BREEAM Sustainability champion

1 Aim and benefits
2 When to consider
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

The BREEAM Sustainability Champion also known as the BREEAM AP (Advisory Professional) helps to achieve project's BREEAM targets and maximise opportunities for project performance. Many clients appreciate the support of a proactive BREEAM AP to explain the BREEAM criteria and requirements to them and provide templates for their reports.

[edit] When to consider

The earlier in the design process the better - at Concept Design stage (RIBA stage 0-2)

[edit] Step-by-step guidance

[edit] RIBA stage 0-2

Client to appoint BREEAM AP.
BREEAM AP should attend a key design team meeting and/or preferably run a separate BREEAM workshop session to set BREEAM targets and identify potential opportunities and challenging credits. A proactive BREEAM AP would list those credits which require actions at early stages and liaise with relevant consultants in charge to ensure documents are created prior to RIBA stage 2 freeze.
BREEAM assessor, if appointed at this time, or the BREEAM AP could run a BREEAM pre-assessment based on the design documents at RIBA stage 2. This is useful to check the project against BREEAM performance and individual credit performance. The pre-assessment report is also helpful for planning or funding applications.

[edit] RIBA stage 3-4

BREEAM AP should attend the key design team meetings as a minimum to ensure BREEAM performance targets are not lost.
BREEAM APs to record all their meeting minutes and correspondence with the project team to demonstrate progress against BREEAM targets.

[edit] RIBA stage 5-6

If a different person provides BREEAM AP support to the contractors at construction stage, they should record and keep handover notes from the design stage BREEAM AP to include in the evidence documents.
BREEAM AP to provide regular site attendance and project meetings to ensure construction and installations are in line with the targeted BREEAM standards.
Site visit reports and project meeting minutes to be provided as evidence.

[edit] Questions to ask while seeking compliance

The main issues for this credit compliance is to have proper and clear meeting minutes and communication documents to demonstrate involvement of the BREEAM AP. So the question to be asked is; if a BREEAM AP is officially appointed and if all the AP correspondence are documented?

[edit] Tools and resources

[edit] Tips and best practice

BREEAM AP role and BREEAM assessment can be taken by the same person but a letter must be provided to declare any conflict of interest.

[edit] Typical evidence

Appointment documents.
Meeting minutes.
Trackers and reports to demonstrate progress against the target.
Handover notes, if necessary.

[edit] Applicable schemes

The guidelines collated in this Issue Support document (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.