01 - Management

Capital cost reporting and LCC measured area - KBCN0438

When assessing the Capital cost reporting and the LCC credits, the area to be considered should be the Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA), according to the below RICS definition: Gross Internal Floor Area Gross Internal Floor Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level, which includes:

• Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
• Columns, piers chimney breasts, stairwells, lift-wells, other internal projections, vertical ducts, and the like
• Atria and entrance halls with clear height above, measured at base level only
• Internal open sided balconies, walkways, and the like
• Structural, raked or stepped floors are treated as a level floor measured horizontally
• Horizontal floors with permanent access below structural, raked or stepped floors
• Corridors of a permanent essential nature (e.g. fire corridors, smoke lobbies, etc.)
• Areas in the roof space intended for use with permanent access (BCIS)
• Mezzanine areas intended for use with permanent access
• Lift rooms, plant rooms, fuel stores, tank rooms which are housed in a covered structure of a permanent nature, whether or not above main roof level
• Service accommodation such as toilets, toilet lobbies, bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, cleaners’ rooms and the like
• Projection rooms
• Voids over stairwells and lift shafts on upper floors
• Loading bays
• Areas with a headroom of less than 1.5m
• Pavement vaults
• Garages
• Conservatories (BCIS)

And excludes:

• Perimeter wall thickness and external projections
• External open-sided balconies, covered ways and fire escapes
• Canopies
• Voids over or under structural, raked or stepped floors
• Greenhouses, garden stores, fuel stores and the like in residential property
• Open ground floors and the like (BCIS)

14.02.18 - KBCN content amended to extend the applicability to LCC and to refer to GIFA rather than GEA, to reflect current industry practice.

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Considerate Constructors Scheme – International projects - KBCN1451

Where the Considerate Constructors Scheme is available outside the UK, this can can be considered as a 'BREEAM compliant' scheme for the purposes of this Issue.

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Considerate Constructors Scheme – Phased developments - KBCN0328

The Considerate Constructors Scheme does make provision for phased developments within the registration process, allowing each phase to be registered separately. They make this provision to allow for very large developments that may go on over several years. It should therefore be possible for the developer to register the site in phases, so that CCS certificates can be submitted for BREEAM assessed buildings, without having to wait for the completion of the final phase.

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Elemental LCC and options appraisal timing - KBCN1889

The elemental LCC should be undertaken as part of the strategic options appraisal process and used to inform the selection of significant building elements and systems, such as the structure, envelope and building services. Completing the options appraisal after key design decisions have been finalised may reduce its effectiveness and limit the opportunity for the findings to influence the final design. However, the timing requirement can still be met, where the assessor agrees that there is a justification for the appraisal continuing into early RIBA Stage 3 (or equivalent), and clear evidence to demonstrate that:

• The key options remained under consideration during the appraisal.
• The findings were capable of influencing the final design solution.
• The intended outcomes of the elemental LCC process have not been compromised.

In all cases, the outline elemental LCC plan and identification of relevant project options must be completed by the end of Concept Design

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Erratum – Monitoring utility consumption – Meeting the set targets - KBCN1899

The target and actual total energy and water consumption figures must be entered into the platform. However, meeting the targets is not required for compliance. The relevant criteria will be clarified in the next reissue.

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Evidence requirements – responsible sourcing of materials at post-construction - KBCN1599

Whilst the UK BREEAM manuals are less prescriptive in the evidential requirements to allow flexibility, to ensure consistency across the schemes, it is expected that robust evidence should be provided to verify the source of any certified materials and how the assessor has confirmed the products and manufacturers used. Evidence supplied at post construction stage must reflect the completed building and confirm the responsibly sourced materials that have been procured and installed on the project. Supporting documentation is required to validate letters of confirmation or schedules of materials. Evidence provided could include proof of purchase, for example, invoices, delivery tickets, purchase orders or correspondence from suppliers. This may be an example for each material sourced, rather than every delivery ticket for instance.  Alternatively, evidence of the use of the responsibly sourced materials may include as-built drawings, O&M documentation or site photographs.

30-Oct-2025 - Applicable to HQM V6 and UKNCR V6.1

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GN54 Responsible construction management – BREEAM V7 - KBCN1752

Latest version: v1.0, July 2026 Guidance Note 54 (GN54) provides information on achieving the responsible construction management requirements in Man 03 in BREEAM V7. It has two parts:

• Part 1 lists the requirements that must be met to achieve credits for responsible construction management in BREEAM V7.
• Part 2 provides a list of the schemes or tools that have been evaluated by BREEAM and can contribute to the achievement of one or more credits for responsible construction management.

This guidance note only applies to BREEAM V7. There is a separate guidance note for earlier versions of BREEAM UK NC and UKNCR (see Guidance Note 33). Download Guidance Note 54 View all Guidance Notes on BREEAM Projects (licensed assessors only)

15-Jul-2026 - Updated version released (v1.0)

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Responsible construction management – corporate registration - KBCN1084

Where credits are awarded for the assessment of the site against a compliant scheme, corporate registration, which assesses the contractor's overall operations and performance across multiple sites, is not in itself recognised. To award considerate construction credits, BREEAM requires the assessment of the specific assessed development, in line with the criteria

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Submitting aftercare & post occupancy evaluation data - KBCN0589

Where credits have been awarded which require post-occupancy evaluation or an element of aftercare data collection (according to scheme requirements) from the building once operational and occupied, the data gathering must take place at the specified time and the findings reported to BRE. The timing of this evidence gathering depends on the criteria of the specific BREEAM scheme. However, for all schemes, once the evidence is due for submission, it should be sent on the assessor webform with the following subject; 'BREEAM Assessment Type - Building Data - BREEAM Assessment Reference' For example: 'BREEAM NC 2018 - Building Data - BREEAM-1234-5678'

29-Oct-2025 - Applicable to HQM One, HQM V6 and UKNCR V6.1
05 Nov 2024 - Wording clarified and link to the webform added
This replaces KBCN0695 for HQM.

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