BREEAM Changes in 2011

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.

The following gives an overview of the imminent changes due:

• Reclassification and consolidation of a number of credits
• New standards for sustainable procurement and post construction operational aftercare
• New and updated reporting requirements for building life cycle CO2 emissions, construction and operational water consumption, construction waste volumes and VOC emissions
• New benchmarks for construction waste and water consumption
• Updated approach to assessing and quantifying service life planning stakeholder participation, life cycle impacts and recycled aggregates
• Setting new benchmarks and assessment methodology for energy efficiency and operational carbon emissions, including benchmarks that encourage the zero carbon hierarchy and reward carbon negative buildings.
• ENE1 credits will not just depend upon the EPC CO2 Index rating; the basis for awarding credits for the reduction of CO2 emissions will follow the energy hierarchy of:
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  • Reduced energy demand (built form/fabric efficiency)
  • Reduced energy consumption (systems efficiency)
  • Reduced carbon (use of low and zero carbon energy)
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• BREEAM 2011 will be applicable to all schemes except for Data Centres (only released in 2010)
• BREEAM 2011 version will now be referred to as BREEAM 'New Construction' scheme. For now, refurbishments and fit outs should continue to be assessed under the 2008 scheme.
• BRE are to develop a standalone scheme to cover refurbishments and fit out assessments

For more information on the range of BREEAM services available, call us on 08444 120 888 or email us at enquiries@pgsurveyors.co.uk