New Construction / International / 2013 / 09 - Pollution /
Pol 01 - Impact of Refrigerants
Information correct as of 13thDecember 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.
Additional default values for calculating DELC CO2e - KBCN0195
The following additional default values may be used, where system specific data is not available:
Refrigerant recovery efficiency factor (%): - 95%
Annual purge release factor (% refrigerant charge):- 0.5 (if the system does not require an annual purge, zero should be used).
District cooling – Used in combination with local cooling - KBCN1634
Where district cooling can be considered outside the scope of the assessment, either in accordance with the Methodology section of the technical manual or in line with
KBCN0759, compliance must be based on calculating the DELC for all systems.
However, where the district cooling system is exempt from assessment, as described above, this should be based on a GWP of zero for the district cooling system.
District cooling systems - KBCN0759
Where a district cooling facility is servicing the assessed building, the building will have an environmental impact in terms of refrigerants, albeit in this case indirectly. As such the district cooling system must be considered against the BREEAM criteria for refrigerants.
Where connection to an off-site district cooling system, over which the developer has no control, is mandated by a local authority or other statutory body, the maximum number of credits can be awarded for Issue Pol 01. However, where this is not mandatory and the developer has the option whether to connect, regardless of encouragement or incentives by the local authority, the district cooling system must be considered against the BREEAM criteria for refrigerants to award the credits.
07 Dec 2023 - This KBCN is not applicable to UK NC2018 or UK NC V6 - Guidance is provided in the Methodology section of the technical manual.
27/04/2017: Clarified the number of credits awarded
Freestanding commercial fridges and freezers - KBCN0577
Freestanding commercial fridges and freezers must be included in the assessment of the Pol 01 issue, even when they are not connected to the building cooling system. Only domestic white goods are excluded from the assessment of this issue.
Impact of refrigerant – Refrigerants with low GWP - KBCN1472
Where systems only use refrigerants with GWP ≤ 10
The Pol 01 calculator
does not have to be completed.
Providing evidence of the compliant systems and refrigerants used is enough to award maximum credits for impact of refrigerant.
Mix of systems with GWPs below and above 10
The Pol 01 calculator
does have to be completed.
The calculator must include systems with GWP ≤ 10 to ensure credits are based on the average value across all systems.
20-Dec-2023 Updated to include scenarios where there is a mix of systems with GWP above and below 10.
Leak detection system based on pressure changes - KBCN0326
A system that uses pressure changes to detect leaks is not necessarily compliant. To be deemed compliant the leak detection system would need to monitor the refrigerant pressure and the operating conditions to address the problem of natural fluctuation.
Manufacturer’s information – system specific data - KBCN0926
The BREEAM technical manual provides a set of default figures, for use within the DELC calculation. Where available, system-specific data, provided by the manufacturer, can be used in the calculation where this is more representative. Any such system-specific figures used must be supported by publicly available, published data, which substantiates the manufacturer’s figures.
Not enough rows in the Pol 01 calculator - KBCN1274
If additional rows are required in the calculator, it is acceptable to add the specification of multiple models together in one tool, provided they are the same model and have all the same inputs for columns F to M. The weighting of the systems across the building is done by the System Capacity and Total Refrigerant Charge (columns E and F), so you would multiply each of these two figures by the total number of the system specified. This gives the contribution of the systems to the building's cooling capacity and charge.
If further rows are still required please submit a query using the
webform in BREEAM Projects, attaching a copy of the tool and specify the number of additional rows required.
08/10/21 link to webform added
Reversible heat pump (VRF) providing both heating and cooling - KBCN0735
Where a reversible heat pump, which provides heating and cooling on reverse cycle with heat recovery, is used, the cooling capacity only should be used for the Direct Effect Life Cycle CO2e emissions (DELC) calculation.
The cooling capacity of heat humps is normally less than the heating capacity, so compliance against the criteria will be based on the more challenging DELC value calculated.
Scope of the refrigerant leak detection system - KBCN0530
The refrigerant leak detection system is required to cover any part of the plant or pipework which contains refrigerant.
21/08/17 KBCN amended to include pipework containing refrigerant.
Information correct as of 13thDecember 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.