At Encon Associates, we utilise both our knowledge of the BREEAM 2014 assessment criteria and our experience as BREEAM 2014assessors to fully assist you and your design team to ensure your proposed development will meet the highest environmental standards BREEAM 2014 accreditation. The release of BREEAM 2018 meant that BREEAM 2014 projects needed to be registered before 23 March 2018. Otherwise, they would roll over to the BREEAM 2018 methodology
How Encon Associates Can Help
Having assessed the performance of numerous developments across the United Kingdom, Encon Associates are best placed to provide you and your design team with the guidance you need to fulfil your commitment to sustainable development. Our team can offer you impartial advice to ensure that your project will meet the requirements of the 2014 scheme and obtain your target BREEAM rating.
As your chosen BREEAM assessor, we will work closely with your design team and provide the necessary advice and guidance to help ensure the success and sustainability of your development projects.
About BREEAM 2014 Assessments
Introduced in May 2014 to replace the previous BREEAM 2011 methodology, the 2014 scheme was the largest update since the transition from BREEAM 2008 to BREEAM 2011. BREEAM 2014 introduced several new credit criteria for BREEAM assessors to consider, whilst also updating the existing mandatory requirements. This increased the environmental credentials of the assessment method..
Does Your Project Need to be Assessed Against the 2014 Version or the 2018 Version?
How do you know if your proposed development should be evaluated under the 2014 standards or the 2018 standards?
Projects that have been registered before the March 2018 deadline should be assessed under the 2014 scheme. However, if you missed the deadline or your projects were registered after this date, they will roll over and be assessed against the latest 2018 scheme, unless they have specific contractual requirements that they should be assessed under BREEAM 2014..
Summary of Changes from 2014 to 2018
BREEAM is updated frequently to ensure that the ever-changing needs and concerns of the UK construction industry are addressed appropriately. That being said, the BRE Group has released a summary of the changes between the 2014 and 2018 versions. The summary does not outline every change in detail and for the majority of BREEAM issues only minor clarifications have been made.
Click on the link below to open the PDF file in a new window:
Summary of changes between the 2014 and 2018 schemes. The document will open in a new window or you can ‘right click’ and select ‘save as’ to download it to your device.
What are the Key Changes to the 2014 Standards?
A key change within the BREEAM 2014 methodology is the introduction of fewer specific evidence types. This will aid construction teams by allowing them to utilise existing evidence rather than having to create BREEAM-specific information.
However, this raises questions for design teams who need to know what evidence should be provided to meet the requirements. This is where Encon Associates can help. By applying our knowledge as experienced BREEAM assessors, we can provide expert guidance throughout the design process and suggest the most appropriate evidence to use. This will ensure that your project complies with the 2014 standards and in turn help you secure the available credits.
Another significant update is the removal of the previous Green Guide and Green Lease agreements to support the compliance of credits for Shell, Core and Fit-Out projects. The specific BREEAM 2014 Non-Domestic Refurbishment and Fit-Out scheme methodology was devised by BRE for this purpose..
Building Types That Can Be Assessed Under the 2014 Scheme
Following on from the BREEAM 2011 criteria, the BREEAM 2014 scheme covers the assessment of common building types which would have previously fallen under the ‘Bespoke’ criteria. These building types will continue to be assessed against the BREEAM ‘Other Buildings’ standards.
In addition to the common building types mentioned above, a qualified assessor can now apply the 2014 assessment criteria to the following developments:
- Residential institutions, e.g. hotels, hostels and training centres.
- Non-residential institutions, e.g. community buildings, museums and libraries.
- Assembly and leisure buildings, e.g. cinemas, information centres and sports centres.
- Transport hubs, e.g. train and bus stations.
Encon Associates and the Award-Winning IES TaP for BREEAM
As your chosen BREEAM assessor, Encon Associates will use the IES TaP for BREEAM tracking system when assessing your project. This will enable us to perform project management, progress reporting and integrated submission to BRE for QA and BREEAM certification in the most efficient way possible.
Within the BREEAM 2014 methodology for IES TaP, the recent introduction of more specific evidence will assist the design team, allowing them to deliver projects quickly and cost-effectively. Although the BREEAM 2014 scheme reduced the number of specific evidence descriptions within the methodology, the IES TaP team felt that the lack of transparency would hinder the design team. This encouraged them to provide more detailed evidence descriptions. For more information, you can read this interesting article on the BREEAM 2014 evidence update.
Unlike other project tracking systems, IES TaP for BREEAM does not require the use of outdated Excel spreadsheets. Instead, data is entered and saved in the cloud. This enables design teams to obtain updates and monitor projects in real time regardless of their location. In addition, the tool makes it easier for developers to identify the credits they still need to complete in order to achieve a BREEAM accreditation.
If you want to learn more, you can read about IES TaP and the benefits it can bring to your BREEAM project here.
Secure Extra BREEAM Credits
At Encon Associates, we don’t just offer high-quality BREEAM assessments, we also provide a whole spectrum of design and advisory services to ensure that your proposed developments will obtain the highest level of sustainability and your desired BREEAM rating. Our team can advise you on the following issues:
- Daylight Calculations – Using advanced computer simulations and the latest technology, we can determine your project’s daylight efficiency and provide suggestions on how you can improve it further.
- Energy Assessments – As BREEAM assessors, we are also qualified to perform energy assessments and offer you expert advice on how you can meet your development’s design and compliance requirements. To ensure accuracy, our team will utilise advanced energy simulations through Dynamic Simulation Modelling or DSM.
- Thermographic Inspections – As part of our assessment and advisory services, we can also help you detect thermal anomalies across all building types. We have highly experienced thermographers who can perform thermographic inspections on every part of your project, including the roof, windows and doors.
- Travel Plans – We can offer you the guidance you need to reduce reliance on motor vehicles. Our fully qualified transport consultants can also help you devise measures that will encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transport.
- Deliveries & Manoeuvring – We use the latest vehicle tracking software to provide you with a comprehensive swept path analysis. This will help determine the suitability of your project’s highway design and ensure that it will contribute to your BREEAM accreditation or planning approval.
- Enhancing Site Ecology – Our assessors at Encon Associates are also fully qualified landscape architects and ecologists. As such, we can offer you expert advice to further improve your site’s ecology.
- Ecological Services – We will use our expertise and experience as ecology experts to equip you with specialist knowledge. This will help you mitigate ecological risks and enhance your site ecology to meet BREEAM and planning requirements.
- Flood Risk Assessments – Our highly experienced consultants can perform flood risk assessments and provide guidance on how to reduce your site’s flood risk. We can also help you fulfil the necessary requirements, including planning and sequential testing.
- Noise Impact Assessments – We have qualified acousticians who offer consultancy services to identify the noise impact of your project. Our team can also help you devise ways to reduce noise for both residential and commercial developments.
Contact Us Today With Your Enquiries
At Encon Associates, we are committed to helping members of the construction sector meet the most stringent environmental standards and achieve the highest levels of sustainability. Using the experience we have obtained by working with countless developers and design teams across the UK, we will do our best to provide you with the advice and guidance you need to secure a BREEAM accreditation.
If you require our services or would like to learn more about our BREEAM assessments and advisory solutions, feel free to get in touch so we can discuss your project. You can contact us at our email address or by telephone. Alternatively, you could also send us a message by filling out the form on this page.
Please send us your enquiries or request a quote today!
