02 - Health & Wellbeing - BREEAM Knowledge Base

Approach to thermal model when using BMS - KBCN0169

Where there are smart systems such as BMS in place, modelling must consider normal operating conditions, with the heating and cooling system in operation regardless of the control strategy. In order for the design team to size the heating/cooling plant, they will carry out modelling to calculate the heat/cold loss throughout the year. Results of these calculations must be submitted, with the heating/cooling plant specification which would demonstrate that the building has been designed to ensure internal winter/summer temperatures will not drop below an acceptable level, and that in effect the winter TOR is zero.

14 Apr 2023 Applicability to UK NC2018 and UK/Int V6 confirmed

Areas in the public domain - KBCN0587

Where areas within the site boundary will be public domain after construction, and the design/specification has been determined by the local authority/statutory body/planning permission etc, they can be excluded from the assessment of the 'Safe Access' criteria. Evidence would be required to demonstrate that this was the case. Where the client/design team do not have control of the design of these areas, the development should not be prevented from achieving the credit.

Cyclist safe access - KBCN0188

Safe access for cyclists must be via a compliant cycle lane, unless it is demonstrated that it would be impractical to cycle for a short distance between the site entrance and cycle storage. For example, where a gate, door or barrier forces the cyclist to dismount and walk for a short distance to access the cycle storage and it would be impractical for cyclists to re-mount¹. Where it is not practical to provide compliant cycle lane from the entrance to the cycle storage, the safety of cyclists and pedestrians must be maintained. 1. The intent is that this be a short distance, over which cyclists would typically not choose to re-mount and is anticipated to be no greater than 10m. In order to be considered compliant for greater distances, evidence must be provided of effective additional physical measures to deter cyclists from re-mounting.

29/09/2021 - Additional note (1) added to provide further clarification of the intent
21/02/2020 Re-worded to clarify the intent
02 Jul 2021 - Applicability to UK NC2018 confirmed

Daylighting – Changing rooms - KBCN1132

The daylighting criteria are not applicable to changing rooms.

Daylighting – Floor areas for average daylight calculations - KBCN0471

Where the room size is comparable and the function is the same, such as ‘kitchen’, the percentage rule needs to be applied to the total floor area. As the average daylight factor is a measure of daylight across the whole room, only whole rooms can be compliant. This is why we refer to rounding up the ‘80% of the floor area’ requirement to the rounded-up number of compliant rooms. This rule applies to rooms of a similar size and function and compliance note ‘percentage of assessed area’ includes a simple example, where all the rooms are the same size. However, this rule can still be applied to rooms of different sizes. Spaces whose size is substantially larger should meet the average daylight factor requirement on their own. In these cases, the percentage requirement is still applicable to the floor area of the remaining rooms. For example, where 80% of ‘teaching, lecture and seminar spaces’ need to comply with the average daylight factor, if we have a large lecture theatre of 200m² and 3 seminar spaces of 30m² each, the requirements for 80% would mean 232m² of the floor area need to comply. This would require the lecture theatre and two seminar spaces to comply. Where a building contains different area types, the 80% minimum floor area must be calculated by each separate building area type as defined in the table listing the average daylight factors required. For example, a multi-residential building that contains kitchen areas and living room areas, would need each one of these areas to comply with the 80% minimum floor area requirement separately. In schemes where dwellings are assessed separately, this is likely to result in 100% of the relevant dwelling areas complying. This is because in a typical house with one kitchen and one living room, an 80% requirement for the kitchen and an 80% requirement for the living room, would mean the whole kitchen and the whole living room need to comply (since only whole rooms can be compliant).

08/01/2021

Clarifications and example added.

Daylighting – retail cafe / dining areas - KBCN0968

Customer seating/dining areas in a cafe or restaurant should be considered as 'sales areas'. Sales counters, staff areas or food preparation areas, for example, should be assessed as 'Other occupied areas' in accordance with the definition of 'Occupied space'.. The requirements for 'Sales areas' are applied to transient spaces.

Dedicated cycle paths in the absence of cycle facilities - KBCN00039

Safe cycle access needs to be provided even if there are no dedicated cycle facilities. The dedicated cycle paths will generally need to be provided to the main entrance(s) of the building along routes likely to be used by cyclists through the site. The design team are required to determine what is required to satisfy the intent of the criteria. Cycle access and cyclists' facilities are assessed independently of each other. Building users may cycle even if the building does not have cycle storage facilities and so safe and secure access to and from the building must be provided.

