BREEAM (Building Research Environmental Assessment Method) is the leading system for assessing the environmental impacts of buildings, aimed at promoting sustainability in design, operation, and management. It provides a scoring system for various types of developments based on performance criteria, encouraging reduced environmental impact and recognition in the marketplace. The benefits include improved energy efficiency, financial advantages, and enhanced living conditions, while fostering awareness and compliance with environmental standards.

1. BREEAM Presentation

2. Introduction to BREEAM The Building Research Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is the world’s leading system for assessing the range of environmental impacts associated with buildings. BREEAM is used by owners, users and designers to demonstrate their environmental commitment and to reduce the impact that their buildings have on the environment. Buildings are assessed against performance criteria set by the BRE and awarded ‘credits’ based on their levels of performance.

3. Buildings assessed The Building Research Establishment has standard models for several types of development: Offices Schools and Education Light industrial, warehousing (non-retail) Residential (“Eco Homes” and Code for Sustainable Homes and Multi-residential) Retail Prisons Courts Health

4. Aims of BREEAM To reduce the environmental impacts of developments. To enable developments to be recognised according to their environmental benefits. To provide a credible, environmental label for buildings. To stimulate demand for environmentally sustainable buildings.

5. Objectives To distinguish buildings of reduced environmental impact in the marketplace. To ensure best environmental practice is incorporated in building design, operation, management and maintenance. To set criteria and standards surpassing those required by regulations. To inform the design process. To raise the awareness of owners, occupants, designers and operators of the benefits of buildings with a reduced impact on the environment and the benefits of building to best environmental practice standards. To allow organisations to demonstrate progress towards corporate environmental objectives.

6. Benefits Benefits range from environmental to financial, these include:- Demonstrating sustainability credentials to planning authorities for a smooth passage through the planning process Demonstrating superior environmental design resulting in: Reduced running costs trough greater energy and water efficiency, and reduced maintenance Healthy, comfortable and flexible internal environments Access to local amenities Less dependence on the car Allowing developers to be one step ahead of regulation Demonstrating compliance with environmental requirements from occupiers, planners, development agencies and developers Environmental improvement: in support of a wider corporate strategy or as a standalone contribution Occupant benefits: to create a better place for people to work and live Marketing: as a selling point to potential tenants or customers Financial: to achieve higher rental incomes and increased building efficiency Best practice: to provide a thorough checklist or tool for comparing buildings Client request: responding to the requirements of users

7. Key issues Management Health and well-being Energy Transport Water Materials Waste Land Use and Ecology Pollution

8. Each category has a varying number of credits The number of credits in each category does not reflect the relative importance of these issues. Each credit is given a percentage relating to its importance An overall building score can then be calculated for the building.

9. Scoring Environmental weighting are applied to each section and the final score is given as a percentage. The BREEAM rating is then awarded as per the table below: *>85 Outstanding >70 Excellent 55 - <70 Very Good 45 - <55 Good 30 - <45 Pass <30 Unclassified Benchmark BREEAM Rating%

10. Two stages of assessment 1. Design Stage 2. Post Construction review

11. Using BREEAM Effectively Introduce the main issues at the earliest stage in the design process, to form a focus for the discussion of the environmental impacts of the building. Input is expected to be needed from a wide range of people. Although the architect and building services designers have the largest share, the project manager, structural engineer and contractors all have a part to play. The BREEAM assessor should also be appointed early Clients can use BREEAM to specify the environmental sustainability performance of their buildings in a way that is quick, comprehensive and visible in the marketplace. Letting agents can use BREEAM to promote the environmental credentials and benefits of a building to potential clients Design teams can use BREEAM as a tool to improve the performance of the buildings and their own experience and knowledge of environmental aspects of sustainability.