The purpose of the minimum requirements within the ‘Quality assurance’ category is to ensure consumers can trust every HQM-certified home has been built and finished to a high standard, which is essential to the value of HQM. Emphasising quality from an early stage is an important part of achieving this, which is why the project preparation issue criteria requires processes and plans to be in place before RIBA stage 3.
Ideally, the HQM assessor would be appointed earlier than this to help get the most from using HQM when there is the best opportunity to influence the project and credits are easier to achieve. However, there can be flexibility if the same quality outcomes outlined in the project delivery plan will be achieved.
The project delivery plan criteria aim to encourage processes that will deliver quality homes, early enough to influence things like scheduling, procurement, resources and roles that may be required, if they aren’t already in place. This helps achieve the delivery of quality outcomes on-site required as part of the other minimum requirements in Project Preparation, Commissioning and Testing and Inspections and Completion. If there is flexibility, it needs to be ensured that these requirements will still be met.
To consider this further, more information about the project needs to be sent via the webform on the Assessor Support page of BREEAM Projects including:
- How far along is the project on site? What has actually been carried out at this point?
- Does the late consideration of HQM ONE affect the project’s ability to meet the other minimum requirements that require a certain level of quality assurance throughout construction? How will this be assured and demonstrated?
