16 | PROMOTION: TURLE Y | NEWS AND CURRENT AF FAIRS
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www.universitybusiness.co.uk | T: @UB_UK
BREEAM ALL CHANGE IN THE HE SECTOR
Colin Morrison, director of sustainability at planning consultancy, Turley, discusses the impending launch of BREEAM 2014
T
he launch of BREEAM New Construction 2014 in the spring will signify the latest revision of the
“world’s leading design and assessment method for sustainable buildings”. This will be the second major change since 2008, when minimum standards and the mandatory post construction review were introduced. So what does this mean for higher
education institutions and how will the introduction of BREEAM 2014 impact on the delivery of university sustainability and carbon management plans? Proposed changes to the reduction
in CO2 Emissions credit ENE 01 and the former Low Zero Carbon (LZC) Technologies credit ENE 04 and their interrelationship with higher education carbon reduction targets pose a number of new challenges. BREEAM 2011 saw the changes in
the assessment of building energy and carbon emission performance from the 2008 method based on the EPC CO2 index to an Energy Performance Ratio (EPRNC
). Though the methodology
remains essentially the same under BREEAM 2014, there has been a clear move towards a ‘fabric first’ approach in line with updated Building Regulations Part L 2013 and recognised national best practice. A reduction in the number of ENE 01
credits from 15 to 12 has resulted in the mandatory requirement for ‘Excellent’ being dropped from six to five credits and the 2014 standard now appears less prescriptive in requirements for a percentage reduction in carbon emissions from renewable energy technologies, which was often a barrier to achieving the ‘Excellent’ rating under BREEAM 2011. This should be good news to universities who choose BREEAM as a sustainability metric for their estate strategies and who strive to secure an Excellent rating The consideration of carbon emissions
in BREEAM 2014 still principally excludes unregulated emissions outside Part L of the Building Regulations, yet these remain a significant part of university carbon management plan’s and it is important that HE institutions recognise this and develop specific strategies for their unregulated carbon emissions. The Low Carbon Design credit ENE
04 replaces the Low and Zero Carbon (LZC) Technology credit and now promotes passive design measures over implementation of LZCs. The previously
LEFT: Colin Morrison
available credits for carbon reduction have been removed, though there remains a credit available for completion of an LZC feasibility study and implementation of its recommendations. Completion of an LZC study therefore presents a cost-effective means of securing valuable credits. There are a number of other changes
within BREEAM 2014 that will also impact the HE sector. The Management Section has undergone a major overhaul to beter align with the building procurement process. BRE has raised the bar on a number of credit issues, again highlighting the importance of recognising project ‘quick wins’ at the earliest possible stage of the design process and identifying additional credits to be targeted in the most cost- effective manner. Like its predecessor, BREEAM 2014
encourages a qualified and accredited ‘sustainability champion’ (BREEAM Accredited Professionals) to be an early and integrated part of the design team to ensure that the BREEAM target is achieved as cost-effectively as possible. Appointment of a sustainability champion can also help to understand the interrelationship of BREEAM with an institution’s own unique sustainability priorities and quickly determine the best and most cost-effective approach to sustainable design. Of course, some universities are
finding that BREEAM is not appropriate for certain projects or buildings and are looking at alternative certification methods to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. The recent Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) consultation on a new framework for sustainable development in higher education confirms that there will be a continued, if not greater, emphasis on sustainability and reductions in carbon emissions. Our experience (as demonstrated
over) is that with a commited client and motivated design team, there are a number of possible routes to creating sustainable buildings provided that it is considered strategically and applied early in the development process. UB
For further information or if you would like to arrange a CPD presentation on the update to BREEAM 2014 as part of your estates strategy development please contact Colin Morrison by email:
cmorrison@turley.co.uk.
www.turley.co.uk
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