2018-12-04T09:21:39Z

Tom Blois-Brooke:

= Background =

The requirements for air tightness testing and thermographic surveys stem from criterion 4 of Approved Document L2A – Conservation of Fuel and Power in New Buildings other than Dwellings. Criterion 4 falls under Section 3 which looks at the Quality of Construction and Commissioning, a key element of which is the building fabric.

The document states the following with regards to building fabric performance:

3.2 The building fabric should be constructed to a reasonable quality so that:

a. the insulation is reasonably continuous over the whole building envelope; and

b. the air permeability is within reasonable limits.

Compliance with the above can be demonstrated as follows:

Continuity of Insulation:

* To use construction details that have been calculated by a person with suitable expertise and experience following guidance set out in BRE Report BR 497 (Conventions for Calculating Linear Thermal Transmittance and Temperature Factors) and following a process flow sequence that has been provided to the Building Control Body indicating the way in which the detail should be constructed. The calculated value can then be used in the Building CO2 Emission Rate (BER) calculation.
* To use construction joints with no specific quantification of the thermal bridge values. In such cases, the generic linear thermal bridge values as given in IP 1/06 increased by 0.04 W/(m.K) or 50% (whichever is greater) must be used in the BER calculation.

Air Permeability and Pressure Testing:

* Pressure testing should be undertaken in accordance with the approved procedure as set out in the ATTMA publication Measuring Air Permeability of Building Envelopes.
* All buildings that are not dwellings must be subject to pressure testing, although there are some exceptions as set out in section 3.12 of the Approved Document.
* One listed exception which an assessor may come across more often relates to large complex buildings where, due to the building size or complexity, it may be impractical to carry out pressure testing of the whole building. The ATTMA publication indicates situations where such considerations might apply. If this approach is adopted, a detailed justification should be provided and endorsed by a suitably qualified professional (such as a competent person approved for pressure testing). The suitably qualified professional should be appointed to undertake a detailed programme of design development, component testing and site supervision to give confidence that a continuous air barrier will be achieved.
* The measured air permeability should not be worse than the limiting value of 10 m3/(hm2) at 50Pa.
* Should satisfactory performance not be achieved, remedial measures should be carried out on the building and new tests carried out until the building achieves the design criteria.

BREEAM and Airtightness Testing / Thermographic Surveys

The requirements of this issue, as is common with BREEAM, go above and beyond the standard requirements to promote best practice through the industry through the use of airtightness testing (as set out in the Approved Document) and also thermographic surveys to quality-assure the integrity of the building fabric. This includes continuity of insulation, avoidance of thermal bridging and air leakage paths.

The credit also requires the Main Contractor to rectify any defects identified in the thermographic survey prior to building handover.

= Aim and benefits =

BRE Report 176 (A Practical Guide to Infra-Red Thermography for Building Surveys) states that thermographic surveys can be used to demonstrate performance of a building and its components and services including:

# Insulation defect detection
# Air leakage detection
# Heat loss through window frames
# Dampness detection
# Examination of heating systems (e.g. damage to insulation)
# Preventative maintenance
# Electrical defect detection

Many of the above are not applicable to the BREEAM scope so the key benefits are stated below:

* The benefit of undertaking thermographic surveys to demonstrate the continuity of insulation is that it verifies that the construction details set out during the design of the building have been following during construction of the building. This gives confidence to the building owner/occupier that the building and its associated systems will perform as designed to meet the thermal comfort requirements and reduces the building energy consumptions due to the reduced losses through the building fabric. As such this can avoid expensive unexpected costs and failure to comply with Part L.

* A thermographic survey can be perceived as a good way of checking the standard / quality of work that cannot normally be seen.

* A thermographic survey is the best non-destructive testing method and large areas can be surveyed in a short period of time and typically alongside the air-tightness test which will quantify the leaks identified on an air tightness test.

