Get BREEAM Certified Today!

Summary

This article provides a comprehensive guide to achieving BREEAM certification, covering crucial steps from selecting the right scheme to engaging stakeholders and understanding the assessment categories. It emphasizes proactive planning, collaboration, and meticulous documentation for a successful certification journey. Achieving BREEAM certification not only demonstrates a commitment to sustainability but also enhances asset value and marketability.

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** Main Story**

So, you’re aiming for BREEAM certification? That’s fantastic! Achieving Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certification isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a real statement about your commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible buildings. It’s a journey, and it’s one that can really pay off in the long run. Let’s break down how to navigate this process. It might seem daunting at first, but trust me, with the right approach, it’s totally achievable.

Picking the Right BREEAM Path

First things first: choosing the right BREEAM scheme is critical. BREEAM isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal; they’ve got different schemes tailored for different project types. For example:

• BREEAM Communities: Ideal when you’re at the very start, planning everything out.
• BREEAM New Construction: Perfect for, well, new buildings in the design and construction phases. Makes sense, right?
• BREEAM In-Use: Got an existing building? This is your scheme.
• BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-Out: For those renovation projects we all love (and sometimes loathe!).
• BREEAM Infrastructure: Think bridges, roads, the big stuff.

Why does this matter? Because picking the right scheme ensures your project aligns with the specific criteria they’re looking for. Trust me; you don’t want to be assessed against the wrong standards – that’s just a headache waiting to happen. It’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Get an Assessor On Board – Early!

Seriously, engage a licensed BREEAM assessor early. And I mean early. They’re your guides through this whole process, offering expert advice from the pre-assessment stage right through to the final certification. They can help you decipher the BREEAM criteria, craft a solid sustainability strategy, and get all that (sometimes tedious) documentation in order.

Pre-Assessment: Your Crystal Ball

Don’t skip the pre-assessment. It’s like a sneak peek into your project’s potential BREEAM rating. A pre-assessment helps to show areas you could improve. In essence, this is where you get to refine your sustainability strategy, tweak your design to get the best outcome, and, ultimately, boost your chances of snagging a higher rating. Plus, it lets you spot potential problems early, saving you time, money, and a whole lot of stress down the road. I remember once skipping the pre-assessment on a project, and we ended up scrambling to make changes at the last minute. Lesson learned!

Registration and Assessment: Let’s Make it Official

Once you’re happy with the pre-assessment, it’s time to formally register your project for the BREEAM assessment. Your assessor will guide you through the registration process and the mountain of paperwork. But timely registration is crucial, you don’t want things to be delayed by paperwork.

Understanding BREEAM Assessment Categories

BREEAM looks at sustainability through a bunch of different lenses. You’ll need to be familiar with these categories to really nail this process:

• Energy: It’s all about energy efficiency, minimizing carbon emissions, and embracing renewable energy sources.
• Water: Think water conservation, efficient water usage, and stopping water waste.
• Materials: Are you responsibly sourcing your materials? What about their use and disposal?
• Waste: Construction and operation produce waste, so how are you managing it?
• Pollution: Noise, air, water, light – you name it, BREEAM wants to see you mitigating it.
• Transport: How are you encouraging sustainable transportation and cutting down on commuting impact?
• Land Use and Ecology: Using land sustainably, preserving habitats, and promoting biodiversity are key.
• Health and Wellbeing: Happy, healthy occupants are productive occupants. This category focuses on comfort, safety, and indoor air quality.
• Management: This looks at sustainable practices across the whole project lifecycle.
• Innovation: Got some cool, groundbreaking ideas? BREEAM rewards that!

Evidence Collection and Submission: Show Your Work

Alright, this is where the rubber meets the road. You need to document everything. And I mean everything. Work closely with your assessor to gather all the necessary evidence, and make sure it’s clear, accurate, and submitted on time. Think of it like building a case; you need solid evidence to prove your point. A checklist, which you can use to help you, will make things easier and reduce delays.

Communication is Key!

Get everyone on the same page. Architects, contractors, engineers, building owners – they all need to be communicating. Make sure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities in hitting those BREEAM targets. Because regular communication helps make the process run smoothly and avoids those costly retrofits nobody wants. Nobody wants that, trust me.

Quality Assurance and the Big Reveal

Once you’ve submitted everything, the Building Research Establishment (BRE) will do a thorough review. They might even pop in for a site visit or ask for more info. But if all goes well, they’ll issue that BREEAM certificate, basically saying, “Hey, you built a sustainable building!” Congrats, you’ve earned it.

BREEAM Certification Levels

So, what’s the scale? It’s pretty straightforward:

• Pass
• Good
• Very Good
• Excellent
• Outstanding

Your rating will depend on your total score across all those assessment categories we talked about earlier. Aim high!

Why BREEAM? The Payoff

Okay, so why bother with all this? Well, there are some serious benefits:

• Increased Asset Value: BREEAM-certified buildings often fetch higher prices. It’s simple economics, really.
• Enhanced Marketability: Attract environmentally conscious tenants and investors. They’re out there, and they’re looking for sustainable buildings.
• Reduced Operating Costs: Lower energy and water bills? Yes, please!
• Improved Occupant Well-being: Happier, healthier occupants are more productive. It’s a win-win.
• Environmental Responsibility: You’re doing your part for a greener future. Feels good, doesn’t it?

So, there you have it. Follow these steps, stay organized, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving BREEAM certification. And remember, it’s not just about the certificate; it’s about creating a better, more sustainable built environment for everyone.