, from the list on page 207,
are included and it can be demonstrated that:
UÊ they will reduce the laboratory’s total energy consumption by 2 per cent or more
⁄
206
Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems (continued)
UÊ the health and safety of laboratory occupants are not compromised.

Only whole credits can be awarded for the following best energy practices, so generally two of the
practices listed below must be included for at least one credit to be awarded:
UÊ One credit if the specific fan power for various laboratory systems is equal to or better than
the following:
– for general supply air handing units with heating and cooling – 1.5 watts/litre per second
– for general extract systems – 1.2 watts/litre per second
– for local, ducted extract ventilations – 1.0 watts/litre per second
– for containment area extract systems without High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtra-
tion – 1.5 watts/litre per second
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– for containment area extract systems with HEPA filtration – 2.5 watts/litre per second
– for fume cupboard extract systems – 1.5 watts/litre per second.
UÊ Specifying fume cupboards, in further education buildings, with an average design air flow
rate greater than 0.12 m3/second per linear metre of sash opening – half a credit.
UÊ Minimise room air change rates and overall ventilation flows by grouping together or isolating
activities and equipment with high filtration/ventilation requirements – half a credit.
UÊ Specifying heat recovery from exhaust air, while avoiding cross-contamination, or use of refrig-
IM
erant or water cooling systems – half a credit.
UÊ Specifying cooling recovery from exhaust air heat exchangers, while avoiding cross-
contamination, or use of refrigerant or water cooling systems – half a credit.
UÊ Grouping areas with cooling loads to take advantage of supply efficiencies and thermal trans-
fer – half a credit.
EC
UÊ Specifying free cooling coils in chillers or dry air coolers for specific activities – half a credit.
UÊ Matching supply with demand by using modularity, variable speed drives and pumps, etc. –
half a credit.
UÊ Specifying particle monitoring linked to air flow controls – half a credit.
UÊ Achieving a high level of diversity in central plant laboratory duct sizing – half a credit.
UÊ Reducing air change rates by matching ventilation air flows to environmental needs and
demands of containment – half a credit.
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BUILDING-TYPE VARIATIONS: No additional variations besides those described above.
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: Teaching facilities and other laboratories or

workshops with a limited number of fume cupboards and containment provisions, or no energy-
intensive equipment, where energy consumption is no more than 50 per cent higher than the typi-
cal office benchmark (as set out in CIBSE Technical Memorandum TM 46) can be excluded. When
calculating laboratory areas the following should also be excluded:
UÊ support offices
UÊ meeting rooms
UÊ storage
UÊ ancillary and other support areas with low service requirements.
207
Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems (continued)
EVIDENCE TO BE PROVIDED FOR DESIGN STAGE ASSESSMENT: For schools, sixth-form

colleges and further education buildings:
UÊ copies of drawings and contract specification clauses
and/or
UÊ copies of suppliers’ or manufacturers’ literature confirming compliance with the above perfor-
mance standards.
For other building types, including higher education buildings:
UÊ evidence to demonstrate compliance with the performance standards for Hea02: Indoor air
quality (Laboratory fume cupboards and containment areas criterion)
UÊ confirmation from the design team of how the above performance standards have been
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achieved
plus
UÊ the modelling or calculations and manufacturers’ literature confirming compliance.

schools, sixth-form colleges and further education buildings:
UÊ copies of as-constructed drawings and specification clauses
and/or
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UÊ copies of suppliers’ or manufacturers’ literature confirming that installed systems comply with
the above performance standards.
For other building types, including higher education buildings:
UÊ as-constructed evidence to demonstrate installed compliance with the performance standards
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for Hea02: Indoor air quality (Laboratory fume cupboards and containment areas criterion)
UÊ a commissioning report on the installed systems demonstrating that stipulated design perfor-
mance and air flows have been achieved.

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Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment

2 0
The aim of this Issue criterion is to encourage the procurement of energy-efficient equipment to
provide optimum performance and operational unregulated energy savings.
PREREQUISITES: None
208
Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment (continued)
PERFORMANCE STANDARD REQUIRED: Two credits can be awarded where any of the func-
tions or equipment described below:
UÊ are present in the completed building
UÊ could be responsible for a significant majority of the unregulated energy used within the com-
pleted building
UÊ comply with the specified detailed compliance performance standards.
The range of qualifying functions or equipment includes the following:
UÊ Small power, plug-in equipment, including computers and their monitors, scanners, photo-
EN
copiers, printers, etc. which qualify for:
– the Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme9
– award of an Energy Star34
– a Government Buying Standard35 in terms of its procurement
– green tick standard from Buying Solutions.36
UÊ Swimming pools which are installed with approved covers and where the air temperature of
the pool area is only 1°C above the water temperature.
IM
UÊ Communal laundry areas that use heat recovery from waste water and greywater in wash-
ing processes and in which the equipment qualifies for the Enhanced Capital Allowance
Scheme.9
UÊ Data centres (e.g. server rooms and communications equipment including cooling equipment)
designed to meet the Best Practices standard of the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centres37
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plus with temperature set points that are not less than 24°C (measured at the location of the
equipment racks).
UÊ IT-intensive operating areas (areas where more than one computer per 5 m2 is provided; for
example, training suites, design studios and IT areas) that use natural ventilation and cooling
strategies, with forced ventilation only activated when internal temperatures exceed 20°C and
active cooling if internal temperatures exceed 24°C, plus automatic power-down when equip-
ment is not in use.
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UÊ In residential areas, appliances including washing machines, fridges and freezers, tumble dry-
ers and dishwashers that are recommended by the Energy Saving Trust.38
UÊ For healthcare equipment, where the procurement of large-scale equipment and sets (50 plus)
of electrical equipment is determined by life-cycle costing as detailed in EnCO2de Chapter
3.0.39 Plus, for each piece of equipment, at least two ‘fitness for purpose’ options (i.e. functional
criteria that the piece of equipment is required to meet) demonstrating better performance
are analysed. The analysis considers direct running costs, indirect running costs (including
administration costs), cost of disposal, spending to save, recyclability, improved manageabil-
ity, energy performance, reduced harmful emissions to the atmosphere and improved ser-
vices, comfort and productivity.
UÊ Kitchen and catering facilities which can demonstrate that at least one energy measure out-
lined in Sections 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 in CIBSE Guide TM50 40 has been incorporated.
The above must also meet the detailed compliance performance standards provided in the online
Technical Manual.6
209
Ene08: Energy-efficient equipment (continued)
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN/TIPS: It is likely that the service engineer, in con-

junction with the client or building occupier will have to check whether those functions or equip-
ment will be present and whether they will meet the compliance criteria. This Issue is complicated
by the fact that there is no authoritative definition of what is meant by a ‘significant majority’ of the
unregulated energy. It is simply left to the judgement of the design team and the Assessor.
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UÊ Contract specification clauses, design drawings and energy calculations.
UÊ Manufacturers’ product details.
UÊ Evidence to show compliance with any of the Schemes required by the performance
standards.
With respect to healthcare equipment:
UÊ a life-cycle analysis report is required, detailing how this has informed the procurement of the
equipment
IM
UÊ evidence confirming the ‘fit for purpose’ exercise and subsequent option selection.

UÊ Manufacturers’ product details.
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UÊ Evidence to confirm that installed equipment complies with the performance standards
required.
With respect to healthcare equipment, as for the design stage, updated to show the as-installed
status.