* The survey can also act as a tool to determine areas of the building that could be made more energy efficient – reducing energy bills and improving the thermal comfort of the building. For example, on existing buildings, thermography can be used to assess the overall performance of the individual building fabric elements such that informed decisions can be made on improving energy efficiency. If required, in depth analysis can also be undertaken to estimate the potential cost and CO2 reductions if particular improvements are undertaken.

= When to consider =

* An air tightness test and thermographic Survey will need to be written into the project programming and costing

* The integrity of the building envelope should be complete for the survey. Drawings (plans and sections) and specification details regarding the areas to be surveyed shall be supplied prior to the survey taking place.

* Strict weather conditions make it advisable to not carry out surveys between mid-June – mid September. The reason for this is that Internal / external temperature difference on the entire building must be a minimum of 10°C for at least 12 hours prior to the survey. If not, you will not achieve compliance for BREEAM credit or BS EN 13187:1999

= Step by step guidance =

There are two approaches that can be adopted for carrying out thermographic inspections:

* Qualitative Approach: a straightforward approach that can be used to identify items such as missing or defective insulation without the need for measurement detail. The images generated from this type of survey require interpretation by a skilled operator through examination of the thermographic images and the building structure.
* Quantitative Approach: a more detailed and stringent survey that requires analysis by a software package and produces a more comprehensive analysis of the building performance.

The operator will use their expertise to assess the survey data to identify any defective areas that require remediation, based on the building construction methods and specified design criteria.

The BREEAM criteria are not prescriptive on the approach that should be adopted and advice should be sought from the project team on which is appropriate given the nature and complexity of the building being assessed. The wording of the criteria suggests that a qualitative assessment would be sufficient to meet the credit requirements but there are benefits in undertaking a quantitative approach for more complex buildings that may justify the increased expenditure. It should be noted that, having completed a qualitative level survey, if a decision is subsequently made to follow the quantitative approach it is likely that the surveys would need to be redone as the level of detail required is increased.

= Questions to ask while seeking compliance =

Awaiting content

= Tools and resources =

UK Thermography Association: [http://www.bindt.org/institute-committees-and-groups/institute-groups/ukta/ http://www.bindt.org/institute-committees-and-groups/institute-groups/ukta/]

= Tips and best practice =

* For a BREEAM credit, 100% of the roof and elevations must be surveyed, unless it can be demonstrated to be unpractical.

* Where an air test is not required for building regulations it can still provide a benefit to the Ene 01 credit score due to the need to not take the default data.

= Typical evidence =

A survey report from a Level 2 Thermographer in accordance with all necessary standards and current regulations

= Applicable Schemes =

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See [[BREEAM_Issue_support_document_template|this document]] for further guidelines.

* BREEAM New Construction: 2011, 2014 and 2018

-----
BRE Global does not endorse any of the content posted and use of the content will not guarantee the meeting of certification criteria.

Authors:

- [https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Tom_Blois-Brooke Tom Blois-Brooke]

- [https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Dan_Widdon Dan Widdon]

- Yasmin Spain

--[[User:Tom_Blois-Brooke|Tom Blois-Brooke]] 09:20, 04 Dec 2018 (BST)

[[Category:BREEAM]]

BREEAM Testing and inspecting building fabric

2018-12-04T09:20:21Z

Tom Blois-Brooke: Created page with "= Background = The requirements for air tightness testing and thermographic surveys stem from criterion 4 of Approved Document L2A – Conservation of Fuel and Power in New Buil..."

= Background =

The requirements for air tightness testing and thermographic surveys stem from criterion 4 of Approved Document L2A – Conservation of Fuel and Power in New Buildings other than Dwellings. Criterion 4 falls under Section 3 which looks at the Quality of Construction and Commissioning, a key element of which is the building fabric.

The document states the following with regards to building fabric performance:

3.2 The building fabric should be constructed to a reasonable quality so that:

a. the insulation is reasonably continuous over the whole building envelope; and

b. the air permeability is within reasonable limits.