Emissions from products – installations manufactured off-site - KBCN0137

Internal finishes to installations manufactured off-site such as elevators need to be assessed for the emissions from products criteria. The specification of internal finishes (regardless of whether they are installed on site or in the factory) will impact on VOC emissions. By specifying low VOC finishes, design teams will be encouraging manufacturers to consider the environmental impacts of their products.

10-Oct-2022 - Title amended to align with standard KBCN naming format for clarity and consistency. Made applicable to UK and International NC V6.

Emissions from products – scope of assessment - KBCN0212

General This issue covers any product installed or applied inside the inner surface of the building’s infiltration, vapour or waterproof membrane. Where this membrane is not present, it applies to the inside of the building envelope’s interior-facing thermal insulation layer. Only products that are installed or applied in parts of the building where their emissions are likely to affect indoor air quality need to be assessed. Paints and coatings Any decorative paints and varnishes that occupants are exposed to should be assessed. This is likely to include paints and coatings applied to walls, ceilings, floors, doors, etc. Whole products A finish applied to a product in the factory is assessed as a whole product, and not separately as a paint or coating. For instance, a wood panel has a finish applied in the factory. The whole panel, including all the elements that make up that panel, would need to comply with the requirements set for wood panel products in this issue. The finished product as a whole must meet the performance requirements / emission limits set in the manual.

11-Oct-2022 - Title amended for clarity and consistency. Content merged with KBCN0871.
10-Oct-2022 - Wording simplified. Scheme applicability updated.
16-Jun-2017 - Title and general principle amended to extend the applicability of the KBCN to all finishes. Paints specified for specialist applications covered in KBCN0872.

Emissions from products – specialist paints and coatings - KBCN0872

Where a paint or coating falls within:

A category in Annex II of the EU Directive 2004/42/CE or,
A category in the relevant product emission table of the technical manual,

then the paint or coating must be assessed. Specialist paints and coatings are exempted from meeting the emission limits where there are no alternative products available that can perform the function, and still meet the emission limits. This must be clearly evidenced.

27-Oct-2022 Wording clarified. New compliance principle added from UKNC V6.
10-Oct-2022 Title amended for clarity. Scheme applicability updated.
13-Mar-2020 KBCN amended to clarify exceptions and applicability.
16-Jun-2017 Content merged with KBCN0212.

Emissions from products – testing to ISO 16000-10 - KBCN1134

Results of testing to ISO 16000-10 can be considered compliant with the relevant testing requirements of the emissions from construction products credit where the product manufacturer can demonstrate the results generated by testing to ISO 16000-10 correlate to results that would be achieved using EN 16516 or ISO 16000-9. This is because EN 16516 classifies ISO 16000-10 as an ‘indirect method’, which means “any simplified, screening, secondary, derived or alternative method. An indirect method can be applied if it provides a result that is comparable to or that correlates with the result of the reference method under the conditions applied. The validity of the correlation with the reference method is limited to the field of application for which it has been established.”

11-Oct-2022 - Title amended for clarity and consistency. Scheme applicability updated.

External lighting – architectural façade lighting - KBCN0650

Architectural façade (or other decorative) lighting, which does not provide users with lighting to perform tasks outdoors, does not need to be included in the assessment of external lighting. This Issue seeks to ensure that lighting levels are appropriate for tasks which building users will be undertaking outdoors.

External lighting – High frequency ballasts - KBCN0278

The requirement for all fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps to be fitted with high frequency ballasts does not apply to external lighting.

Glare control – adjacent buildings - KBCN1211

It is acceptable to account for surrounding buildings, structures or other permanent environmental features when using simulation modelling to assess the risk of glare, provided this accounts for both direct sunlight and reflected glare from glazing or reflective surfaces.

Glare control – blackout blinds - KBCN0447

Blackout blinds can be used to meet the glare control requirements. Where the criteria set an upper limit for transmittance value, but no lower limit, blackout blinds will meet this requirement.

Glare Control – no relevant areas - KBCN0429

If the scope of the assessment does not include any relevant building areas, as defined within the manual, the criteria for Glare Control can be considered as met by default. Only spaces that fall within the definition of relevant areas and are within the assessment's scope need to be assessed.

22/06/17 Wording clarified

16/06/17 KBCN amended to exclude content of KBCN0146.