SP
IMPLICATION FOR SHELL-ONLY DEVELOPMENTS: If all or any of the above equipment or

plant is to be provided as part of the fit-out works, one of the Options 1, 2 or 3 (described in Chap-
ter 2, section 2.11) can be used to assess compliance with the required performance standards.
210
References
1 Building Bulletin 98: Briefing framework for secondary school projects and Building Bulletin 99: Briefing
framework for primary school projects, see: www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/
buildingsanddesign/a0010896/area-guidelines-for-schools-building-bulletin-82
2 British Board of Agrément certificates can be found at: www.bbacerts.co.uk/default.aspx
3 For the European Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures, see:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/ghs/index_en.htm
4 For information on UK Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packing for Supply) Regulations 2009, see:
www.hse.gov.uk/chip/
5 For the Decorative Paint Directive 2004/42/CE, see:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:143:0087:0096:EN:PDF
6 BREEAM New Construction: Non-Domestic Buildings – Technical Manual, see:
EN
7 Standard Assessment Procedure can be viewed at: www.bre.co.uk/sap2009/page.jsp?id=1642
8 Metric Handbook – Planning and Design Date, 3rd edition (2008), edited by David Littlefield, Architectural Press,
Oxford
9 For the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme, see: www.eca.gov.uk
10 BRE Green Guide to Specification, at: www.bre.co.uk/greenguide/podpage.jsp?id=2126. This can be accessed by
anybody if they first register, by selecting:
UÊ >ÊLÕ`}ÊÌÞ«iÊi°}°ÊViÀV>ÊÜ V ÊVÕìÃÊvwVi]ÊÀiÌ>Ê>`Ê`ÕÃÌÀ>ÊLÕ`}Ã®
IM
UÊ >Ê>ÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊi°}°ÊiÝÌiÀ>ÊÜ>ÊVÃÌÀÕVÌ®
UÊ >Ê`Û`Õ>ÊiiiÌÊÌÞ«iÊÌ >ÌÊvÀÃÊ«>ÀÌÊvÊÌ iÊV ÃiÊ>ÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊi°}°ÊÀiìÀi`ÊÀÊv>Àv>Vi`Ê
blockwork cavity wall) and possibly another sub-element layer
UÊ >Ê}iiÀVÊLÕ`}ÊiiiÌÊìÃVÀ«ÌÊÜÌ Ê>ÊÀiiÊÕìÊÀ>Ì}ÊvÀÊ³ÊÌÊ ]ÊÜ V ÊÃÊÌÊ>ÊìÌ>i`Ê
breakdown of its environmental impacts (including a 60-year kgCO2 equivalent figure which is required for
EC
calculating how many points can be achieved).

However, this can sometimes seem to be a long-winded process before the descriptions of the building elements
are eventually reached.
11 For details on the UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy go to the Central Point of Expertise for Timber
Procurement website, at: www.cpet.org.uk/uk-government-timber-procurement-policy/the-uk-government-policy/
12 For the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora appendices,
SP
see: www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml
13 For information on BRE Global’s BES60001 certification scheme, see:
14 AggRegain, website run by WRAP, see: http://aggregain.wrap.org.uk/
15 The Institute of Refrigeration’s Carbon Dioxide as a Refrigerant Code of Practice can be obtained from:
www.ior.org.uk/ior_publication.php?pubid=ELEXMV2GAI
16 The Institute of Refrigeration’s Ammonia Refrigeration Systems Code of Practice can be obtained at:
www.ior.org.uk/ior_publication.php?pubid=STEXMVZ5AJ
17 For Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk, see:
www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planningpolicyandlegislation/currentenglishpolicy/ppgpps/pps25
18 Code for Sustainable Homes – Technical Guide (November 2010), Department for Communities and Local
Government, available at: www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/sustainability/codesustainablehomes/
19 SUDS Manual (C697), Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA):
www.ciria.org.uk/suds/publications.htm
211
20 Preliminary Rainfall Runoff Management for Developments – R&D Technical Report W5-074/A/TR/1: Revision D
(2005), Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency:
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/flooding/documents/research/sc030219.pdf
21 Report No. 124, Flood Estimation for Small Catchments (1994), DCW Marshall and AC Bayliss, Institute of Hydrology:
www.ceh.ac.uk/products/publications/documents/IH124FLOODESTIMATIONSMALLCATCHMENTS.PDF
22 Flood Estimation Handbook (2008), Centre for Ecology and Hydrology:
www.hydrosolutions.co.uk/products.asp?categoryID=4668
23 The Design Quality Indicator method can be seen at: www.dqi.org.uk/website/default.aspa
24 The Achieving Excellence Design Evaluation Toolkit for Healthcare Building can be seen at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_082089
25 The Good Corporate Citizen assessment test method can be seen at: www.corporatecitizen.nhs.uk/
26 For information on post-occupancy evaluations, see: www.bre.co.uk/page.jsp?id=1793
27 Useful information on feedback techniques can be found on the Usable Building Trust’s website at:
EN
www.usablebuildings.co.uk/
28 For Building Bulletin 88 – ‘Fume cupboards in schools’, see: www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/
publicationDetail/Page1/0112710271
29 The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens’ Management, Design and Operation of Microbiological
Containment Laboratories: Approved Code of Practice, see:
http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode=9780717620340
30 Guidelines on Discharge Stack Heights for Polluting Emissions, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution (now part
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of the Environment Agency) Technical Guidance Note (Dispersion) D1 (1993), ISBN 0 11 752794 7
(currently out of print)
31 Code of Conduct for Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Retail Sector (2011), Carbon Trust, British Refrigeration
Association and Institute of Refrigeration, see: www.ior.org.uk/ior_general.php?r=OUK8BA622271
32 Refrigeration Road Map – An Action Plan for the Retail Sector (CTG021) (2010), The Carbon Trust, available at:
EC
www.carbontrust.co.uk/Publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=CTG021
33 Guideline Methods of Calculation TEWI – Issue 2, British Refrigeration Association, can be seen on the Federation
of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) website, at: www.feta.co.uk/bra/index.htm
34 For the Energy Star labelling scheme, see: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_products
35 For the Government Buying Standards, see: http://sd.defra.gov.uk/advice/public/buying
36 For the Buying Solutions website, see:
www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk/aboutus/sustainability/sustainable-solutions/quickwins
SP
37 For the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centres, see:

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/html/standby_initiative_data%20centers.htm
38 For the Energy Saving Trust, see:
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Home-improvements-and-products/Home-appliances
39 For the Health Technical Memorable 07-02: EnCO2de, Making Energy Work in Healthcare, Department of Health,
see: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4131671
40 CIBSE TM50: Energy Efficiency in Commercial Kitchens, CIBSE:
www.cibse.org/index.cfm?go=publications.view&item=450
212
chapter five
The cost of BREEAM
This chapter explores both the actual cost of an Assessment and the possible extra burdens it
imposes on development costs. While there are inevitably costs involved, these do not have to be
excessive and can offer good value for money.
EN
5.1 The cost of undertaking an Assessment
As with most professional services, there are no fixed or standard fee scales for Assessors. Fees
are determined by market competition so it is not possible to give even a ballpark rate for any job.
Clients or their agent (often the architect) can ask a number of Assessors to quote for the type of
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Assessment needed (see Chapter 1 for contact details). A number of clients are now partnering
with a number of Assessors to establish fixed fees for Assessments. Assessors will need some basic
information on which to base their quotations, such as:
UÊ the type, size and location of the building or development