Compliance with the above can be demonstrated as follows:

Continuity of Insulation:

* To use construction details that have been calculated by a person with suitable expertise and experience following guidance set out in BRE Report BR 497 (Conventions for Calculating Linear Thermal Transmittance and Temperature Factors) and following a process flow sequence that has been provided to the Building Control Body indicating the way in which the detail should be constructed. The calculated value can then be used in the Building CO2 Emission Rate (BER) calculation.
* To use construction joints with no specific quantification of the thermal bridge values. In such cases, the generic linear thermal bridge values as given in IP 1/06 increased by 0.04 W/(m.K) or 50% (whichever is greater) must be used in the BER calculation.

Air Permeability and Pressure Testing:

* Pressure testing should be undertaken in accordance with the approved procedure as set out in the ATTMA publication Measuring Air Permeability of Building Envelopes.
* All buildings that are not dwellings must be subject to pressure testing, although there are some exceptions as set out in section 3.12 of the Approved Document.
* One listed exception which an assessor may come across more often relates to large complex buildings where, due to the building size or complexity, it may be impractical to carry out pressure testing of the whole building. The ATTMA publication indicates situations where such considerations might apply. If this approach is adopted, a detailed justification should be provided and endorsed by a suitably qualified professional (such as a competent person approved for pressure testing). The suitably qualified professional should be appointed to undertake a detailed programme of design development, component testing and site supervision to give confidence that a continuous air barrier will be achieved.
* The measured air permeability should not be worse than the limiting value of 10 m3/(hm2) at 50Pa.
* Should satisfactory performance not be achieved, remedial measures should be carried out on the building and new tests carried out until the building achieves the design criteria.

BREEAM and Airtightness Testing / Thermographic Surveys

The requirements of this issue, as is common with BREEAM, go above and beyond the standard requirements to promote best practice through the industry through the use of airtightness testing (as set out in the Approved Document) and also thermographic surveys to quality-assure the integrity of the building fabric. This includes continuity of insulation, avoidance of thermal bridging and air leakage paths.

The credit also requires the Main Contractor to rectify any defects identified in the thermographic survey prior to building handover.

= Aim and benefits =

BRE Report 176 (A Practical Guide to Infra-Red Thermography for Building Surveys) states that thermographic surveys can be used to demonstrate performance of a building and its components and services including:

# Insulation defect detection
# Air leakage detection
# Heat loss through window frames
# Dampness detection
# Examination of heating systems (e.g. damage to insulation)
# Preventative maintenance
# Electrical defect detection

Many of the above are not applicable to the BREEAM scope so the key benefits are stated below:

* The benefit of undertaking thermographic surveys to demonstrate the continuity of insulation is that it verifies that the construction details set out during the design of the building have been following during construction of the building. This gives confidence to the building owner/occupier that the building and its associated systems will perform as designed to meet the thermal comfort requirements and reduces the building energy consumptions due to the reduced losses through the building fabric. As such this can avoid expensive unexpected costs and failure to comply with Part L.

* A thermographic survey can be perceived as a good way of checking the standard / quality of work that cannot normally be seen.

* A thermographic survey is the best non-destructive testing method and large areas can be surveyed in a short period of time and typically alongside the air-tightness test which will quantify the leaks identified on an air tightness test.

* The survey can also act as a tool to determine areas of the building that could be made more energy efficient – reducing energy bills and improving the thermal comfort of the building. For example, on existing buildings, thermography can be used to assess the overall performance of the individual building fabric elements such that informed decisions can be made on improving energy efficiency. If required, in depth analysis can also be undertaken to estimate the potential cost and CO2 reductions if particular improvements are undertaken.

= When to consider =

* An air tightness test and thermographic Survey will need to be written into the project programming and costing

* The integrity of the building envelope should be complete for the survey. Drawings (plans and sections) and specification details regarding the areas to be surveyed shall be supplied prior to the survey taking place.