Glare control – no windows in relevant areas - KBCN0146

Where a ‘relevant area’ as defined in the manual does not include any windows, the glare control criteria can considered as met for this area. Note that the view out and daylight criteria would not be achieved in rooms with no windows. Where there are no windows in a room there would be no potential for disabling glare, so the aim of the credit would be achieved.

Glare control – residential institution and multi-residential bedrooms - KBCN0666

Assuming that occupants are generally elsewhere during daylight hours, lighting and resultant glare are not considered to be problematic for bedrooms in residential institution and multi-residential assessments. The only exception to this is where designated additional office working space is provided. In these circumstances it is the role of the assessor to determine if individual spaces should be determined as 'relevant building areas' in accordance with guidance provided. Glare control criteria apply to building areas where lighting and resultant glare could be problematic for users.

Glare control – transmittance value - KBCN0709

Transmittance values should be based on those quoted for 'visible light' or 'optical transmittance'.

10 Mar 2021 Reference to 'optical transmittance' added for clarity

Glare control – use of tinted windows - KBCN0862

Solar control or 'tinted' glazing could potentially support the attainment of this requirement. However, the assessor must be satisfied and provide evidence to demonstrate that the particular glazing type, when used on the assessed building for a given location, is meeting this overarching aim of preventing disabling glare. It should be noted that whilst certain types of glazing, such as low emissivity glazing, may be slightly tinted, they may not necessarily be effective in reducing disabling glare. For facades receiving direct sunlight, tinted windows alone are unlikely to be sufficient in the majority of situations.

Glare control for roof lights - KBCN0319

Where roof lights are present, they must be considered when demonstrating that the glare control strategy provides adequate control/measures for minimising glare in that space. All sources of glare need to be considered when designing out the potential for disabling glare.

Glare control in residential areas - KBCN00040

Glare control criteria apply to building areas such as study bedrooms or facility management offices, where work or study will be carried out and where glare would hinder such activities. It does not apply to other residential areas.

Inclusive and accessible design (non-residential only) - KBCN0863

Shared and accessible facilities are applicable where relevant. For office, retail and industrial buildings, if there are no spaces suitable to be shared with members of the public or community, this can be justified and the ‘inclusive and accessible design’ credit met by demonstrating compliance with the other criteria. Commercial buildings are unlikely to provide spaces that are suitable to be shared with members of the public/community.

Indoor air quality plan – later consideration - KBCN1544

Where BREEAM has been engaged at a later stage in the project (for instance, at the beginning of a Post-Construction Assessment) the IAQ plan must still be produced. The late stage plan must clearly identify opportunities to improve indoor air quality that:

Were lost during design and construction.
Remain before hand-over and occupation.
Can be applied during operation.

The plan is focused on decisions and actions that can still be practically carried out. The indoor air quality plan is an on-going consideration that extends into the operational life of the asset.

Indoor air quality plan – scope - KBCN0294

Where possible, the indoor air quality plan must cover all items in the criteria. This means the plan must be completed for:

Situations where BREEAM has been engaged later in the project (see KBCN1544).
Shell only / shell and core projects - the plan must be completed for the scope of works being assessed.
Refurbishment projects with a limited scope of works.

Within these requirements, there is flexibility for the design team to use their professional judgement to determine what is appropriate to meet the criteria. Any exclusions must be clearly evidenced and justified. As the basis for effective asset management, the indoor air quality plan must be written in a consistent and comprehensive manner. The report must address relevant aspects as fully as possible within the scope of the development.

11-Oct-2022 Title updated for clarity. Wording clarified. Content merged with KBCN0556. Reference to KBCN1544 added. Scheme applicability updated.

International suitably qualified professionals - KBCN1266

In some issues the International NC and RFO schemes prescribe specific requirements for suitably qualified professionals. We appreciate that some countries might have different recognition schemes in place, and these might differ from the BREEAM requirements. Where this is the case, assessors should submit a technical query with appropriate information, and we will review and approve each situation on a country basis.

Occupant control – BMS and degree of control - KBCN0175

A Building Management System controlled set point with local override controls limited to a set range would satisfy the occupant control requirement so long as the temperature range available to building users is confirmed as appropriate for the building type and user profile.

Occupant control – spaces requiring user controls - KBCN0170

This guidance is intended to clarify the types of area for which user controls are required or would be considered beneficial. Zoning is required in all areas of the asset where specified in the assessment criteria. Please refer to the specific requirements of the applicable BREEAM standard to interpret this guidance appropriately. User controls required Spaces where users are expected to have independent control over their environment.