EC
UÊ whether single or multiple buildings are to be assessed

UÊ the time scale for the construction of the building or development to be assessed.
A typical scope of activities in an Assessor’s quotation will include:
1 registering the project with BRE – which incurs a fee paid to BRE
2 attending and conducting a pre-assessment meeting – issuing minutes and/or a report,
SP
confirming what information is to be provided to achieve the agreed BREEAM target and
identifying who will provide it
3 preparing a draft BREEAM Assessment Report to be issued to the client and design team
4 completing the design stage assessment – following receipt of any outstanding informa-
tion requested in the draft assessment
5 submitting the draft assessment to BRE for checking prior to issue of the Interim BREEAM
Certificate – for which BRE will charge a fee, payable on submission
6 forwarding the Interim BREEAM Certificate to the client
7 undertaking a site visit and attending a meeting, to assess the status of the completed
works in order to determine what information is required to complete the post-construction
stage assessment
8 preparing a draft Post-Construction Stage Assessment Report to be issued to the client,
design team and principal contractor with recommendations on any additional informa-
tion required to maintain the BREEAM rating achieved in the design stage assessment
213
The cost of BREEAM
9 completing the post-construction stage assessment – on receipt of the outstanding

information
10 submitting the Assessment to BRE for checking so that they can issue the Final BREEAM
Certificate – BRE will charge a fee for this, payable on submission
11 forwarding the Final BREEAM Certificate to the client.
Extra costs must be adequately set out in the quotation. For example, if printed copies of the com-
pleted Design Stage Assessment and Post-Construction Stage Assessment Reports are required,
the costs should be included in a quotation. Other extra costs include BRE’s certification fees and
overheads, including BRE’s annual licence registration fees.
Similarly, the quotation should include provisional costs, such as hourly rates for Assessors and
the cost of site visits. Differences in quotations from Assessors will, among other things, reflect the
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charging rate of the Assessor and the efficiency of an organisation in undertaking and writing up
the Assessments.
Undertaking only a post-construction stage assessment might achieve some small savings in an
Assessor’s costs but, as explained in Chapter 1, this is a very short-sighted approach to adopt. The
small economic gain will not compensate for failing to achieve the BREEAM rating possible if the
normal route of undertaking design stage and post-construction stage assessments is followed. It
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should also be noted that the BRE fees will be the same in either case.
While it is certainly true that a BREEAM Assessment for very large projects will cost more than for
smaller projects, a similar fee can cover a fairly wide range of project values. This, unfortunately,
has tended to mean that the proportion of the cost incurred by a BREEAM Assessment increases
EC
proportionally as a project’s value decreases. The time required by the Assessor to check the infor-
mation provided and to compile the Assessment might not vary significantly between projects of
different sizes, since a £10 million project may have a similar level of complexity to a project half its
value in terms of BREEAM Assessment criteria. An Assessor’s fee may vary from as little as 0.001 per
cent up to 1 per cent of a project’s value. This has discouraged some clients from submitting very
small projects for Assessment. It appears that BRE have recognised this problem and are currently
developing a more cost-effective process for applying BREEAM 2011 to small buildings.
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BRE’s certification fees are payable when the Assessor registers the Assessment with BRE and when they
submit both the design stage assessment and the post-construction stage assessment. There is also a
separate range of fees covering registration and certification of BREEAM International Assessments.
As explained in Chapter 2, there are two ways in which Innovation credits can be awarded, either by:
UÊ meeting the exemplary level of performance standards of certain Issues, as indicated in
Table 2.3, or
UÊ making an application to BRE Global to have a particular building feature, system or pro-
cess recognised as being innovative.
This second approach will carry an additional cost, as BRE charges a flat rate fee for each Innovation
credit application, currently £1,000 per application payable on submission. Should BRE refuse the
Innovation credit application, the decision can be appealed, but this will incur an additional fee. Cur-
rently, this stands at £250 per application, which will be refunded should the appeal be successful.
214
The cost of BREEAM
The cost of an application for an Innovation credit must be added to the cost of providing the inno-
vative solution when considering whether it is a cost-effective way of achieving an additional credit
and the extra 1 per cent it will contribute to the Assessment’s score. It might be more cost-effective
to improve a building’s performance standard in other ways and gain the additional credit from
another Issue. As explained in Chapter 2, due to the weighting given to different categories some
credits can be worth more than 1 per cent to the final BREEAM score.
5.2 The extra cost required to achieve

a BREEAM Excellent rating
Not surprisingly, clients will want to know the cost of targeting a high BREEAM rating. While anec-
dotal views abound that it must cost more to achieve, say, a BREEAM Excellent rating, what actual
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evidence is there to support this belief?
One of the stated objectives of BREEAM is that it should be a driver to improve environmental stan-
dards in building design and construction. The standards set by BREEAM should always exceed
those required by current Regulations. Figure 5.1 compares the number of buildings designed
and constructed to levels of environmental performance set against a regulatory benchmark. Logi-
cally, any building which achieves a BREEAM rating would be placed to the right of the regulatory
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minimum benchmark in Figure 5.1. Buildings achieving BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding ratings
will be further to the right again and at end of the graph are those buildings achieving exemplar
sustainable standards. Cost consultants normally base their development cost projections on a
building which just achieves compliance with the statutory regulations, unless requested to do
otherwise. So, does it follow that a building that has to achieve an Excellent rating will cost more
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and, if so, how much more?

SP Number of buildings
Environmental standards
Sustainable exemplar
Regulatory minimum BREEAM assessed buildings buildings
FIGURE 5.1: Comparison of environmental standards and numbers of buildings designed
215
The cost of BREEAM
There have been two major research studies which have tried to assess the cost implications of
achieving various BREEAM ratings. The first of these was published by Cyril Sweett and the BRE in
2005. Putting a Price on Sustainability1 looked at real cost data and identified a range of increases
to capital costs that might be expected for various BREEAM ratings. It also identified additional
costs associated with each incremental improvement in performance when moving up the scale of
BREEAM ratings and the type of initiatives that had to be included in a project from its concept
stage. In addition, they examined three separate site location scenarios, which were:
UÊ poor location sites – where no location credits would be achieved

UÊ typical location sites – where a selection of credits would be achieved for a brownfield
site with some access to local public transport and amenities
UÊ good location sites – where all the location credits were achievable.
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Putting a Price on Sustainability1 studied four building types – a house, a naturally ventilated office,
an air conditioned office and a PFI healthcare centre. Although the results of the study are of inter-
est, it should be remembered that the two offices were assessed using BREEAM Offices 2004, the
healthcare centre using a BREEAM bespoke assessment and the house using EcoHomes 2003. Its
principal conclusion, however, is still of interest:
major performance improvements can be achieved cheaply and even at no cost at all.1
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The study of the Office Schemes showed the impact of a site’s location on possible additional costs
arising from an Assessment. Even on a poor location site, a BREEAM Good rating was achievable,
for both naturally ventilated and air-conditioned offices, at either a minor reduction or increase in
the capital costs (see Figure 5.2). To achieve a BREEAM Very Good rating on a poor location site
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will involve an increase in capital costs as follows:
UÊ naturally ventilated offices – plus 2 per cent

UÊ air-conditioned offices – plus 5.7 per cent.
On a typical location site, achieving a BREEAM Very Good rating results in a minor reduction in
costs for naturally ventilated offices and a minor increase for air-conditioned offices. However, to
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achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating on typical location sites there were increased costs for both:
UÊ naturally ventilated offices – plus 3.4 per cent

UÊ air-conditioned offices – plus 7 per cent.
On good location sites, achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating reduced these costs as follows:
UÊ naturally ventilated offices – plus 2.5 per cent

UÊ air-conditioned offices – plus 3.3 per cent.
These figures reflect a perceived wisdom within the construction industry, that there is a cost pre-
mium to construct a BREEAM Excellent building. Experience also suggests that, over time, this
premium reduces, after the introduction of a new BREEAM Scheme, as general design and con-
struction standards improve and move closer to the level required for a BREEAM Excellent rating.
When a new BREEAM Scheme is introduced, the performance standard required to achieve each
216
The cost of BREEAM
7.0
7
6
5.7
Poor location site
Typical location site
5
Good location site
Percentage increase in capital costs
3.4 3.3
3
2.5
2.0
2
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1
0.2 0.2
0.0 0.1
0
-0.2 -0.3
-0.4 -0.4
-1
Naturally
ventilated
office –
BREEAM
Naturally
ventilated
office –
BREEAM Very
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Naturally
ventilated
office –
BREEAM
Air-
conditioned
office –
BREEAM
Air-
conditioned
office –
BREEAM Very
Air-
conditioned
office –
BREEAM
Good rating Good rating Excellent rating Good rating Good rating Excellent rating
FIGURE 5.2: Comparing increases in capital costs for various BREEAM Offices 2004 ratings
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on poor location, typical location and good location sites

