BRE Global announced the publication date for the revised BREEAM non domestic assessment schemes. The full release of details and manuals for the revised assessment methodology is due in March 2011 and it is envisage that the new scheme will be operational in the summer of this year. The 2011 version will provide an update to many of the BREEAM 2008 issues. The summary paper of technical changes that BRE Global issued on 1 February also points to some structural changes to the BREEAM assessment methodology.
BREEAM 2008 was made up of a family of specific assessment manuals that focused on a particular type of building use. There were ten specific manuals for buildings ranging from commercial use ( the office, retail and industrial BREEAM manuals), educational use (schools, further education and higher education), health-care, prisons, courts and multi-residential. The 2011 version of BREEAM will have one consolidated BREEAM assessors manual covering all the non-domestic building types that fell within the scope of one of the 2008 manuals. Within the consolidated manual there will still be issues that are specific to a particular building type. It will however be easier to address mixed use buildings within one assessment.The scope of the BREEAM 2011 is restricted to new buildings. BREEAM 2008 could also be used for refurbishment projects or fit-out only. It is thought that BRE Global is developing specific assessment manuals that cover these kind of projects. In addition to these scope changes, the assessment methodology itself has seen a significant revision. Some of the 2008 assessment issues have been merged together to form one issue and a number of new issues has been included. For instance within the management category there are two new issues included.
Issue 3.1 sustainable procurement has been developed to cover items that will ensure that the design and performance expectations will be delivered throughout the construction process. It has replaced a number of previous credits; for instance MAN1 about the commissioning of equipment, the credits for developing a building users guide and the BREEAM AP credits, which have been moved from the innovation section. Issue 3.5 stakeholder participation covers many of the BREEAM 2008 issues around consultation with external parties that could be found in the non-commercial manuals.
Issue 7.3 water leak detection and prevention. This new issue consolidates the two BREEAM 2008 issues regarding major water leak detection and sanitaty supply shut off. Issue 7.5 water efficient equipment incorporates the criteria and credits for the provision of irrigation systems and water recycling systems for vehicle wash equipment.
The full details of the new assessment methodology are not yet available, but we would be pleased to discuss the implications that the revised BREEAM scheme may have on your projects with you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange a meeting.