Owned spaces: small rooms for a few people. For instance, cellular offices, owned spaces in residential assets.
Temporarily owned spaces: where occupants expect to operate the environmental controls while they are there. For instance, meeting rooms and hotel bedrooms.
Shared spaces. For instance, multi-occupied areas such as open-plan offices or workshops.

User controls not required Spaces where users are not expected to have independent control over their environment.

Managed spaces: where environmental control is expected to be centrally managed. For instance, atria, circulation areas, concourses, entrance halls, function halls, restaurants, libraries, and shops.
Occasionally visited spaces. For instance, storerooms, bookstacks in libraries, aisles of warehouses, toilets.

14-Dec-2022 - KBCN applicability updated to include BIU. Wording clarified, and amended for compatibility with BIU criteria.

Post-construction measurement – formaldehyde / VOC levels exceed limits - KBCN0258

If the measured formaldehyde / VOC concentrations were above the prescribed limits, the appropriate remedial action must be taken, as described in the IAQ Plan. The criterion requires confirmation of 'the measures that have or will be undertaken' however it does not specifically address re-testing. We would expect, however that the IAQ Plan should outline what remedial measures are appropriate depending upon the severity and type of the non-compliance with prescribed limits. Such measures may include re-testing as a matter of 'best practice'. Where levels are found to exceed these limits, the project team confirms the measures that have, or will be undertaken in accordance with the IAQ plan, to reduce the TVOC and formaldehyde levels to within the above limits.

10-Oct-2022 - Title amended to align with standard KBCN naming format for clarity and consistency. Made applicable to UK and International NC V6.

Post-construction measurement – sampling methodology and KPIs - KBCN0380

When testing for VOCs post-completion and pre-occupancy, a representative sample of the building needs to be carried out. Each sample TVOC and formaldehyde measurement needs to achieve the threshold levels individually, either in the initial testing or after remedial measures have been implemented. This ensures that all tested areas of the building are below the limits, and that areas of non-compliance are not ‘averaged out’. 'When providing KPI test results for air quality post-construction / pre-occupancy within scoring and reporting tool, where the limits are exceeded and remediation and re-testing are carried out, the figure should be an average for the whole building post-remediation, as this is the key figure that reflects the building at its certified state'. Where testing is not a requirement of the IAQ Plan and this is not carried out, the original testing figures should be entered and the assessment report should provide details of the remediation measures undertaken to reduce these to within the prescribed limits.

10-Oct-2022 Title amended to align with standard KBCN naming format for clarity and consistency. Scheme applicability updated.
06-Dec-2017 Amended to account for situations where re-testing is not required by the IAQ Plan.

Post-construction measurement- TVOC concentration using BS ISO 16000-6: 2021 VOCs in air by active sampling - KBCN1642

Where BS ISO 16000-6: 2021 VOCs in air by active sampling is used, the TVOC concentration measurement can be performed over a 40-60 minute period.

Potential for natural ventilation – shell only assessments - KBCN0408

Where compliance depends on a speculative layout which is unknown, it is the responsibility of the design team to demonstrate that it is feasible for a future tenant to achieve compliance in the relevant areas via the use of a notional layout. This ensures that the shell allows the potential for compliance, and if this can be demonstrated the credit may be awarded.

Potential for natural ventilation – use of doors to comply - KBCN0690

Doors can only be used to demonstrate potential for natural ventilation where:

They can be used to achieve at least 2 levels of ventilation control as required in the criteria AND,
Using them does not cause accessibility or security issues during asset operation.

In all cases, the use of doors must be clearly and robustly justified by the Assessor.

19-Oct-2022 - Wording clarified. Scheme applicability updated.

Remedial works – timing of acoustic re-testing - KBCN1164

The intent of CN "Remedial works" is that, where these are required, re-testing is carried out prior to handover and occupation. However, it is permissible to carry out the re-testing post-occupation. This is provided any specific guidance for particular building types related test conditions have been met (for instance, it may be that some building specific guidance requires furniture or carpets to not be present during the testing). Compliance cannot be achieved based on a letter from the SQA confirming that the contractor has followed their advice to achieve the required performance.