SOURCE: Figures taken from Putting a Price on Sustainability,1 © BRE Global Ltd 2005
BREEAM rating is improved. So it is likely that the introduction of BREEAM 2011 will result in a pre-
mium being payable for BREEAM Excellent buildings. As mentioned in Chapter 1, however, there is
SP
now evidence to suggest that a BREEAM Excellent office can attract a 22–27 per cent premium on
its rent.2 This will offset the additional capital costs required to achieve the improved performance
standards, if viewed in the longer term.
Subsequent to the Cyril Sweett study, Anna Surgenot (BREEAM Centre Sustainability Group) and
Ian Buttress (Faithful and Gould) published Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools in 2008,3 which
studied a primary school and a secondary school. The study investigated the additional costs
incurred in achieving a BREEAM Good, Very Good or Excellent ratings for:
UÊ poor location sites – greenfield sites with poor transport links where no location credits
would be achieved in an Assessment
UÊ good location sites – brownfield sites with good transport links where a selection of
location-based credits would be achieved in a BREEAM Assessment.
217
The cost of BREEAM
It was assumed that a good location site:
UÊ had been previously developed

UÊ was contaminated but had been treated
UÊ had a transport node (with a frequent service) within 800 m
UÊ was of no ecological value and the construction of the school did not have a negative
impact on the ecological value of the site.
While Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools3 concluded that BREEAM school ratings could be
achieved at ‘little extra cost, and even at no extra cost’, reaching higher sustainability standards of
performance did incur additional costs. This ranged from as little as one-fifth of one per cent for a
secondary school on a good location site, to nearly 10 per cent in the case of a primary school on
a poor location site. Unlike the above example of increased rents for offices, increased costs for
EN
state schools will be borne by public funding. This is why, during the Building Schools for the Future
programme, the BREEAM target was only a Very Good rating.
Figure 5.3 indicates that the additional cost of achieving a Good rating and a Very Good rating
for schools on good location sites is minimal (ranging between an increase of 0.2 per cent and 1.8
per cent). Additional costs are lower for secondary schools, which tend to be larger, than primary
IM
11
9.9
Poor location site
Good location site
9
EC
5.9
5
SP
4.4
3.9
3.0
3 2.7
1.8
1.1
1 0.7 0.8
0.5
0.2
0
-1 Primary Primary Primary Secondary Secondary Secondary

school – school – school – school – school – school –
BREEAM BREEAM Very BREEAM BREEAM BREEAM Very BREEAM
Good rating Good rating Excellent rating Good rating Good rating Excellent rating
FIGURE 5.3: Comparing increases in capital costs for various BREEAM School ratings
on poor location and good location sites
SOURCE: Figures taken from Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools,3 © BRE Global Ltd 2008
218
The cost of BREEAM
schools, which are smaller, as the result of economies of scale. Even on poor location sites the
additional cost of achieving a Very Good rating is no more than 3 per cent. The additional costs for
achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating are higher, however, ranging between 3.9 per cent and 5.9
per cent (for secondary and primary schools respectively) for good location sites. This increases to
4.4 per cent and 9.9 per cent for poor location sites. The scale of the additional capital costs for
the schools on good location sites is not dissimilar to that seen with offices, as discussed above.
One of the conclusions drawn in Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools,3 however, was that careful
consideration of the design and specification at an early stage of a project helps to minimise any
additional costs. This reinforces the recommendations described in Chapter 2 on how the require-
ments for credits can be achieved at the earliest possible stage.
Although these research papers are now over six and three years old respectively, they reach the
following similar conclusions:
EN
UÊ location and site condition can have a major impact on costs
UÊ effective management of the design and procurement process is critical in ensuring that
low-cost options are identified and achieved
UÊ costs can rapidly increase once all low-cost options have been implemented
UÊ to minimise costs, sustainability must be considered at the earliest possible stage.
IM
5.3 The cost impact of a site’s location
The clear message is that it costs more to achieve a high BREEAM score for a poor location site.
This is important, as around one-tenth of a potential score is dependent on a site’s location.
EC
Figure 5.2 shows that in achieving a BREEAM Very Good rating for both naturally ventilated and
air-conditioned offices the difference in costs can be an increase of between 2.4 per cent and 5.6
per cent in relation to poor location sites, where no site location credits are achievable, and good
location sites, where all site location credits can be achieved. While Putting a Price on Sustain-
ability1 does not cost the impact of achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating on poor location sites,
it does indicate that the additional capital costs between developing a typical location site and a
SP
good location site is between 0.9 and 3.7 per cent. The increase in costs appears to be consider-
ably lower for naturally ventilated offices than for air-conditioned offices. This might suggest that
a move towards natural ventilation strategies for offices is a more cost-effective way of achieving
a BREEAM Excellent rating. It should also not be forgotten that evidence suggests that BREEAM
Excellent offices may command higher rents.
Figure 5.3 shows a similar story for schools, even if the scale of variation is different. For schools
achieving a BREEAM Very Good rating, the additional capital costs for developing on poor loca-
tion sites compared to good location sites are between 1.2 per cent and 1.9 per cent. For schools
wanting to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, the additional capital cost is between 4 and 5.5
per cent.
219
The cost of BREEAM
5.4 Which credits cost more?
While the data in Putting a Price on Sustainability1 and Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools3 are
now relatively old, they still offer insights into the cost of achieving one set of credits as opposed
to another.
5.5 Principal contractor operating in an environmentally

friendly manner to the benefit of the BREEAM Assessment
The research behind the two publications considered the additional capital costs of achieving per-
formance standards similar to those required to award the credits from the following Issues.
EN
UÊ Man01: Sustainable procurement (Construction and handover and Aftercare criteria)
UÊ Man02: Responsible construction practices
UÊ Man03: Construction site impacts.
These Issues affect the Tender Specification and effectively require the principal contractor to oper-
ate in an environmentally friendly manner to the benefit of a BREEAM Assessment.
IM
1.8
1.6
EC
Additional cost of each 1% of score

1.4
1.28
1.2
Percentage increase
1.0
SP
0.8
0.6 0.54
0.4
0.29
0.2
0.07
0.04 0.02
0.004 0.01
0.0
Contractor’s actions Good practice Good practice Good practice

architectural services design services design
design and and specification and specification
specification plus rainwater
harvesting
FIGURE 5.4: Increase in capital costs for quick win BREEAM Issues
SOURCE: Figures taken from Putting a Price on Sustainability,1 © BRE Global Ltd 2005, and
Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools,3 © BRE Global Ltd 2008
220
The cost of BREEAM
The potential additional cost of these credits came to less than one-tenth of 1 per cent, as indi-
cated in Figure 5.4. This seems to be a very cost-effective way of scoring around 6 per cent of an
Assessment’s score. While the associated costs of credit Wst01: Construction waste management
were not considered by the studies, as they were not a BREEAM requirement at that time, many
contractors are already actively reducing their site construction waste and increasing recycling and
should, therefore, be able to meet the performance criteria required by BREEAM. This situation is
being driven, among other reasons, by the need to avoid escalating landfill tax costs and some of
these credits should be achievable without any overall additional costs.
5.6 Good practice architectural design and specification
The architect is normally responsible for just under half of those Issues, considered in Chapter 3,
EN
whose performance standards are easier to achieve by adopting good practice design and speci-
fications. Of these, about 60 per cent, or those Issues whose standards are nearest, were costed
in the research papers. The additional capital cost that is incurred from adopting all their require-
ments (with the minor exception of providing internal blinds) was under one-third of 1 per cent, as
indicated in Figure 5.4. Another eighth-tenths of one-percent could be added from Hea01: Visual
comfort (Glare control and view out criterion), arising from the cost of providing internal blinds. Of
the remaining 70 per cent of Issues considered in Chapter 3, it could be argued that only two would
IM
normally attract additional capital costs. These are:
UÊ Hea06: Safety and security (Safe access criterion) – if an additional access road is
required
UÊ Mat02: Hard landscape and boundary protection – if there is an additional cost in using
EC
recycled aggregates to ensure that the hardstanding areas achieve a Green Guide A or
A+ rating.
Taking advantage of quick win good practice solutions to the architectural design and specification
suggested in Chapter 3 will add around 10 per cent to a final BREEAM score at an additional cost
of less than one-third of 1 per cent. This is a very cost-effective means of gaining credits.
SP
5.7 Good practice services design and specification
The services engineer is normally responsible for just over half of those Issues considered in Chap-
ter 3 whose performance standards are easier to achieve by adopting good practice design and
specifications. Of these, around 75 per cent, or those Issues whose standards are nearest, were
costed in the above research papers. The additional capital cost incurred in achieving the perfor-
mance requirements of these Issues is just over half of 1 per cent (Figure 5.4). Of the remaining
Issues not costed, only the following two Issues could incur additional costs:
UÊ Ene06: Energy-efficient transport systems

