To get your BREEAM project certified you need to ensure you engage with a suitably qualified BREEAM assessor who can guide you through all the steps required to achieve a BREEAM assessment certificate and be awarded a rating by the BRE.
The focus of the certification will be to show that your project has delivered sustainable value across nine different categories. The consultant you engage with will need to have in-depth knowledge of all the BREEAM technical standards that cover the assessment. In this way they will be best placed to steer you through the processes and procedures that will help you deliver on your commitment to create a building that supports a more sustainable built environment.
The sustainability of a BREEAM project is measured right from the start at the feasibility stage, through to the end at the post construction stage and at all points in between. A consultant can help the client develop a concise strategy to target the credits required at each stage of the project to achieve the desired BREEAM rating.
They will also advise on the best way to both collect and present robust evidence at the appropriate time to show that certain criteria have been achieved at the two assessment stages: Design and Post Construction. Failure to do so can result in credits not being awarded even if the requirement in question appears to have been met.
Having a rounded expertise in sustainability allows the consultant to translate the BREEAM assessment requirements into clear and practical processes and procedures needed on site. They can produce a low and zero carbon (LZC) feasibility report to assess the potential carbon reduction impact of various types of renewables and work with you to optimise the best choice for your particular project goals.
Understanding energy use, conservation, and management, is important if any building can be considered ‘sustainable’ and this is reflected in BREEAM certification. Having an energy expert on board allows key design aspects, such as building fabric U-values and thermal bridging losses, to be considered at the right stage of the project, rather than as an afterthought when construction has started. Being able to use the fabric specification to carry out SAP or SBEM calculations, or to make an overheating assessment, not only helps to maximise BREEAM credits around reduced carbon emissions, it also ensures that the project complies with relevant Building Regulations and any local planning or client stipulations.
Early involvement enables the whole BREEAM assessment of the project to be reviewed and then planned in a way that optimises the most cost-effective path to achieve the target BREEAM rating. If you do not seek advice until after the project is started you may have already missed opportunities to gain credits and this will make the task of hitting your target BREEAM rating more difficult and more expensive.
Of the nine categories where credits are available, some carry more weight than others. An experienced consultant will be best placed to advise where to focus effects to deliver the project in the most efficient and timely fashion. This helps to create the best possible sustainable outcome for your client and the people that will use the completed building.
At Darren Evans, we have an experienced team of net zero carbon consultants who are experts in sustainability and offer a broad range of BREEAM and other assessment services. Please contact us if you would like support getting your BREEAM project certified and check out our case studies for more information on the ways we have already helped out on a selection of BREEAM projects.