07.11.18 KBCN amended to allow for re-testing to be carried-out post-handover.

Reporting PPD and PMV Figures - KBCN0867

The PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) and PPD (Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied) values need to be entered into the scoring & reporting tool for data recording purposes. The thermal modelling specialist should be able to provide values for both the PMV and PPD for the asset. The values to report are the observed range of values for PMV and PPD:

Across all occupied areas and,
Across all expected occupied hours.

If the software or calculation method used does not generate these PMV / PPD metrics, they do not have to be provided. [accordion] [accordion_block title="Example"] An asset has the following thermal comfort ranges across its occupied spaces:

PMV ranges from -0.3 to +0.2. Enter '-0.3 to +0.2' into the relevant field.
PPD ranges from 3% to 10%. Enter '3% to 10%' into the relevant field.

[/accordion_block] [/accordion]

15.09.22 Wording and example clarified.

Restricted movement within a secure perimeter - KBCN000009

Where the movement of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles is tightly controlled within a secure perimeter due to security considerations, these areas may be excluded from the safe access criteria. Where the whole assessment is within such a zone, the credit may be awarded by default.

08 Jun 2022 Applicability to UK NC2018 confirmed

Risk assessment – appropriate person - KBCN0539

If an officially recognised body or a local/city authority are in charge of conducting an assessment of the natural risks for a development, and this meets the BREEAM criteria, this can be accepted as meeting compliance. In this case the body/authority can be considered an 'appropriate person'.

Safe access – vehicle delivery routes - KBCN1046

Vehicle delivery routes which cross cycle or pedestrian routes may be acceptable provided there are adequate physical control measures in place to ensure safe access and thus minimise the possibility of delivery vehicles coming into conflict with cyclists and pedestrians. Examples of such measures could be vehicle barriers or retractable vehicle bollards, which only allow access to delivery vehicles when required and whose operation and controls account for cycle and pedestrian movements.

18 Mar 2021 wording clarified

07.06.2018 Intent and wording clarified.

Safe access criteria requirements for small infill developments and extensions - KBCN0810

For smaller infill developments (typically those with a total gross floor area of less than 1,000m²) where there is no opportunity to make changes to the surrounding site or access to the building itself (other than those directly related to connecting building access points to existing pathways etc.), it is recognised that full compliance with the BREEAM criteria for safe access may not be achievable. This applies to developments where either:

the assessed building lies within an existing site or campus under single ownership or
the assessed building is an extension to existing buildings within an existing site or campus

In such instances the existing site layout should undergo a risk assessment against the BREEAM 'Safe Access' criteria to identify areas where there is potential for enhancement across the site. The findings should be reported to the client and design team and any non-compliant aspects should be resolved as far as practically possible within the scope of the project, however there is no express requirement to achieve full compliance in every respect. Where the assessor is satisfied that the above requirements have been met, the credit for 'Safe access' can be awarded.

31/03/17 Reference to achieving 'Security' credit removed

Studio Bedroom Daylighting Calculations - KBCN0733

Where studio rooms in multi-residential projects include multiple area types (e.g. A kitchen and lounge area), compliance can be achieved where either: 1. The entire studio room meets the more onerous requirements or 2. The room is nominally divided into the relevant spaces and the requirements are applied to each as appropriate.

Thermal comfort – Changing rooms - KBCN1133

Whilst thermal comfort in changing rooms may be considered as significant, such spaces are, generally, outside the scope of this Issue, as they would not fall within the definition of an 'occupied space'.

17/06/2019 - This supersedes the advice previously provided in this KBCN, which was published in error on 13/06/2018

Thermal modelling for large scale projects - KBCN1171

In cases where the scale of the project makes it unfeasible to provide thermal modelling for every space, it is acceptable to demonstrate compliance with a representative sample of floors or rooms, ensuring any worst case scenarios are included.

Users with special hearing and communication needs - KBCN0969

Criterion 1c aims to ensure that the acoustician has considered designing the building to better meet the acoustic requirements for users with special hearing and communication needs. The extent and scope this should cover will depend on the building type. The following information, taken from The UK Department for Education ‘Acoustic design of schools: performance standards building bulletin 93' (February 2015) provides clarity as to the type of users typically to be considered: Users with special hearing or communication needs includes, but are not limited to, people with permanent hearing impairment or with severe or complex needs, including:

speech, language and communication difficulties
visual impairments
fluctuating hearing impairments caused by conductive hearing loss
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
an auditory processing disorder or difficulty
being on the autistic spectrum

Such users should be considered by the suitably qualified acoustician, along with the other points a-d when giving early design advice regarding room layout, sound insulation and reverberation times etc.