UÊ Ene07: Energy-efficient laboratory systems.
Again, it appears that adopting a good practice approach to the services design and specification
is a cost-effective way of achieving just over 10 per cent of an Assessment’s final score. In addition,
221
The cost of BREEAM
Putting a Price on Sustainability1 considered that the reduction of water consumption by the speci-
fication of water-efficient sanitary ware was cost neutral. Also, the use of rainwater harvesting to
reduce water consumption still further was found to incur an additional cost of between 0.3 and
0.9 per cent.
5.8 Reducing CO 2 emissions
Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools3 also provides a potentially interesting insight into which
low- and zero-carbon energy options may be the most cost-effective in generating additional cred-
its from the following Issues:
UÊ Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions – through the reduction of energy demand and the
EN
use of low- or zero-carbon energy generation to increase a building’s Energy Performance
Ratio for New Construction (see Chapter 4 for details of how this is calculated)
UÊ Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies – through the reduction of CO2 emissions
from a building’s regulated energy (see Chapter 4).
It shows that the additional cost in terms of fees of developing a renewable energy feasibility study,
a prerequisite for gaining any BREEAM credits under Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies, is
IM
extremely cost effective. It was, in fact, less than three-hundredths of 1 per cent.
Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools3 investigated the following range of low- and zero-carbon
energy options which might be used to reduce a building’s CO2 emissions and so gain additional
credits against Ene1: Reduction of CO2 emissions:
EC
UÊ ground source heat pumps for heating

UÊ solar thermal panels for hot water
UÊ photovoltaic panels for generating electricity
UÊ biomass boiler for heating and hot water
UÊ wind turbine for generating electricity.
SP
The study provides a figure illustrating the amount by which each of the options reduces levels of
carbon emissions (in kgCO2/m2 per annum) along with an additional capital cost figure in £/m2. The
information provided has been used to generate the graph in Figure 5.5. This shows that while the
greatest reduction in CO2 emissions (on a kgCO2/m2 per annum basis) usually came from the instal-
lation of photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, these panels were also the most expensive
option and resulted in the greatest percentage increase in capital costs. The use of a biomass boiler
to help to meet the heating and hot water demand, although a close second in terms of kgCO2/m2
per annum saved, was the second lowest in terms of additional costs.
The most useful aspect of Figure 5.5 lies in the possibility of extending the analysis to create a value
representing the percentage increase in capital costs for each kgCO2/m2 per annum saved. This
shows, again, that the most expensive option is the use of photovoltaic panels, followed by ground
source heat pumps, solar thermal, wind turbines and finally (the least expensive) biomass boilers.
While wind turbines seem to run biomass boilers a close second in terms of additional costs for
each kgCO2/m2 per annum saved, there will be many instances where a site is simply not suitable
222
The cost of BREEAM
12.0 kgCO2 /m2 per annum saved 1.0

11.36
0.88 Percentage increase per kgCO2 /m2 0.9
10.02
9.94
10.0
0.8
0.7
8.0
Percentage increases
0.6
kgCO2 /m2
5.93
6.0 0.47 0.5
0.43
4.55 0.4
EN
4.0
0.3
2.77
2.14 0.2
0.16
2.0 0.14
1.42
1.19
0.97 0.1
0.0
Photovoltaic panels Ground source

heat pumps
IM Solar thermal Wind turbines Biomass boiler
0.0
FIGURE 5.5: Increase in capital costs for low- and zero-carbon technologies
SOURCE: Figures taken from Putting a Price on Sustainability,1 © BRE Global Ltd 2005, and
EC
Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools,3 © BRE Global Ltd 2008
for a medium to large wind turbine (reasons include the proximity of adjoining residential areas or
the potential for wind turbulence from surrounding buildings). Even the use of a biomass boiler has
to be considered in terms of the future availability of biomass fuel from local, sustainable sources,
as well as the availability of storage space for the biomass fuel and its delivery. Judging from this
SP
analysis, the best options might finally be the use of the mid-range cost options of ground source
heating and solar thermal panels.
Putting a Price on Sustainability1 offers only a limited insight into cost-effective ways of reducing
CO2 emissions. The study of the air-conditioned office looks at the additional cost of reducing
CO2 emissions by using 100 m2 of photovoltaic panels and 100 m2 of solar thermal panels. The
100 m2 of photovoltaic panels are likely to generate only 12,800 kWh during a typical year, which
equates to a reduction in energy demand of approximately 1.27 kWh/m2 per annum. This means
that around 0.7 kgCO2/m2 per annum will be saved. The 100 m2 of solar thermal panels will save
around 0.6 kgCO2/m2 per annum, assuming around 50 per cent of the annual hot water demand of
the office will be provided. This means that the photovoltaic panels and solar thermal panels save
1.3 kgCO2/m2 per annum for an additional capital cost of 1.77 per cent. This equates to an increase
in capital costs of 1.36 per cent for each saved kgCO2/m2 per annum, reflecting the current expense
of installing photovoltaic panels. This is similar to the findings in Putting a Price on Sustainable
Schools.3 Figure 5.5 suggests that using a combination of photovoltaic and solar thermal panels
223
The cost of BREEAM
would result in a combined additional cost of 1.31 per cent for each saved kgCO2/m2 per annum,
which is not necessarily the cheapest option.
The above figures do not take into account any potential income from the generation of electricity
from photovoltaic panels through the government’s Feed-in Tariff Scheme4 or for the generation
of heat through the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive.5 This income can be used to offset the
increase in capital costs of providing these technologies, significantly shortening their payback
periods, depending on the terms of the schemes at the time of development.
5.9 Summary of cost impact of certain credits
The importance of developing a site that is in a good location in BREEAM terms is vital, with the
EN
potential to contribute around 10 per cent to a final score.
Also, targeting the BREEAM Issues described as ‘quick wins’ in Chapter 3 is a highly cost-effective way
of achieving a large number of BREEAM credits. These Issues all fall into three main categories:
UÊ actions by the main contractor

UÊ taking a good practice approach towards the architectural design and specifications
UÊ
IM
taking a good practice approach towards the building services design and specifications.
However, the additional costs of achieving credits relating to Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions
and Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies are likely to be much more significant, depending
on which approach to low- and zero-carbon energy generation is adopted.
EC
It appears that around 35 per cent of a final BREEAM score might be achievable by targeting
the quick wins on good location sites for an additional capital cost of just over 1.5 per cent. This
equates to an additional cost of just six-tenths of 1 per cent for each additional 1 per cent added
towards the value of a final BREEAM score (Figure 5.4). Obviously, it pays to be wary of gross
generalisations, but this appears to be a cost-effective way of achieving around 60 per cent of the
score needed for a Very Good rating and 50 per cent of the score needed for an Excellent rating. It
SP
also highlights the importance of recognising which quick wins can be achieved on a project at the
earliest possible stage of the design process, allowing the design team time to identify those Issues
in which the remaining credits can be targeted in the most cost-effective way.
References
1 Cyril Sweett and BRE Centre for Sustainable Construction (2005) Putting a Price on Sustainability, BRE Trust,
Watford
2 Andrea Chegut, Piet Eichholtz and Nils Kok (July 2011) (Maastricht University) The Value of green buildings: New
Evidence from the United Kingdom. Available at: www.sirp.se/l/getfile.ashx?cid=280784&cc=3&refid=34
3 Anna Surgenor and Ian Buttress (2008) Putting a Price on Sustainable Schools, BRE Trust, Watford
4 For details of the Government’s Feed-in Tariff Scheme, see:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environment/fits/Pages/fits.aspx
5 For details of the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive, see:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/e-serve/RHI/Pages/RHI.aspx
224
Index
Access Statements 68 building services effect of site location 216–19

