In-Use / USA Commercial V6 /

Part 2

Information correct as of 29thMarch 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.

Applicability – Management – common areas only assessment - KBCN1559

Principle  In an assessment of common areas only, building management are still responsible for the common welfare all users and for policies governing the overall asset.  Evidence  For assessments of common and tenanted areas, the scope of the manual states:  “The assessment must include evidence of a representative sample of the tenants to ensure that central management practices are in place and fully implemented in line with the assessment criteria.” For assessments of common areas only, evidence is required from building management only. 
Issue Scope of issue
Part 2
Man 01 Building user guide No change to the criteria or evidence requirements. A building user guide is required regardless of scope.
Man 02 Management engagement and feedback No change to the criteria or evidence requirements. Engagement with building users is required regardless of scope.
Man 03 Maintenance policies and procedures Applies only to core systems which serve the common areas and are maintained by the building management. This includes any core systems which also serve tenanted areas (for instance, asset-wide ventilation systems) where this cannot be separated from tenanted space.
Man 04 Environmental policies and procedures Applies to asset-wide environmental policies only. Answer D can apply to improvement targets for common areas only, where this can be separated from tenant targets.
Man 05 Green lease Where there are tenants occupying the asset, this issue is not filtered out. Consideration of green contracts are within the control of building management regardless of scope.

Applicability – no occupied spaces - KBCN1551

Principle Where: Credits specifically related to occupied space are not awarded. Outcome The tables below show how this principle applies to affected issues.
Issue Credits available Scope
Part 1
Hea 01 Daylighting Y Only answer C is available.
Hea 02 Control of glare from sunlight N
Hea 03 Internal and external lighting levels N
Hea 04 Lighting control N
Hea 05 Minimising flicker from lighting systems Y
Hea 06 View out N
Hea 07 User comfort control N
Hea 08-13 Y
Part 2
Hea 14 Thermal comfort N
Hea 15 Smoking policy Y
Hea 16 Indoor air quality management Y
Hea 17 Acoustic conditions N
Hea 18 Legionella risk management Y
Hea 19 Drinking water management Y
16-Dec-2022 - KBCN title and scope updated for better visibility. Error in Hea 03 amended. Applicability of KBCN applied only to affected issues (N, or modified answer options) with to minimise header space in the UI. Original content on Resources moved to new KBCN.
 

Applicability – Resources – common areas only assessment - KBCN1557

In an assessment of common areas only - the scope of some issues are modified in the table below. Answers which are unavailable cannot be filtered out, and cannot be awarded by default.
Issue Scope
Part 1
Rsc 02 Reuse and recycling facilities Answers D and E are only available if occupants store waste in a central waste storage facility within the assessed common area. All other credits are available.
Part 2
Rsc 06 Optimising resource use, reuse, and recycling Answer D is only available if occupants store waste in a central waste storage facility within the assessed common area. All other credits are available.
 

Energy consumption reporting – Link to Man 04 - KBCN1612

The link to meeting compliance with Man 04, outlined in Ene 23 Criterion 1 is incorrect and should be disregarded. Answer option D in Man 04 includes targets for Energy, Water and Waste. Whereas the intent of Ene 23 relates to targets for Energy only. This will be updated in the next reissue of the technical manual.

On-site LZC – whole site shared connection - KBCN1424

To be recognised in BREEAM, the on-site Low and Zero Carbon (LZC) technology must have a direct physical connection to the assessed asset. OR Where the LZC technology is; It is acceptable to allocate the renewable energy generated proportionally as a calculation of the asset's predicted energy consumption compared to the total energy consumption of the whole site. To allocate renewable electricity by proportional consumption: Where consumption data is missing, renewable electricity must not be allocated to the assessed asset. In this case, it is assumed that all electricity consumed is sourced from the grid.
17-Jan-2024 - Applicability BIU V6 Ene 13 removed, as this approach is not applicable to assessing the area of PV fitted.
21-Dec-2022 - Applicability to In-Use V6 confirmed.

