Common issues with BREEAM Assessments – How can MBA add value?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, or BREEAM, as it is commonly called, has been
used to certify over c.17,000 buildings/assets within the UK, making it the largest built environment certification scheme in the UK.
The BREEAM third-party certified standards have been contributed to the enhancement of asset performance at all stages of projects since 1990, and it includes design, construction and refurbishment.
BREEAM covers a number of commonplace sustainability topic areas while including various minimum standards and mandatory gateways.
Some of the sustainability topic areas are:
- Energy
- Water
- Waste
- Ecology
- Pollution
- Materials
In addition to these, there are also social and economic facing issues, such as Management and Health & Wellbeing.
BREEAM is a well-used tool for assessing the sustainability of built environment assets and is often required through planning policy, or more recently to fulfil the ESG criteria of companies looking to differentiate themselves from competitors or to attract international investment.
This is not to say that the application of BREEAM is smooth sailing for members of the design team to manage. There are some common issues associated with BREEAM and its implementation, and we at MBA have the skills and knowledge to offset these and add real value to projects.
BREEAM Assessments – Common issues and how can MBA add value?
The timing of BREEAM Assessor appointments is more crucial than ever in the current assessment climate, with over 25% of credits relying on early action occurring before the end of RIBA Stage 2.
To maximise the value of a BREEAM assessment and really embed sustainability in the project in its early stages, we would advise to appoint a Sustainability and BREEAM professional at the same time as more traditional Design Team members, such as the project Architect and M&E engineers.
A very common misconception with BREEAM is that it is the Assessors responsibility to ensure that the information provided is compliant.
MBA can provide guidance to the wider design team in ensuring a compliant submission, but it is a requirement of various members (client included) with the Assessor acting as a final reviewer that the information submitted to the BRE is correct and accurate to the development.
At MBA, we provide a range of Technical Notes outlining the details required while we are also on hand to respond to any existing queries. We offer a CPD session to upskill any member of a Design Team about what is required to undertake a meaningful BREEAM Assessment.
Another common issue is not factoring in 3rd party timescales, which is particularly important when BREEAM certification is linked to planning policy compliance. The BRE are currently taking 16 weeks to review an initial submission before providing feedback to the Assessor.
Here at MBA we will provide these dates as soon as they are known, but also review project programmes and planning condition wording to flag any potential issues early in the process.
Aside from our experience and detailed knowledge, a further advantage of using MBA is that we can leverage the benefits of providing a combined service with M&E, BREEAM and Building Physics, just to name a few.
This will enable practical sustainability benefits to be recognised early on in the project and reduce the disconnection between specification and procurement.
If you are looking for a partner for your next project, contact us today. For more information on our Sustainability & BREEAM service, click here.