accessibility see HE06 (Safety and security); aftercare 42, 88–90, 117–19; when Innovation credits 214–15
inclusive and accessible design; considered 39, 42 court buildings 11–13, 21
Tra01 (Public transport accessibility) commissioning 86–8, 115–16 cyclist facilities see Tra03
Accessibility Index (AI) 51–2 overall contribution 221–2
acoustic consultant’s issues 31, 133–8 see also Man01 (sustainable procure- daylighting 34, 185–7
acoustic performance see Hea05 ment); services engineer’s issues demolition waste 123
aftercare 88–90, 117–19 building type coverage 15 design and specification, good practice
when considered 39, 42 Building User Guides 26, 69 63–5, 144, 221
aggregates see Wst02 (Recycled aggregates) building user information 26, 69–70 design for robustness see Mat05
air quality see Hea02 (Indoor air quality) building-type dependent Issues 20–1, 22 design life-cycle stages 29–32
amenities see Tra02 (Proximity to amenities) design stage assessment 8
architect’s issues 30 car parking capacity see Tra04 design stage issues 30–1, 34–9
EN
preparation stage 33–4 carbon emissions see Ene01 (CO2 emissions development sites see LE01 (Site selection)
design stage 34–5, 38–9 reduction) difficult buildings 184
pre-construction stages 40–2 case studies 14 drinking water quality 36, 95
as-constructed condition see post-construc- Categories 9–10 drying space see Ene09 (Drying space)
tion stage assessment building-type dependent Issues 21 durability see Mat05 (Design for robustness)
assessment process 6–9, 19–45 Issues, credits and schemes 11–13
costs 213–25 relative importance 22–4 ecological impact mitigation see LE03
providing evidence 19–22, 47 weighted percentage scores 14, 23, 24 ecological value of site and protection of
Assessors 7 see also Issues ecological features see LE02
fees 213
scope of activities 213–14
atmospheric pollution see Ene01 (CO2
IM
ceiling finishes see Wst04 (Speculative floor
and ceiling finishes)
client’s issues 31
ecologist’s issues 31, 126–33
Ecology Reports 129
educational buildings
emissions reduction); Pol02 (NOx CO2 emissions reduction see Ene01 additional costs 217–18
emissions) Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) 5 building-type dependent issues 21
cold storage, energy-efficient see Ene05 CO2 emissions reduction 221
balanced score card 10 commercial buildings example target ratings 5
EC
biodiversity, long-term impacts see LE05 building-type dependent issues 21 guidance 15
Biodiversity Champions 131, 132 coverage 15 issue credits 11–13
biofuels 101 issue credits 11–13 electrical equipment see Ene08 (Energy-
boundary protection see Mat02 (Hard land- commissioning efficient equipment)
scaping and boundary protection) aftercare 88–9 Ene01 (CO2 emissions reduction) 156–9
BRE construction and handover 86–7, 115–16 cost-effectiveness 222–4
Code for Sustainable Environment 4 commissioning manager’s issues 142 exemplary level performance standard
Global Competent Persons Scheme 7 Comprehensive Assessment System for Built 28
Refurbishment Scheme 15 Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) 17 Innovation credits 158, 159
tailored assessment criteria 15 Considerate Constructors Scheme 26, 27, minimum performance standard 26,
SP
BREEAM 119–20 27
Accredited Professional (AP) 7, 142–4 construction contracts 114 standards 4
assessment process 6–9, 19–45 construction handover 86–7, 115–16, 142 when considered 36
assessment structure 9–14 when considered 36, 38, 40, 43 Ene02 (Energy monitoring) 96–7
Assessors 7, 213 construction materials see Materials category building-type dependency 21, 97
benefits 4–5 construction practices, responsible see construction sites 120
building type coverage 15 Man02 good design and specification 64
users 5 construction site impacts see Man03 minimum performance standard 26
BREEAM Europe commercial 16 construction stage issues 43 when considered 36–7
BREEAM Gulf 16 construction waste management see Wst01 Ene03 (External lighting) 97–8
BREEAM International Bespoke 16 contaminated land 3, 57–8 good design and specification 64
British Standards 4 when considered 34, 43 visual comfort 36, 90–2
brownfield sites see previously developed contractor’s issues 43 when considered 36, 39
land contracts, construction 114 see also light pollution, reduction of
Building Energy Management System (BEMS) Convention on International Trade in Endan- Ene04 (Low- and zero-carbon technologies)
26, 96 gered Species (CITES) 174 99–102
building location see LE01 (Site selection) costs 213–25 cost-effectiveness 222–4
Building Management System (BMS) additional to achieve higher ratings exemplary level performance standard
commissioning 86, 115–16 215–19 28
water monitoring 104 Assessors’ fees 213–14 good design and specification 64
Building Regulations Part L2A 4, 26 cost-effective Issues 220 Innovation credits 100
225
Index
Ene04 (continued ) fume cupboards 206 Health and wellbeing category 9, 11

minimum performance standard 26 glare control and view out 70–2, 221 building-type dependent issues 21
when considered 37 Green Building Council scheme 16–17 difficult buildings 184
Ene05 (Energy-efficient cold storage) 28, Green Building Guides 44 difficult issues 148, 150
204–5 Green Guide rating 77–8, 171, 172 good design and specification 64
when considered 39 Green Lease Agreements 44 site selection and setting-out 49
Ene06 (Energy-efficient transportation sys- green roofs 113 value of specialist consultants 125
tems) 64, 102–3, 221–2 greenhouse gas emissions weighted percentage scores 11, 23
when considered 39 energy-efficient cold storage 39, 204–5 healthcare buildings 11–13, 15, 21
Ene07 (Energy-efficient laboratory systems) leakage of refrigerants 182–3 heating and cooling systems see building
building-type dependency 21 see also Ene01 (CO2 emissions reduction) services; Ene01 (CO2 emissions
good design and specification 64, 221–2 greywater systems 166, 169 reduction); Pol02 (NOx emissions)
when considered 39 highway engineer’s issues 31
Ene08 (Energy-efficient equipment) 208–10 habitat protection see LE03 (Ecological
when considered 39, 42 impact mitigation) inclusive and accessible design 68
Ene09 (Drying space) 64, 75–6 handover from construction 86–7, 115–16, 142 indoor air quality see Hea02
when considered 35 when considered 36, 38, 40, 43 industrial buildings 11–13, 21
Energy category 9, 11 hard landscaping and boundary protection Innovation credits 10, 27–9, 214–15
EN
building-type dependent issues 21 see Mat02 available credits 13, 14
difficult issues 148, 150 HE01 (Visual comfort) CO2 emissions reduction 158, 159
good design and specification 64 building-type dependency 21, 71, 91, construction waste management 123
weighted percentage scores 11, 23 185–6, 187 energy-efficient cold storage 205
energy consumption daylighting criterion 34, 185–7 life cycle impacts 171
demand modelling 157–9 exemplary level performance standard 28 low- and zero-carbon technologies 100
external lighting 110–11 glare control and view out criterion recycled aggregates 180–1
see also Ene01 (CO2 emissions reduc- 70–2, 221 responsible construction practices 119
tion); Ene04 (Low- and zero-carbon good design and specification 64, 221 responsible sourcing of materials 178
technologies)
energy monitoring see Ene02
Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) 4
IM
Innovation credits 187
internal and external lighting criterion
36, 90–2
sustainable procurement 89, 118
visual comfort 187
water consumption 166
energy-efficient cold storage see Ene05 minimum performance standard 25 weighted percentage scores 13, 23
energy-efficient equipment see Ene08 visual arts for healthcare buildings insulation see Mat04
energy-efficient laboratory systems see criterion 33 internal decoration see Wst04 (Speculative
Ene07 when considered 33, 34, 36 floor and ceiling finishes)
EC
energy-efficient lighting 91, 110–11 HE02 (Indoor air quality) internal environmental controls 92–4
energy-efficient transportation systems see building-type dependency 21, 188–9 internal lighting
Ene06 laboratory fume cupboards and contain- lighting controls 91
environmental controls 92–4 ment areas criterion 36, 206–7 visual comfort 36, 90–2
environmental life-cycle impacts see Mat01 minimising sources of air pollution crite- international standards 4, 16–17
(Life-cycle impacts) rion 35, 41, 50–1, 153–5 in-use assessment 14
environmental management systems 41, potential for natural ventilation criterion irrigation systems 169
121, 179 35, 188–9 Issues
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) 171 site selection and setting-out 49 to be included 7, 20
environmentally friendly construction 119–22 when considered 35, 36 exemplary level performance standards
SP
effect on credits 220–1 HE03 (Thermal comfort) 92–4 27, 28

