Sustainability in Construction and An Introduction to BREEAM Will Swan & Roy Stewart Centre for Construction Innovation

Sustainable Development Will Swan

Introduction • • • •

Some definitions What are we trying to achieve? What pressures are there to change? Some examples of how this translates into what we actually do on projects • Conclusions and issues

Sustainable Development Defined as “The goal of sustainable development is to enable people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life for future generations.” Securing the Future (2005 DEFRA)

Sustainable Development and Construction

Sustainable Development

Sustainable Construction

Environmental

Sustainable Communities

Economic Triple Bottom Line

Social

Why Have Sustainable Development? • • • • • •

Global warming and CO2 Economic underdevelopment Water resources Energy resource issues Crime and social cohesion Etc,

• It can be viewed as so big that we are paralysed into addressing nothing

Sustainable Construction • Buildings use 46% of all energy – up to 70% in major cities • Construction uses 53% of primary materials • Construction has second biggest environmental footprint after food • 13 million tonnes of materials delivered and not used • 90 million tonnes of waste – 3 times domestic • 21% of all hazardous waste

Sustainable Construction

Inputs – design, materials recycled

Performance – energy (CO2), water use

Processes – waste, vehicle movements

Sustainable Communities • • • • • • • •

Community inclusion and “civic pride” Housing Health Local employment Businesses – construction has high % SMEs Training and skills Education Regeneration

Sustainable Communities

Inputs – community consultation

Performance – crime, health, community use

Processes – local labour, businesses, training and skills

…it’s nice to be aspirational but… • It is enshrined in policy through… • • • •

Securing the Future (2005) Sustainable Communities (2003) Our Energy Future (2003) Waste Not Want Not (2002)

• …but what are the real drivers to do this?

Key Drivers • Sustainable Energy Act (2003) • Part L Building Regulations (2006) • OGC Common Minimum Standards (2006) section 6 • Site Waste Management Plans (2004) • Code for Sustainable Buildings (2006) • Climate Change Levy • Emissions Trading • Landfill Taxation

This means… • Publicly procured projects will have all manner of sustainable issues that need to be addressed • They will be conditions of contract • … or performance will be enshrined in legislation • Poor environmental management of processes and buildings will face increasingly high taxes

Corporate Social Responsibility

• Government White Paper – Modernising Company Law to be reported in standard way for top 500 companies • Some organisations looking for this to be mandatory • Large companies seeing it as a must as a differentiator • Ethical Investment – FTSE4Good

Environmental Product • Becoming increasingly important for ecoconscious consumers • Energy use becoming a key financial issue for householders (15% inflation in last year) • Developments being marketed with Green Credentials

Value Drivers for Commercial Sector • Green Buildings can be…. • • • • • •

Be quicker to secure tenants Command higher rents or prices Enjoy lower tenant turnover Cost less for Operation and Maintenance Attract grants or subsidies Improve productivity – 200:5:1 – numbers vary

• Green Value (2005) – RICS Foundation

Practical Issues

Building Performance

Building Process

Environmental

Environmental

Social

Social

Practical Issues

• • • •

What is the issue? What are the key policy drivers? How do we actually measure? What can we do to improve?

Building - Energy and CO2 - Issues

• CO2 is currently thought to contribute to global warming • This leads to changes in weather, such as flooding • It is an international issue – Kyoto Protocol • Buildings contribute 46% of all CO2 emissions

Building - Energy and CO2 - Policy

• Energy White Paper (2003) - Targets for reduction of CO2 emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy • Part L – Energy Efficiency Targets and Rating Certification (2006) • Code for Sustainable Homes (2006)

Building - Energy and CO2 - Policy ODPM – “Proposals for Introducing a Code for Sustainable Homes - A Consultation Paper” The Code (as proposed) will have five performance levels from a basic entry level to an aspirational carbon-neutral 'five star' development. The levels are defined by a points scoring system out of a maximum of 100 and will cover: • energy efficiency • water efficiency • surface water management • site waste management • household waste management • use of materials Published 5th December 2005 - Consultation closes 5th March 2006

Building - Energy and CO2 - Measures

• Energy Use - kWh/m2 per annum • Carbon Dioxide – kgCO2/m2 per annum • Benchmarks such as ECON 19 for Offices – there are others for other building types – Energy Efficiency BPC • Less data out there than you would think – no single authoritative source

Building - Energy and CO2 - Ideas

• Insulation – not sexy, but effective – Part L • Air tightness – Part L • Renewable energy – PVCs, wind, biomass, geothermal – sexy but sometimes expensive • Embodied energy of materials (10-20% of life cycle energy) • Guidance - Carbon Trust

Other Key Environmental Issues

Building Process

Building Performance • • • •

Water Use and Drainage Light and Noise Occupant recycling Biodiversity

• • • • •

Waste Management Materials – recycled/reused Energy Use Water Use Biodiversity

Process – Labour and Skills - Issues • Construction is suffering a skills shortage • Construction need to address equal opportunities and diversity employment issues • Many areas where large scale work is undertaken i.e. regeneration is • Local authorities and public bodies are looking to lever spend to deliver community benefits (McFarlane Report)

Process – Labour and Skills - Policy • Sustainable Communities (2003) • Securing the Future (2005) • Office of Government Commerce and Sustainable Procurement Group. Joint Note on Social issues in Purchasing. London. June 2005. • Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. National Procurement strategy for Local Government. London. October 2003. • Policy drivers are not as imperative – often true of social – difficult to measure, difficult to manage • Often more important at regional or local level i.e. NWDA Sector Skills and Productivity

Process – Labour and Skills - Measures •

Not as well developed as Environmental issues – harder to measure people than things or stuff – but some measures are starting to be used

