ENVIRONMENTAL METHOD STATEMENT (EAM)

 

The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a widely used tool which addresses a wide-range of environmental and sustainability issues and enables developers and designers to prove the environmental credentials of their buildings to planners and clients. There are several variations of the BREEAM assessments which deal with various building uses including: Offices, Retail, Education and ecoHomes. Each of these variations have a chapter dealing with site ecology and land use which should be completed by a suitably qualified ecologist.

 

BREEAM UK New Construction is an assessment method that is used to improve, measure and certify the social, environmental and economic sustainability of new buildings.

 

This is achieved through the integration and use of the scheme by clients and their project teams at key stages in the design and construction process. BREEAM New Construction addresses the major sustainability issues that arise when constructing a new building using the following nine key categories:

 

• Management

• Health and Wellbeing

• Energy

• Transport

• Water

• Materials

• Waste

• LAND USE & ECOLOGY

• Pollution

 

Within the categories issues such as acoustic performance, construction site impacts and the responsible sourcing of materials are addressed. The assessment of the project against these issues enables the client, through the BREEAM Assessor and the BRE Global certification process, to measure, evaluate and reflect the performance of their new building against best practice in an independent and robust manner.

 

To have a new building formally certified, the services of an independent BRE Global licensed BREEAM New Construction Assessor must be employed. Throughout the assessment, the specifications of the new building will be assessed by the licenced BREEAM Assessor who will verify that the building meets the requirements as outlined in the BREEAM New Construction Technical Manual, validate the evidence obtained, and request final formal certification.

 

We have had extensive experience in dealing with the above BREEAM chapter and, in addition to rating the site against the BREEAM scoring system, we provide recommendations to enhance site ecology to increase the total credits that may be accrued.

 

CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES (CfSH)

 

The Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) is one of the latest instalments to the BREEAM family and from 1st May 2008 it is mandatory for all new homes to have a rating against the Code. The code provides 9 measures of sustainable design:

 

• Energy/CO2

• Water

• Materials

• Surface water runoff (flooding and flood prevention)

• Waste

• Pollution

• Health and well-being

• Management

• ECOLOGY

 

It uses a 1 to 6 star system to rate the overall sustainability performance of a new home against these 9 categories.

The code is voluntary, and we do not intend to make it mandatory. It is not a set of regulations and should not be confused with zero carbon policy or the 2016 zero carbon target.

 

The only circumstances where the code can be enforced are where:

 

• local councils require developers to comply with the code by including a requirement in their planning policy

• affordable housing is funded by the Homes and Community Agency that requires homes to be built to code level 3

• the level 3 energy standard is now incorporated in the building regulations

 

The code applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Within England it replaces the EcoHomes scheme, developed by the Building Research Establishment.

 

We have had extensive experience in dealing with the CfSH ecology chapter and, in addition to rating the site against the CfSH scoring system, we provide recommendations to enhance site ecology to increase the total credits that may be accrued.

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