What are BREEAM assessments?
BREEAM is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method for buildings and large-scale developments. BREEAM assessments set the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, specification, and use.
A number of BREEAM assessment schemes are currently in operation, including Refurbishment (2008), New Construction (2011) and Code for Sustainable Homes (2010).
Why do I need a BREEAM assessment?
BREEAM assessments measure the performance of your building against established benchmarks across a range of disciplines, including ecology. The ecology component of the BREEAM assessment will enable the awarding of ‘credits’ that will contribute to the overall performance rating of your proposed development.
How will I receive this information?
Simlaw Ecology will appoint a ‘suitable qualified ecologist’ to carry out the site survey and produce a BREEAM or Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment report for your proposed development.
Our BREEAM or Code for Sustainable Homes Assessment will involve a review of your proposed landscape design and the ‘suitably qualified ecologist’ will recommend ecological enhancements that are tailored and proportional to your development.
When do I need to schedule a BREEAM assessment?
The site survey for the BREEAM assessment should be carried out before any works begin on site. This is to enable an accurate assessment of the site prior to construction.
Where this is unavoidable, we may be able to undertake a review of pre-construction site photographs to determine the ecological value of the site prior to construction. However, this will be determined on a site-by-site basis by the discretion of our ‘suitably qualified ecologist’.