03 - Resource and Energy - BREEAM Knowledge Base

Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) and Home Quality Mark (HQM) certification - KBCN0368

CSH assessments will continue to be recognised where they are part of a legacy requirement. Where CSH is not part of a legacy requirement, but the client wishes to demonstrate going beyond current regulatory requirements for dwellings, then it is possible for the client to voluntarily commit to achieving HQM certification. Where the client wishes to demonstrate a commitment to achieving HQM certification then a written commitment from the client would be accepted as evidence. Credits are allocated as follows for HQM:

Credit(s)	Home Quality Mark star rating
3	2 stars
4	3 stars
5	4 stars
6	5 stars

To promote a continued commitment to sustainability throughout the lifecycle of a development and to reflect the changing policy context in the UK.

Energy consumption and carbon emissions of untreated spaces - KBCN00049

Where the assessment contains a mix of treated and untreated spaces, untreated spaces can be excluded and the performance based on the treated spaces only. Where the entire assessment is untreated, the whole of the structure(s) must be assessed on the basis that this issue is critical for certification. BREEAM is primarily designed to assess permanent, treated and occupied structures. Untreated structures are unlikely to gain many credits when being assessed.

24/08/2022 - Applicability to UKNC V6 confirmed

Energy Strategy – Equivalent Standards - KBCN1570

If it can be demonstrated that updated standards for the RE01 Energy Strategy are clearly equivalent or more robust than the referenced standards, whilst addressing the requirements of the referenced standard, then these can be used. It is the role of the assessor or design team to verify this. In the criteria, references to ‘equivalent standard’ ensures there is flexibility for new or different standards to be utilised in order to establish compliance.

Excluding excavation waste from ‘Diversion of resources from landfill’ - KBCN0226

Excavation waste should not be included and assessed against the requirements under ‘Diversion of resources from landfill’. This also applies to BREEAM Communities RE05 - 3rd/4th credits.

Exemptions from hard landscaping and boundary protection - KBCN00062

Where a third party, such as the local authority, enforces strict constraints on the materials that can be used by the project for hard landscaping or boundary protection, and these materials do not achieve a Green Guide rating of A/A+, it is possible to exempt these materials from the assessment of this issue, on the condition that robust evidence confirming this is given. In this instance the developer does not have control over the materials specified, therefore it is not appropriate to include them in the assessment.

Internationally approved Ene 01 calculation software - KBCN1177

The following calculation software are approved internationally and can be used, provided local weather files are available in the country of the assessment. Please make sure the approved version, in brackets, is used. If you wish to use a different one, please submit a technical query to [email protected] providing details of the changes.

IES VE (all versions from 2014 onwards).
Design Builder (version 4 onwards).
TRNSYS (version 17 onwards).
eQUEST (versions 3.63b and 3.64 onwards).
Energy Plus (version 3 and version 6 onwards).
EDSL Tas (v9.5.0 onwards).

Any software that has been approved on the ASWL for a particular country can be used in other countries, provided relevant weather files are available.

26-Mar-2024 - Scheme applicability updated.
08-Aug-2022 - Applicability to BREEAM Communities 2012 confirmed.
30-Jun-2023 - Added note relating to software approved for a particular country.

Pre-demolition audit/(pre-refurbishment) on other structures and hard surfaces - KBCN00045

A pre-demolition/(pre-refurbishment) audit is required where any existing buildings, structures or hard surfaces are present on a development site. The intent of the pre-demolition/(pre-refurbishment) audit is to ensure that any potentially useful materials are considered for re-use or diversion from landfill, not just materials resulting from buildings.

22.11.17 Reference added to the pre-refurbishment audit for RFO assessments.

Retaining wall acting as site boundary protection - KBCN0304

Where a retaining wall also acts as the site boundary protection it must be excluded from assessment in this issue as boundary protection is not its primary function.

Solid concrete washout - KBCN00063

Solid concrete washout waste should be included in the waste resource efficiency benchmarks.

Timescales for management and maintenance responsibilities - KBCN0370

Where there are requirements for management and maintenance outputs or activities these should, as a minimum, cover a five year period following occupation of the development for the phase of development being assessed. This timeframe applies to the following management and maintenance activities:

allocating responsibilities for management and maintenance
plans or strategies
monitoring and reporting processes

Management and maintenance activities are often fundamental in ensuring that the original sustainability measure or approach is successful over the long term.

Using BRE SMARTWaste tool - KBCN0236

BRE SMARTWaste may be helpful in demonstrating the construction waste benchmarks; however its use is not compulsory to achieve the credits. Reference to the SMARTWaste tool has been included in the issue as an example of a tool that can be used to manage and monitor waste generated during construction.

Using LEED or Nordic Swan Ecolabel as the accredited third party assessment scheme - KBCN1219

The developer has committed to using an accredited third-party assessment scheme to measure the level of sustainable design, construction and refurbishment of all buildings on the site. Credits are available based on the following performance:

Credit(s)	LEED Points earned	Nordic Swan Ecolabel
0	LEED Certified 40-49 points	-
3	LEED Silver 50-59 points	-
4	LEED Gold 60-79 points	Certified
5	LEED Platinum 80+ points	-
6	Not possible with LEED	-

14 Dec 2023 – Updated to include guidance for Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

Communities / 2012 /

03 - Resource and Energy