* Strict weather conditions make it advisable to not carry out surveys between mid-June – mid September. The reason for this is that Internal / external temperature difference on the entire building must be a minimum of 10°C for at least 12 hours prior to the survey. If not, you will not achieve compliance for BREEAM credit or BS EN 13187:1999

= Step by step guidance =

There are two approaches that can be adopted for carrying out thermographic inspections:

* Qualitative Approach: a straightforward approach that can be used to identify items such as missing or defective insulation without the need for measurement detail. The images generated from this type of survey require interpretation by a skilled operator through examination of the thermographic images and the building structure.
* Quantitative Approach: a more detailed and stringent survey that requires analysis by a software package and produces a more comprehensive analysis of the building performance.

The operator will use their expertise to assess the survey data to identify any defective areas that require remediation, based on the building construction methods and specified design criteria.

The BREEAM criteria are not prescriptive on the approach that should be adopted and advice should be sought from the project team on which is appropriate given the nature and complexity of the building being assessed. The wording of the criteria suggests that a qualitative assessment would be sufficient to meet the credit requirements but there are benefits in undertaking a quantitative approach for more complex buildings that may justify the increased expenditure. It should be noted that, having completed a qualitative level survey, if a decision is subsequently made to follow the quantitative approach it is likely that the surveys would need to be redone as the level of detail required is increased.

= Questions to ask while seeking compliance =

Awaiting content

= Tools and resources =

UK Thermography Association: [http://www.bindt.org/institute-committees-and-groups/institute-groups/ukta/ http://www.bindt.org/institute-committees-and-groups/institute-groups/ukta/]

= Tips and best practice =

* For a BREEAM credit, 100% of the roof and elevations must be surveyed, unless it can be demonstrated to be unpractical.

* Where an air test is not required for building regulations it can still provide a benefit to the Ene 01 credit score due to the need to not take the default data.

= Typical evidence =

A survey report from a Level 2 Thermographer in accordance with all necessary standards and current regulations

= Applicable Schemes =

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See [[BREEAM_Issue_support_document_template|this document]] for further guidelines.

* BREEAM New Construction: 2011, 2014 and 2018

-----
BRE Global does not endorse any of the content posted and use of the content will not guarantee the meeting of certification criteria.

- [https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Tom_Blois-Brooke Tom Blois-Brooke]

- [https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Dan_Widdon Dan Widdon]

- Yasmin Spain

--[[User:Tom Blois-Brooke|Tom Blois-Brooke]] 09:20, 04 Dec 2018 (BST)

[[Category:BREEAM]]

BREEAM Energy efficient laboratory systems

2018-02-21T15:51:22Z

Tom Blois-Brooke:

= Aim and benefits =

The aim of this credit is to recognise and encourage laboratory areas that are designed to be energy efficient and minimise the CO2 emissions associated with their operational energy.

Due to the operational requirements of laboratory areas, they are often highly serviced spaces with onerous environmental requirements that results in a high energy demand.

Therefore the implementation of energy efficiency measures has the potential to have a significant impact on the energy demand and consumption of a development. The types of equipment assessed by this issue are not currently fully recognised in the National Calculation Methodology that is used to assess credits under Ene 01.

Care needs to be taken however to ensure that the implementation of energy efficiency measures doesn't impact on the performance requirements of the installation.

This issue only applies to the following building types:

* Further Education
* Higher Education
* Other Buildings
* Research and Development Facilities

It is not relevant to school buildings; in this instance the laboratory criteria under issue Hea 03 should be followed. Where there are a large number of containment devices in a school or sixth form college assessment, the BRE should be consulted with for guidance.

Links to be added to the Hea 03 article when produced.

= When to consider =

There is a pre-requisite for this credit that requires criterion 1 of Issue Hea 03 to be achieved. If this is not met, then no credits can be awarded for this issue. This requires an objective risk assessment of the laboratory facilities to be carried out prior to completion of RIBA Stage 3 to ensure potential risks are considered. If this is not achieved then no credits can be awarded.

