BREEAM Aftercare support

1 Aim and benefits
2 When to consider
- 2.1 Design stage
- 2.2 Post construction stage
3 Step-by-step guidance
4 Questions to ask while seeking compliance
5 Tools and resources
6 Tips and best practice
7 Typical evidence
8 Applicable Schemes
9 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

[edit] Aim and benefits

Along with seasonal commissioning, aftercare support to the building end users is essential to improve building operational performance and to reduce the performance gap.

The BREEAM criteria overlaps government and BSRIA‘s soft landing requirements and helps ensure a smooth transition from handover through to full operation.

Face to face training for the facilities management (FM) team and the end users, also helps to optimise the use of building user guides, operation and maintenance manuals (O&Ms) and all other documents passed on at hand over stage.

Frequent meetings, and facilities to monitor utilities consumption enables enhanced seasonal commissioning and the identification of defects sooner rather than later.

[edit] When to consider

[edit] Design stage

If targeted, bring to the awareness of the client/design team that commitment is required and it needs to be included in the Employer’s Requirements (ERs) prior to tender so the potential contractors are aware that they need to allow for the service.

[edit] Post construction stage

Principal Contractors to appoint a team/individual in charge of aftercare duties, which then provide the meetings and training schedule and the list of potential attendees.

[edit] Step-by-step guidance

The Principal Contractor should demonstrate how they will:

Present key information about the building, including the design intent and how to use the building to ensure it operates as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Conduct on-site facilities management training, to include a walkabout of the building and introduction to and familiarisation with the building systems, their controls and how to operate them in accordance with the design intent and operational demands.
Provide initial aftercare support for at least the first month of building occupation, e.g. on-site attendance on a weekly basis to support building users and management (this could be more or less frequent depending on the complexity of the building and building operations).
Provide longer-term extended aftercare support for occupants for at least the first 12 months from occupation, e.g. a helpline, nominated individual or other appropriate system to support building users/management.

[edit] Questions to ask while seeking compliance

Are the facilities specified for sub-metering and monitoring? Is there a Building Management System (BMS) specified and are all the sub-meters linked to the BMS?
Who is in charge of appointing the aftercare team? Is it a contractor’s requirement or an independent party?
Do you know the end users? So that the aftercare team can arrange a training schedule.
If the end user is unknown or multi-tenanted, does the building have a central facilities manager to receive all the necessary training.
Does the aftercare team have weekly and monthly meeting schedules for the first 12 months after occupation.
Ask the client what sort of operational infrastructure and resources they have/intend to have in place to coordinate the collection and monitoring of energy and water consumption data once the building is occupied.

[edit] Tools and resources

[edit] Tips and best practice

Remind contractors that they are actively involved with the building’s management team and ensure all the necessary meetings and schedules are drafted prior to handover.
Ask for drafts of the contractor’s schedules etc prior to completion to check that they will meet BREEAM requirements.

[edit] Typical evidence

Construction programme demonstrating a handover meeting.

Contractor’s summary to demonstrate how they intent to present key information about the building, on-site facilities management training, timetable for a walkabout of the building and introduction to the building systems, their controls and how to operate them.

Extract from the contractor commitment to provide initial aftercare support for at least the first month of building occupation.

Extract from the contractor commitment to provide longer term aftercare support for occupants for at least the first 12 months from occupation.

[edit] 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 this document for further guidelines.