issues to be considered 114 good design and specification 64 minimum performance standards
escalators see Ene06 (Energy-efficient trans- thermal model criterion 38, 92 24–7
portation systems) when considered 36, 38 stages at which considered 29–43
European Standards 4 HE04 (Water quality) 94–5 weightings 11–13, 22–4
exemplary level performance standards 27, good design and specification 64
28 minimising risk of contamination criterion laboratory fume cupboards and containment
external lighting see Ene03; Pol04 39 areas 36, 206–7
minimum performance standard 25 laboratory systems see Ene07 (Energy-
finishes see Wst04 (Speculative floor and provision of fresh drinking water criterion efficient laboratory systems)
ceiling finishes) 36 Land use and ecology category 10, 13
fit-out projects 15–16, 44 when considered 36, 39 building-type dependent issues 21
flood risk 61–2, 190–2 HE05 (Acoustic performance) 133–6 minimum performance standard 25
floor coverings and finishes see Wst04 building-type dependency 21, 134–5 value of specialist consultants 125
(Speculative floor and ceiling finishes) when considered 33 weighted percentage scores 13, 23
flow control devices 106–7 HE06 (Safety and security) Landscape and Habitat Management Plan
Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and good design and specification 64, 221 131, 132
Trade (FLEGT) 173 safe access criterion 35, 72–3 landscaping see irrigation systems; Mat02
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) 173 security of site and building criterion (Hard landscaping and boundary
formaldehyde emissions 153 74–5 protection)
free cooling 100 when considered 35 laundry drying see Ene09 (Drying space)
226
Index
LE01 (Site selection) exemplary level performance standard office buildings

and additional costs 216–19 28 additional costs 216–17
contaminated land criterion 34, 43, 57–8 Innovation credits 119 building-type dependent issues 21
overall contribution 216–19, 224 minimum performance standard 26, 27 CO2 emissions reduction 223–4
previously developed land criterion 33, when considered 40 comparison of BREEAM 2008 and 2011
56–7 Man03 (Construction site impacts) 120–2 24
value to overall score 48–9 environmentally friendly construction issue credits 11–13
when considered 33, 34, 43 114, 220–1 operational waste see Wst03
LE02 (Ecological value of site and protection when considered 40–1
of ecological features) 49, 59–60, 126 Man04 (Stakeholder participation) parking areas see Mat02 (Hard landscaping
when considered 34 building user information criterion and boundary protection); Tra04
LE03 (Ecological impact mitigation) 26, 69–70 (Maximum car parking capacity)
127–8, 190–2 good design and specification 64 performance ratings 14
when considered 38 inclusive and accessible design criterion target ratings 5, 7
LE04 (Enhancing site ecology) 128–30 34, 68 performance standards
building-type dependency 21, 129 minimum performance standard 26 exemplary level 27, 28
when considered 34 post-occupancy evaluation and informa- minimum 24–7
LE05 (Long-term impacts on biodiversity) tion dissemination criterion 38 rating systems 16–17
EN
130–3 when considered 34, 38 Pol01 (Refrigerants, impact of) 37, 182–3
building-type dependency 21, 131 Man05 (Life-cycle cost and service life plan- Pol02 (NOx emissions) 65, 108–10 see Pol02
when considered 38–9, 43 ning) 38, 151–3 when considered 40
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Management category 9, 11 Pol03 (Surface water run-off)
Design (LEED) 16–17 difficult issues 148, 150 flood risk criterion 61–2, 190–2
leak detection see Wat03 (Water leak detec- environmentally friendly construction good design and specification 65
tion and prevention) 114 minimising watercourse pollution crite-
Legionella control 25 good design and specification 64 rion 112–13
life-cycle cost and service life planning see value of specialist consultants 125 site selection and setting-out 49
Man05
life-cycle impacts see Mat01
lifts see Ene06 (Energy-efficient transporta-
IM
weighted percentage scores 11, 23
Mat01 (Life-cycle impacts) 170–3
building-type dependency 21, 172
when considered 34, 37–8
Pol04 (Reduction of light pollution) 65,
110–11
tion systems) exemplary level performance standard when considered 37
light pollution, reduction of see Pol04 28 Pol05 (Noise attenuation) 39, 137–8
lighting 90–2 Innovation credits 171 Pollution category 10, 13
when considered 36, 39 when considered 35 difficult buildings 184
EC
see also daylighting; Ene03 (External Mat02 (Hard landscaping and boundary difficult issues 149, 150
lighting); Hea01 (Visual comfort) protection) 77–8 good design and specification 65
linings see Wst04 (Speculative floor and ceil- good design and specification 65, 221 site selection and setting-out 49
ing finishes) when considered 35 value of specialist consultants 125
local amenities see Tra02 (Proximity to Mat03 (Responsible sourcing of materials) weighted percentage scores 13, 23
amenities) 173–9 post-construction stage assessment 8–9, 14,
local authorities, target ratings 5 exemplary level performance standard 20, 22, 43–4
local energy generation see Ene04 (Low- and 28 post-occupancy evaluation and information
zero-carbon technologies) Innovation credits 178 dissemination 38
location issues see LE01 (Site selection) minimum performance standard 25 pre-assessment 7–8
SP
low- and zero-carbon technologies see when considered 41–2, 42 pre-construction stage issues 39–43
Ene04 Mat04 (Insulation) 65, 79–80, 108 preparation stage issues 30–1, 32–9
when considered 40, 42 previously developed land 33, 56–7
Man01 (Sustainable procurement) Mat05 (Design for robustness) 65, 81–2 principal contractor’s issues 43
aftercare criterion 39, 42, 88–90, 117–19 when considered 42 prison buildings 11–13, 21
construction and handover criterion 36, Materials category 9, 12 procurement see sustainable procurement
38, 40, 43, 86–7, 115–16, 142 building-type dependent issues 21 Programme for the Endorsement of Forest
environmentally friendly construction difficult issues 149, 150 Certification (PEFC) 173
114, 220–1 good design and specification 65 project brief and design 66–7, 142–4
exemplary level performance standard weighted percentage scores 12, 23 when considered 33, 38
28 minimum performance standards 24–7 proximity to amenities see Tra02
good design and specification 64 mixed-use buildings 15 public (non-housing) buildings
Innovation credits 89, 118 moving walkways see Ene06 (Energy-efficient building-type dependent issues 21
minimum performance standard 25, 27 transportation systems) coverage 15
project brief and design criterion 33, 38, multi-residential buildings 11–13, 15, 21 public transport accessibility see Tra01
66–7, 142–4
when considered 33, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42 natural ventilation 100, 188–9 quantity surveyor’s issues 31, 38
Man02 (Responsible construction practices) when considered 35
119–20 nature conservation see LE03 (Ecological rainwater drainage see Pol03 (Surface water
environmentally friendly construction impact mitigation) run-off)
114, 220–1 noise attenuation see Pol05 rainwater harvesting 165, 169, 222
227
Index
rating systems 16–17 surface water run-off see Pol03 environmentally friendly construction 114
recycled aggregates see Wst02 sustainable procurement see Man01 good design and specification 65
recycling waste see Wst01 (Construction weighted percentage scores 12, 23
waste management); Wst03 (Opera- Target Emissions Rate (TER) 26 waste management see Wst01 (Construction
tional waste) target ratings 5, 7 waste management); Wst03 (Opera-
refrigerants, impact of see Pol01 tenant fit-outs 15, 44 tional waste)
refurbishment projects 15–16, 44 tender specifications 114 Wat01 (Water consumption) 164–8
registering the project 8, 213 thermal comfort see Hea03 cost-effective measures 222
renewable energy see Ene04 (Low- and zero- thermal insulation see Mat04 (Insulation) exemplary level performance standard
carbon technologies) thermal modelling 38, 92 28
reports thermographic survey 115, 116 Innovation credits 166
design stage assessment 8 timber minimum performance standard 26, 27
post-construction stage assessment 9, construction site 121 when considered 35, 37, 39–40, 41, 43
14 sustainable procurement 25 Wat02 (Water monitoring)
residential buildings see multi-residential Tra01 (Public transport accessibility) 51–3, construction sites 121
buildings 139 detecting a major leak criterion 104–5
responsible construction practices see Man02 building-type dependency 21, 51–2 good design and specification 65
responsible sourcing of materials see Mat03 site selection and setting-out 49 minimum performance standard 26
EN
retail buildings 5, 11–13, 21 when considered 33 when considered 40
RIBA, Outline Plan of Work 29 see also Tra05 (Travel plan) Wat03 (Water leak detection and prevention)
robustness see Mat05 (Design for robustness) Tra02 (Proximity to amenities) 54–5 detecting a major leak criterion 105–6
building-type dependency 21, 54–5 flow control devices criterion 106–7
safety and security see Hea06 site selection and setting-out 49 good design and specification 65
sanitary installations when considered 33 when considered 40
leak detection and prevention 107 Tra03 (Cyclist facilities) 160–4 Wat04 (Water-efficient equipment) 40,
water consumption 164–8 building-type dependency 21, 160–2, 168–70
schools see educational buildings 163 Water category 9, 12
security of site and building 74–5
service engineer’s issues 30, 36–7, 39–40
service life planning see Man05
IM
when considered 35
Tra04 (Maximum car parking capacity) 21, 33
Tra05 (Travel plan) 64, 77, 140–1
difficult issues 149, 150
good design and specification 65
weighted percentage scores 12, 23
services see building services when considered 33 water consumption see Wat01
setting out of buildings 48–9 training of Assessors 7 water contamination risk 39
shell-only development 15–16, 44 Transport category 9, 12 water leak detection and prevention see
Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) building-type dependent issues 21 Wat03
EC
157 difficult issues 148, 150 water monitoring see Wat02
site ecology, enhancing see LE04 good design and specification 64 water quality see Hea04
site selection see LE01 site selection and setting-out 49 watercourse pollution risk 112–13
Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) 27, value of specialist consultants 125 Wst01 (Construction waste management)
122, 124 weighted percentage scores 12, 23 122–4
small buildings 214 transportation systems see Ene06 (Energy- environmentally friendly construction
sound insulation see noise attenuation efficient transportation systems) 114
sourcing of materials, responsible see Mat03 travel plan see Tra05 exemplary level performance standard
space heating and cooling systems see build- 28
ing services; Ene01 (CO2 emissions UK Green Building Council 4 Innovation credits 123
SP
reduction); Pol02 (NOx emissions) minimum performance standard 27