Client engagement should be sought through consultation that occurs during RIBA Stage 1. The aim of this engagement is to understand the occupant requirements and determine the laboratory performance criteria. If engagement with the BREEAM process occurs after this stage and the above did not form a part of the consultation process at RIBA Stage 1, no credits can be awarded.

The remaining issues associated with this credit would normally be addressed during RIBA Stages 3 and 4 with the majority of the requirements impacting on the Building Services design.

= Step by step guidance =

First Credit:

The project team should confirm that the relevant stakeholders) have been consulted with during RIBA Stage 1 to determine the occupant requirements and laboratory performance criteria. Refer to the manual for a list of the performance criteria that should be considered as a minimum.

During the design stage (RIBA Stages 3&4), the design team should produce calculations to confirm that the energy demand of the facilities has been minimised as a result of achieving the defined design performance criteria and has led to optimum sizing of the equipment.

Where fume cupboards and other containment devices are present, compliance with criteria 2 and 3 of issue Hea 03 should be demonstrated. Links to be added to the Hea 03 article when produced.

All ducted fume cupboards should be specified with an average air flow rate of no greater than 0.16m3/s per linear meter of fume cupboard workspace. Care should be taken when targeting this credit to ensure that the reduced air flow does not compromise the defined performance criteria. See tips and best practice section below.

Credits 2 - 5:

These credits can only be awarded where the first credit and pre-requisite have been met and where the laboratory area accounts for at least 10% of the total building floor area. When calculating the floor area, the following areas should not be included:

* Write up/offices
* Meeting rooms
* Storage
* Ancillary and other support areas with a lower servicing requirement.

Where the laboratory area accounts for less than 25% of the total building floor area, up to 2 credits can be awarded. Where it accounts for more 25% or more, up to 4 credits can be awarded.

A selection of the following measures should be implemented to determine how many credits can be awarded:

* 1 Credit: where the specific fan powers (W/(l/s)) are specified to meet the best practice levels for all relevant items of equipment listed in the credit criteria;
* 0.5 Credits: an average design air flow rate of <0.12m3/s per linear meter (internal width) of fume cupboard workspace. The same care should be taken when targeting this credit to ensure that the reduced air flow does not compromise the defined performance criteria. See tips and best practice section below.
* 0.5 Credits:

Only whole credits can be awarded.

= Questions to ask while seeking compliance =

# Have the relevant stakeholders been consulted with during RIBA Stage 1 to underside their requirements and performance criteria and has this been documented within the project brief?
# Has the design team included for undertaking the required energy demand calculations as part of the design?

= Tools and resources =

=== [https://kb.breeam.com/section/new-construction/uk/2014-uk/energy-breeam_uk_nc_2014/ene04/ Knowledge Base - UK New Construction 2014] ===

[http://www.breeam.com/BREEAMUK2014SchemeDocument/content/06_energy/ene07.htm BREEAM 2014 V. 5.0 ENE 6 - Energy Efficient Laboratory Systems]

= Tips and best practice =

=== Reduced Air Volume Hoods: ===

Reduced air volume hoods incorporate a bypass block to partially close off the bypass, reducing the air volume and thus conserving energy. Usually, the block is combined with a sash stop to limit the height of the sash opening, ensuring a safe face velocity during normal operation while lowering the hood’s air volume. By reducing the air volume, the RAV hood can operate with a smaller blower, which is another cost-saving advantage.

Since RAV hoods have restricted sash movement and reduced air volume, these hoods are less flexible in what they can be used for and can only be used for certain tasks. Another drawback to RAV hoods is that users can in theory override or disengage the sash stop. If this occurs, the face velocity could drop to an unsafe level. To counter this condition, operators must be trained never to override the sash stop while in use, and only to do so when loading or cleaning the hood. The design team should highlight this to the client so that they understand the risks associated with specifying this type of system.

