The first thing you will notice when you start looking into the different types of ‘sustainable’ energy is that there are a plethora of different terminologies used to categorise them. In order to prevent confusion when it comes to defining what each term means, I have put together the following list which describes a number of the more commonly used terms and the technologies they refer to: Renewable Energy: The term renewable energy...

Read More

Following on from my previous post about the Do’s and Don’ts of writing a BREEAM Building User Guide, I have put together a summary of what we recommend should be included in the guide. This is not a definitive list as the content will vary from project to project. However, I hope that it will give you a good point from which to start. Before starting to write your guide, it is worth considering whether it is a one off guide or whether you...

Read More

Whether you are completing a BREEAM 2008 or New Construction 2011 assessment, one of the credits which will have almost certainly been targeted is the for the production of a BREEAM Building User Guide (BUG). The reason why many design teams take this credit is because it is seen as both simple to achieve and free. Whilst the above is true for the design stage assessment, where a letter and/or specification clause will suffice, it is often a...

Read More

BREEAM Advice – Ten Top Tips It is true to say that many people find achieving a BREEAM rating a difficult and frustrating process; However, this does not necessarily have to be the case. The following is a list of our top 10 tips for making a BREEAM assessment run smoothly: 1. Plan ahead Starting the BREEAM process as early as possible in the design stage gives the design team the scope to consider all the credits right from the outset....

Read More

The struggling economy and government cuts have lead to a number of articles being published which explore the future of BREEAM and its purpose and benefit within the current construction climate. The general consensus of these articles seems to be that, whilst there are a number of fairly significant issues with BREEAM, it is still currently the best option for independently benchmarking the overall sustainable performance of non-domestic...

Read More

Despite having been around for over 20 years and having had more than 1 million buildings registered for assessment, BREEAM (BRE’s Environmental Assessment Method) is still a mystery to many people within the construction industry. However, despite the popular misconception, BREEAM is not something which is shrouded in secrecy and assessors are not holders of some closely coveted wisdom. To put it simply, BREEAM is an auditable method of...

Read More