specialist consultants 124–5 vehicle-wash facilities 169 removal of waste 121
speculative floor and ceiling finishes see ventilation see natural ventilation when considered 37
Wst04 view out 70–2 Wst02 (Recycled aggregates) 43, 180–1
speculative shell-only development 15–16, visual arts for healthcare buildings 33 Wst03 (Operational waste) 26, 65, 82–4
44 visual comfort see Hea01 when considered 35
stakeholder participation see Man04 VOC emissions 153 Wst04 (Speculative floor and ceiling finishes)
standards see international standards; perfor- 85
mance standards wall coverings building-type dependency 21, 85
structural engineer’s issues 31 indoor air pollution 154 good design and specification 65
preparation stage 34 see also Wst04 (Speculative floor and indoor air pollution 154
design stage 37–8 ceiling finishes) when considered 38
pre-construction stages 42–3 Waste category 9–10, 12
surface finishes see Wst04 (Speculative floor building-type dependent issues 21 zero-carbon technologies see Ene04 (Low-
and ceiling finishes) difficult issues 149, 150 and zero-carbon technologies)
228
Guide to
BREEAM
EN
BREEAM 2011 is the leading environmental assessment method for buildings, increasingly
required by clients and funding agencies. However, the process is complex, making it difficult to
maximize a rating.
IM
Now, this independent, accessible guide comes to the rescue. It explains the scoring system,
reveals ‘quick wins’ and clarifies the standard of evidence needed, articulating the rationale for
and cost of BREEAM along the way. In short, it focuses on the practical aspects of achieving a
respectable rating.
Aimed at all building professionals, useful background sections include revealing insights into
EC
how scores are weighted and the importance of timing. This is followed by two core chapters that
examine Issues one by one in a structured way. The first concentrates on quick wins, the second
on more difficult Issues. Laid out in a consistent format, the guidance in these chapters covers
everything from prerequisite conditions and lists of required evidence through to design tips and
building-type variations. A final chapter looks at cost, exploring the benefit of targeting good
scores and the comparative costs of different credits.
SP
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-sustainability.com).
www.ribabookshops.com www.ribapublishing.com

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Published by RIBA Publishing, 15 Bonhill Street, London EC2P 2EA

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Stock code 76424

British Library Cataloguing in Publications Data

Commissioning Editor: James Thompson

RIBA Publishing is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.

2 The Assessment process: an overview 19

2.3 Minimum performance standards 24

3 Maximising the beneﬁts and some quick wins 47

4 Difﬁcult BREEAM Issues 147

5 The cost of BREEAM 213

to the beneﬁt of the BREEAM Assessment

UÊ a credible, independently assessed sustainability label for buildings

taken by the UK Green Building Council to provide market-focused but science-led

1.2 Why undertake a BREEAM Assessment?

1.3 The BREEAM Assessment process

UÊ deciding to carry out a BREEAM Assessment

Appointed BREEAM AP monitors and reports progress

Hold BREEAM BREEAM Assessor issues minutes

Client and design team collate design

Client, design team and contractor collate as-built ⁄

FIGURE 1.1: BREEAM timeline

Deciding to carry out a BREEAM Assessment

Appointing a BREEAM Assessor

Appointing a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP)

Registering the project

UÊ details of the client and Assessor

The design stage assessment

The post-construction stage assessment

It is possible to undertake a post-construction assessment without a Design Stage Assessment

Category) divided into 48 Issues. The categories are:

UÊ Management, which deals with sustainable procurement, responsible construction prac-

aggregates, the provision of space to encourage operational recycling and encouraging

Man01: Sustainable procurement 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

Man03: Construction site impacts 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Man04: Stakeholder participation 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Man05: Life-cycle cost and service life planning 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Total credits available in Management Category IM 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22

Health and Wellbeing Category 15% weighting towards BREEAM score

Hea01: Visual comfort 3 4 3 3 4 5 3 3 3 3

Hea02: Indoor air quality 4 4 4 6 6 6 4 4 4 6

Hea03: Thermal comfort 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Hea04: Water quality 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Hea05: Acoustic performance 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 2

Hea06: Safety and security 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Total credits available in Health and Wellbeing Category 14 15 14 17 17 18 14 14 16 16

Energy Category 19% weighting towards BREEAM score

Ene01: Reduction of CO2 emissions 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

Ene02: Energy monitoring 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2

Ene03: External lighting 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Ene04: Low- and zero-carbon technologies 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Ene05: Energy-efﬁcient cold storage 0 2 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 2

Ene06: Energy-efﬁcient transportation systems 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Ene07: Energy-efﬁcient laboratory systems 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 5

Ene08: Energy-efﬁcient equipment 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Ene09: Drying space 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0