Operational energy and water use during Covid-19 lockdown - KBCN1425

As we continue to adapt to and assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BREEAM team is seeking to ensure that the data underpinning BREEAM in Use certification accurately reflect typical operational performance. We appreciate that the full or partial lockdown conditions related to the pandemic may have had a significant impact on the performance of the asset particularly the operational energy and water consumption. We trust our assessors to use their professional judgement to determine the extent that operational energy and water consumption has been impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions. They must ensure that submitted consumption data is representative of consumption under normal conditions. Clients should work with their assessors if they are unsure how they should proceed. Assets are likely to have been affected by many different local lockdown scenarios so one approach to reporting consumption data is unlikely to apply to all situations. For example, normal consumption data is likely to be sufficient for assets that have only had a minor changes to their operations (e.g. two weeks), if the rest of the 12 month period has been unaffected. For assets that been more significantly affected (e.g. several months of reduced occupancy), it is likely that energy and water consumption data will need to be taken from a period of time before local lockdown restrictions came into force. In this scenario, the following approach can be used: The consumption reported must cover the 12 months prior to the restrictions coming into force.  The reported consumption would need to be validated against the year prior to the reporting period to provide assurance to the Assessor that it was in line with typical operations.  Additional evidence and verification will be required for submission. The following sections should help clarify how this should work: Normal BREEAM requirements Consumption Reporting: Evidence requirements: New requirements for this KBCN Consumption Reporting: Evidence requirements: Example for a building submitting for certification in October 2020 subject to lockdown from March 2020: Normal reporting period October 2019 – September 2020 Adjusted reporting period in line with this KBCN March 2019 – February 2020 Validation period: March 2018 – February 2019 This KBCN will remain in place but will be under review as we continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 and amend requirements as circumstances change.  We will keep assessor informed of BREEAM In-Use users and assessors via further service announcements and other communication channels.

Procedures and plans for cleaning the interior of the asset – Scope of the requirements - KBCN1649

The criteria only apply to areas or systems for which the landlord is responsible for the cleaning arrangements. However, the landlord must provide written guidance to tenants on 'procedures and plans for cleaning the interior of the asset' that aligns with relevant aspects of Criterion 2. It is not a requirement that the landlord monitors or enforces this, however, in order to meet the intent of the criteria as far as possible, evidence must be provided that such guidance has been provided to all tenants. Note: This guidance is not intended to change the criteria, but rather to clarify the overall intent. The applicability of the requirements to tenanted areas is not stated in the technical manual. Therefore, if it can be demonstrated that an assessment has based compliance on landlord's/common areas only prior to the date of publication of this guidance, this will be accepted. Updated guidance on the scope of these requirements will be included in the technical manual at the next opportunity.

Single tenant - KBCN1640

Where the assessment area is only occupied by a single tenant, the issue is not filtered out. All relevant credits apply. The criteria is designed to recognise efforts between the asset owner and tenants to coordinate sustainability policies and resource monitoring. This principle is not affected by having a single tenant, even if they might act in the role of a managing occupier.

Using water from natural underground sources to offset water consumption - KBCN00094

Water from natural underground sources (for instance aquifer water accessed via boreholes) cannot be used to offset: A significant amount of water used for public consumption is already drawn from aquifers. Private boreholes may be drawing water from the same sources as public utility companies.
27-Mar-2024 - Title and text updated to broaden definition. Scheme applicability updated.

Water consumption reporting – Link to Man 04 - KBCN1611

The link to meeting compliance with Man 04, outlined in Wat 13 Criterion 1 is incorrect and should be disregarded. Answer option D in Man 04 includes targets for Energy, Water and Waste. Whereas the intent of Wat 13 relates to targets for Water only. This will be updated in the next reissue of the technical manual.
Information correct as of 29thMarch 2024. Please see kb.breeam.com for the latest compliance information.