BREEAM and The Code for Sustainable Homes

The BREEAM family of assessment methods and tools are all designed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to help construction professionals understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of the developments they design and build. Many of these assessment processes have the optional component of ‘Ecology’. Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy has undertake numerous assessments under the BREEAM or Code for Sustainable Homes over the past 15 years and are well placed to advise clients on how they can achieve maximum possible credits within the Ecology sections of the assessments.

All of our staff are fully qualified and experienced ecologists and are full members of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM). Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy is also a member of the Association of Wildlife Trust Consultancies (AWTC), and as such we fit the criteria for being ‘suitably qualified ecologists’ as per the BRE standards.

The Ecology section of both BREEAM and The Code for Sustainable Homes vary slightly but are centred around the common theme of the natural environment on site. Generally the process requires a site survey to assess what ecological components exist before development with a series of components assessed under five categories:

• Ecological value of site
• Ecological enhancement
• Protection of ecological features
• Change in ecological value of site
• Building footprint

In most cases nine credits are available under the Ecology section which is weighted to form 12% of all available credits. The details of each BREEAM building assessment vary slightly and full information can be obtained from the Technical Guides on the BRE website. Below is a summary of the BREEAM building assessments and The Code for Sustainable Homes.

The Code for Sustainable Homes
‘The Code’ aims to protect the environment by providing guidance on the construction of high performance homes built with sustainability in mind.

On the 27 February 2008 the Government confirmed that from 1 May 2008 it would be mandatory for all new homes to have a rating against the Code. Although the ‘Ecology’ section of the code is optional it is often a vital component for the higher ratings to be gained.

BREEAM
BREEAM Buildings can be used to assess the environmental performance of any type of building (new and existing). Standard versions exist for common building types and less common building types can be assessed against tailored criteria under the Bespoke BREEAM version. Buildings outside the UK can also be assessed using BREEAM International.

BREEAM: Bespoke - can assess buildings that fall outside the standard BREEAM categories, including leisure complexes. laboratories, higher & further education buildings and hotels at the design stage and post construction.

BREEAM: Courts - can assess both new build and the major refurbishment of court buildings. BREEAM Courts assessments are certified through the Bespoke BREEAM.

BREEAM: Ecohomes can assess new homes, apartments/flats, and houses, apartments and flats undergoing major refurbishment at the design stage and post construction.

BREEAM: Healthcare - can be used to assess all healthcare buildings containing medical facilities, and at different stages of their lifecycle.
BREEAM: Industrial - can assess storage & distribution, light industrial units, factories and workshops at the design stage and post construction.

BREEAM: International - can assess a single development or BRE can also assist in creating a BREEAM version for a country or region outside of the UK.

BREEAM: Multi-residential - can assess student halls of residence, sheltered housing for the elderly, supported housing and hostel type accommodation at the design stage and post construction.

BREEAM: Prisons - can assess high and standard security prisons, young offenders institutions, local prisons and women's prisons at the design stage and post construction.

BREEAM: Offices - can assess new build or major refurbishment and existing offices, at the design stage, post construction and in use.

BREEAM: Retail - can assess new build or major refurbishment, post construction, tenant fit-out, existing (occupied), management and operation.

BREEAM: Education - can assess new schools, major refurbishment projects and extensions at the design stage and post construction

BREEAM: Communities - this soon to be launched BREEAM scheme will help planners and developers to improve, measure and independently certify the sustainability of development proposals at the planning stage.

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