01/03/2019: Amended to clarify that this is a 'typical' list of users, but does not impose a new requirement.

Ventilation – e-cigarettes - KBCN1014

The use of e-cigarettes and vaporizers is considered equivalent to smoking. A smoking ban must also include a ban on e-cigarettes and vaporizers.

11-Oct-2022 - Scheme applicability updated.

Ventilation – external requirement for window opening restrictors - KBCN1032

Opening restrictors to windows may sometimes need to be installed to meet:

Health and safety requirements,
Building regulations or,
Legal obligations.

Where such external requirements are in force, these requirements cannot be used as a mitigating factor for meeting the BREEAM ventilation criteria. Even with window restrictors, adequate ventilation can still be achieved.

19-Oct-2022 Wording and title clarified. Scheme applicability updated.

Ventilation – withdrawal of EN 13779:2007 - KBCN1054

Standard EN 13779:2007 has been withdrawn (01/02/2018) and in its place the following should be used:

To replace EN 13779:2007 Annex A2 for location of the building's air intakes and exhausts - CEN/TR 16798-4:2017 Sections 8.8.1 to 8.8.4
To replace EN 13779:2007 Annex A3 for filtration in HVAC systems - EN 16798-3:2017 Section B.4.2
To replace EN 13779:2007 for providing fresh air into the building – ISO 17772-1:2017 Annex I or EN 16798-1:2019 Annex B.3 (following the appropriate calculation method, as outlined below, and using either Category I or Category II).

Non-residential buildings: Both standards provide three methods for selecting design ventilation rates:

Method 1: Method based on perceived air quality
Method 2: Method using limit values of substance concentration
Method 3: Method based on predefined ventilation flow rates

Dwellings (only applicable to the BREEAM International New Construction scheme): Both standards provide different options for selecting design ventilation rates:

Total air change rate for the dwelling
Extract air flows for specific rooms
Supply air flows for specific rooms
Design opening areas for natural ventilation

It is the design team’s responsibility to determine and apply the most appropriate method or option(s) for the project undergoing assessment. Existing projects can continue to use EN 13779:2007 where applicable. Any new assessment registrations should use the replacements above.

03 Nov 2022 - First paragraph, bullet 3 updated to clarify methodology
11-Oct-2022 - Scheme applicability updated.
03-May-2020 - Typo corrected to clarify that 'EN 16798-1:2019 Annex B.3 'either Category I OR Category II default design values' are to be used.
10-Jan-2020 - KBCN updated to clarify methods for complying with new standards.
01-Sep-2019 - KBCN updated to reference new standard.

View out – alternative method of compliance for fixed workstations - KBCN1484

In relevant spaces that include fixed workstations* (such as a built-in cash registers or reception desks) an alternative method can be used. This is based on the number of compliant workstations. For instance, where the requirement is for 95% of the relevant area to comply, 95% of the fixed workstations must have a compliant view out, rounded up to the nearest workstation. Example A retail assessment has 35 built-in cash registers, 95% of which must comply with the view out criteria. 35 x 0.95 = 33.25, rounded up to 34. The requirement is met for this area if 34 registers comply with the criteria. Where an asset includes a mix of relevant areas; both fixed workstations and flexible areas, compliance for the whole assessment must be demonstrated for all areas, as appropriate, based on either area or number. *freestanding desks and other items of moveable furniture cannot be considered as fixed workstations, regardless of whether their locations are pre-determined.

View out – Calculating the glazing to wall ratio - KBCN1506

This should be calculated based on the glazed area of window, expressed as a percentage of the area of the external wall in which the window sits. Where the ceiling height of the room is unusually high, relative to the window height, the wall area can be calculated based on a standard ceiling height for the building type.

View out – eye level - KBCN0581

BREEAM defines an adequate view out as being at seated eye level (1.2 – 1.3m) within the relevant building areas. However, where occupants will not have the option to be seated, for example in some industrial operational areas where the work being undertaken requires occupants to remain standing, the height of the view out can be changed accordingly to suit the eye level of occupants. All other view out requirements have to be met and clear justification provided for changing the height/level of the view out. In some relevant building areas, occupants may not be sitting down to undertake tasks. Allowing the view out height requirements to be changed accordingly ensures building occupants gain maximum benefit from the view out.