= Typical evidence =

== Design Stage: ==

# Minutes of meetings to confirm consultation with relevant stakeholders
# Project brief that includes the laboratory performance criteria and occupant requirements
# Energy demand assessment
# Laboratory system specification and drawings

== Post Construction Stage: ==

# Manufacturer's data sheets
# Commissioning records
# O&M manual extracts
# Assessor site survey

= Applicable Schemes =

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See [[BREEAM_Issue_support_document_template|this document]] for further guidelines.

* First issue written to BREEAM UK New Construction 2014

-----
BRE Global does not endorse any of the content posted and use of the content will not guarantee the meeting of certification criteria.

--[[User:Tom_Blois-Brooke|Tom Blois-Brooke]] 14:57, 21 Feb 2018 (BST)

[[Category:BREEAM]]

BREEAM Energy efficient laboratory systems

2018-02-21T15:50:38Z

Tom Blois-Brooke:

= Aim and benefits =

The aim of this credit is to recognise and encourage laboratory areas that are designed to be energy efficient and minimise the CO2 emissions associated with their operational energy.

Due to the operational requirements of laboratory areas, they are often highly serviced spaces with onerous environmental requirements that results in a high energy demand.

Therefore the implementation of energy efficiency measures has the potential to have a significant impact on the energy demand and consumption of a development. The types of equipment assessed by this issue are not currently fully recognised in the National Calculation Methodology that is used to assess credits under Ene 01.

Care needs to be taken however to ensure that the implementation of energy efficiency measures doesn't impact on the performance requirements of the installation.

This issue only applies to the following building types:

* Further Education
* Higher Education
* Other Buildings
* Research and Development Facilities

It is not relevant to school buildings; in this instance the laboratory criteria under issue Hea 03 should be followed. Where there are a large number of containment devices in a school or sixth form college assessment, the BRE should be consulted with for guidance.

Links to be added to the Hea 03 article when produced.

= When to consider =

There is a pre-requisite for this credit that requires criterion 1 of Issue Hea 03 to be achieved. If this is not met, then no credits can be awarded for this issue. This requires an objective risk assessment of the laboratory facilities to be carried out prior to completion of RIBA Stage 3 to ensure potential risks are considered. If this is not achieved then no credits can be awarded.

Client engagement should be sought through consultation that occurs during RIBA Stage 1. The aim of this engagement is to understand the occupant requirements and determine the laboratory performance criteria. If engagement with the BREEAM process occurs after this stage and the above did not form a part of the consultation process at RIBA Stage 1, no credits can be awarded.

The remaining issues associated with this credit would normally be addressed during RIBA Stages 3 and 4 with the majority of the requirements impacting on the Building Services design.

= Step by step guidance =

First Credit:

The project team should confirm that the relevant stakeholders) have been consulted with during RIBA Stage 1 to determine the occupant requirements and laboratory performance criteria. Refer to the manual for a list of the performance criteria that should be considered as a minimum.

During the design stage (RIBA Stages 3&4), the design team should produce calculations to confirm that the energy demand of the facilities has been minimised as a result of achieving the defined design performance criteria and has led to optimum sizing of the equipment.

Where fume cupboards and other containment devices are present, compliance with criteria 2 and 3 of issue Hea 03 should be demonstrated. Links to be added to the Hea 03 article when produced.

All ducted fume cupboards should be specified with an average air flow rate of no greater than 0.16m3/s per linear meter of fume cupboard workspace. Care should be taken when targeting this credit to ensure that the reduced air flow does not compromise the defined performance criteria. See tips and best practice section below.

Credits 2 - 5:

These credits can only be awarded where the first credit and pre-requisite have been met and where the laboratory area accounts for at least 10% of the total building floor area. When calculating the floor area, the following areas should not be included:

* Write up/offices
* Meeting rooms
* Storage
* Ancillary and other support areas with a lower servicing requirement.

Where the laboratory area accounts for less than 25% of the total building floor area, up to 2 credits can be awarded. Where it accounts for more 25% or more, up to 4 credits can be awarded.