View out – no relevant areas - KBCN0876

If the scope of the assessment does not include any relevant building areas, as defined within the manual, the criteria for 'view out' can be considered as met by default. Only spaces that fall within the definition of relevant areas and are within the assessment's scope need to be assessed.

View out – percentage area - KBCN0166

For the view out credit, compliance must be demonstrated for the percentage of the floor area in each relevant building area, rather than the percentage of the total relevant building area in the building.

14/2/17 Wording amended to clarify that the percentage must be achieved for each 'relevant building area'.

View out – relevant areas - KBCN0268

The aim of the View Out criteria is to allow occupants to refocus their eyes from close work. Relevant areas are spaces where close work in a fixed position is carried out for sustained periods of time. The view out criteria are therefore not applicable to occupied areas such as meeting rooms, or other spaces where such close work is not being carried out. Where rooms contain areas of different functions, only relevant areas should be assessed. In this case a notional line can be drawn on the plans and calculations made based on these relevant areas only. However, spaces such circulation routes or other transient spaces within a relevant area can only be excluded if the route or area is clearly defined by the building layout. If this is arbitrary or based solely on a proposed furniture layout, it cannot be excluded. Features of the building layout which may be considered as dictating a function area would include, for example, the position of doors or fixed furniture such as a reception desk or canteen servery.

07-Oct-2022 Additional paragraph added to clarify how function areas must be defined. 
21-Sep-2022 General principle of 'relevant area' added, and applicability of KBCN extended to BIU V6 Commercial.

View out – rooms used for security or other critical functions - KBCN1040

The View out criteria are not applicable to rooms containing security or critical systems or sensitive material, such as CCTV monitoring rooms. Where it can be demonstrated that the presence of compliant windows would compromise a critical function of the space, the criteria can be considered not applicable.

Zoning and control – dimming - KBCN1018

Localised dimming controls installed in line with the criteria, along with a master on/off switch, can be considered as meeting the aim of the requirement for 'controls' in open plan offices. The aim is for occupants to have local control over their lighting and maintain comfortable lighting levels.

Zoning and control – PIR in circulation spaces - KBCN0332

PIR controls can be deemed compliant in circulation spaces such as corridors. In this instance 'separate occupant controls' are not required. The requirement for user control is so that the building users can have direct control over their immediate work environment to ensure it is suitable for their personal needs. In circulation spaces, occupancy is transient and PIR control in these spaces is acceptable.

Zoning and occupant control – access to lighting controls - KBCN00032

The relevant areas for the criteria apply only to areas where users are expected to have control. For instance, this means that areas intended for the general public, or a shop floor would not be expected to have lighting controls. The general principle which applies to user access to general environmental controls (heating, cooling, ventilation) may also apply to access to lighting controls. See KBCN0170. However, the the exact approach may differ between the two types of systems and assessor judgement must be used to determine compliance. In all cases zoning is required in all areas of the asset where specified in the assessment criteria. Please refer to the specific requirements of the applicable BREEAM standard to interpret this guidance appropriately.

14-Dec-2022 - KBCN applicability updated to include BIU. Wording updated. Link to KBCN0170 created.

Zoning and occupant control – PIR detection systems - KBCN0335

The aim of the Health & Wellbeing category is to recognise ways to benefit occupants through giving them control of their lighting environment. Without manual overrides, presence or absence detection lighting controls (such as PIR detection systems) are not compliant with the criteria. BREEAM recognises the energy efficiency benefits of detection systems in buildings through the Energy category. In some cases, the design team may have to prioritise one particular lighting strategy to the detriment of achieving a credit elsewhere.

28 04 2021 Wording amended to include absence detection systems.
18 09 2017 Wording amended to clarify the meaning.

[KBCN withdrawn] ~ Natural Ventilation Heat Recovery Units - KBCN1126

Natural Ventilation Heat Recovery Units (NVHR) systems can be used to support a natural ventilation strategy where it can be demonstrated that openable windows provide sufficient fresh air to the building for the significant majority of the time that the space is occupied. The assessor will need to use their professional judgement to determine a 'significant majority of time' and be able to justify this within the assessment report.

22-Oct-2022 Content merged with KBCN1533 and clarified with additional guidance on mixed mode systems. This KBCN withdrawn.

New Construction / NOR / 2016 /

02 - Health & Wellbeing

Applying internal partition sound insulation criteria to internal doors - KBCN0665

Applying the daylighting criteria - KBCN0579