A selection of the following measures should be implemented to determine how many credits can be awarded:

* 1 Credit: where the specific fan powers (W/(l/s)) are specified to meet the best practice levels for all relevant items of equipment listed in the credit criteria;
* 0.5 Credits: an average design air flow rate of <0.12m3/s per linear meter (internal width) of fume cupboard workspace. The same care should be taken when targeting this credit to ensure that the reduced air flow does not compromise the defined performance criteria. See tips and best practice section below.
* 0.5 Credits:

Only whole credits can be awarded.

= Questions to ask while seeking compliance =

# Have the relevant stakeholders been consulted with during RIBA Stage 1 to underside their requirements and performance criteria and has this been documented within the project brief?
# Has the design team included for undertaking the required energy demand calculations as part of the design?

= Tools and resources =

=== [https://kb.breeam.com/section/new-construction/uk/2014-uk/energy-breeam_uk_nc_2014/ene04/ Knowledge Base - UK New Construction 2014] ===

[http://www.breeam.com/BREEAMUK2014SchemeDocument/content/06_energy/ene07.htm BREEAM 2014 V. 5.0 ENE 6 - Energy Efficient Laboratory Systems]

= Tips and best practice =

=== Reduced Air Volume Hoods: ===

Reduced air volume hoods incorporate a bypass block to partially close off the bypass, reducing the air volume and thus conserving energy. Usually, the block is combined with a sash stop to limit the height of the sash opening, ensuring a safe face velocity during normal operation while lowering the hood’s air volume. By reducing the air volume, the RAV hood can operate with a smaller blower, which is another cost-saving advantage.

Since RAV hoods have restricted sash movement and reduced air volume, these hoods are less flexible in what they can be used for and can only be used for certain tasks. Another drawback to RAV hoods is that users can in theory override or disengage the sash stop. If this occurs, the face velocity could drop to an unsafe level. To counter this condition, operators must be trained never to override the sash stop while in use, and only to do so when loading or cleaning the hood. The design team should highlight this to the client so that they understand the risks associated with specifying this type of system.

= Typical evidence =

== Design Stage: ==

# Minutes of meetings to confirm consultation with relevant stakeholders
# Project brief that includes the laboratory performance criteria and occupant requirements
# Energy demand assessment
# Laboratory system specification and drawings

== Post Construction Stage: ==

# Manufacturer's data sheets
# Commissioning records
# O&M manual extracts
# Assessor site survey

= Applicable Schemes =

The guidelines collated in this ISD aim to support sustainable best practice in the topic described. This issue may apply in multiple BREEAM schemes covering different stages in the life of a building, different building types and different year versions. Some content may be generic but scheme nuances should also be taken into account. Refer to the comments below and related articles to this one to understand these nuances. See [[BREEAM_Issue_support_document_template|this document]] for further guidelines.

* List applicable schemes here

-----
BRE Global does not endorse any of the content posted and use of the content will not guarantee the meeting of certification criteria.

--[[User:Tom_Blois-Brooke|Tom Blois-Brooke]] 14:57, 21 Feb 2018 (BST)

[[Category:BREEAM]]

BREEAM Energy efficient laboratory systems

2018-02-21T15:14:51Z

Tom Blois-Brooke:

2017-12-06T15:49:58Z

Tom Blois-Brooke:

As a Principal Engineer my responsibilities involve the leading of project teams to deliver the design of electrical and ancillary services systems from initial concept through to RIBA Stage F2 as well as providing onsite support and the witnessing of the completed installation. I have experience of leading multidiscipline projects and for implementing the clients brief in line with the agreed form of contract. This involves ensuring overall project quality through the oversight, support and development of others. 
 
In this role I have experience of undertaking programme and fee assessments and of project management and contract delivery and for managing a team of engineers and support staff to deliver successful projects. 
 
I am also a licensed BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor as well as a BREEAM Accredited Professional. This role involves providing advice to design teams on implementing sustainable initiatives and systems and also assessing developments against the BREEAM schemes.