•

Number of training place/apprenticeship places created per £1m spend % of new entrants gaining qualifications over life of contract Number of work experience placements executed Number of mentoring hours provided % local labour – through CSCS cards % local supply chain spend– as function of turnover of project Number and % of training hours completed by local supply chain employees % of employees from black and minority ethnic communities and % of female

• • • • • • •

Process – Labour and Skills - Ideas • Engagement with local skills agencies and colleges • Identification of local supply chain • Local community officers • Skills councils • Considerate Constructors • Guidance – no single point for this issue

Other Key Social Issues

Building Process

Building Performance • • • •

Crime Health Community Use Urban Design

• • • •

Community inclusion Interface management Workforce issues - CSCS Supply chain upskilling

Burning Issues • With so many things what do we prioritise • This will driven by policy and clients • Energy - urgent • Code for Sustainable Buildings • Part L Building Regulations • Other environmental – growing issues • They are measurable and therefore easier to legislate for

Burning Issues • Social – difficult to measure and legislate – EU Competitiveness Legislation • …but at a local and regional level there will be key drivers – i.e. Regional Economic Strategy • Of increasing importance for Local Authorities and other public bodies such as URCs (Urban Regeneration Companies) and Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders

Conclusions • We are not just putting up buildings and walking away • Need to think about how those buildings perform • Need to think about the wider implications of how we manage construction processes • What is difficult now will become standard practice – it will be an increasingly strong differentiator • People will win work on the basis of their ability to address the Sustainable Development Agenda

BREEAM Assessing the Environmental Performance of Buildings Roy Stewart Centre for Construction Innovation

Introduction • • • • • • • •

What is BREEAM? Aims Building types Key drivers How it works BREEAM as a requirement BREEAM as a commitment Capital Cost

What is BREEAM? Building Research Establishment

Environmental Assessment Method Measures the environmental impact of a building throughout its life

What is BREEAM? • Provides comprehensive method of measuring environmental performance. • Differentiates developments with higher environmental performance • Quality mark stating that a building is ahead of regulations. • Low running costs and improved health and well being for occupants. • Method of demonstrating environmental credentials to funding organisations, client, investor, planning authority etc.

Regulatory minimum

Number of buildings

Aims of BREEAM

BREEAM

Minimal

Aspirational

Environmental Standards

Types of BREEAM Two main types: • BREEAM for Offices • EcoHomes

But also: • • • • •

BREEAM Retail Industrial BREEAM BREEAM Schools NEAT (Health Buildings) Bespoke BREEAM

BREEAM • Certification scheme • Voluntary • Independent & credible • Holistic • Customer focused

What does it cover?

•

•

•

• •

New houses and flats at the design stage. Existing houses and flats during major refurbishment. Sheltered homes with individual servicing. Sheltered Homes with communal servicing. But not Existing houses and flats.

•

Existing vacant offices

•

New Build and refurbishment

•

Existing and occupied

•

At stages: – Core building performance – Design & procurement – Management and operation

EcoHomes key drives •

To demonstrate a sustainability commitment to partner organisations e.g. residents, communities, funding organisations, planning authorities

•

Reduced maintenance costs

•

Reduced running costs

•

Provide affordable warmth

•

Healthy and comfortable internal environment

•

Increased level of occupant satisfaction

•

Reduced dependence on private car ownership

•

Outperforms market housing - increased saleability

•

Improved developers image with public and investors

EcoHomes - How it works • assessment at the design stage • single environmental rating • performance assessed against a broad range of environmental criteria • the award of a ‘visible’ certificate and detailed report • carried out by independent assessors – trained and licensed by BRE – external or in-house

Assessment Stages Stage 1 Specification

Stage 2 House Types

Stage 3 - Site assessment

Formal

certification

Stage 4 - Post Construction Review

The issues Performance assessed against a broad range of environmental criteria • • • • • • •

Energy Transport Pollution Materials Water Land use & Ecology Health and well being

The issues - examples Energy

Materials

• •

•

Minimise CO2 emissions Improve the efficiency of buildings over whole life

Encourage use of timber from sustainable sources

Water

Transport

•

•

Land use & Ecology

Encourage use of public transport

Pollution •

Reduce potential of pollution/global warming

•

Reduce water consumption

Ecological enhancement of sites

Health and well being •

Improve quality of life

Single environmental rating

•• Pollution Pollution •• Materials Materials •• Water Water •• Land Land Use Use and and ..Ecology ..Ecology •• Health Health and and well well being being

Single Score

•• Transport Transport

Environmental Weightings

Energy Energy Issue Category Scores

Assessment Credits

••

EcoHomes Rating

Single environmental rating

Pass Good Very Good Excellent

But why an environmental rating? Energy Labelling

A B

Energy efficiency

C

A = most efficient D E F G

G – least efficient

But why an environmental rating? Office of Government Commerce Common Minimum Standards for the procurement of built environments in the public sector Released 12 October 2005

Where a business case for a new programme or project includes a construction element, departments should ensure that this is undertaken with full reference to the CMS

Standards for construction procurement mandated with immediate effect

But why an environmental rating?

“An appropriate environmental assessment process such as BREEAM … must be carried out on all projects” “When BREEAM is used all new projects are to receive an ‘excellent’ rating and all refurbishment projects are to achieve at least ‘very good’ rating”

BREEAM as a Requirement English Partnerships • BREEAM ‘VERY GOOD’ and ‘EXCELLENT’ for all new developments involving their land Office of Government Commerce (OGC) • BREEAM rating of ‘EXCELLENT’ Housing Corporation • EcoHomes ‘GOOD’ mandatory from April 2005 • Potentially ‘VERY GOOD’ from April 2006

BREEAM as a Requirement Local Authorities • Incorporating Environmental standards as part of supplementary planning guidance. • Including in Section 106 agreements Regional Development Agencies • SEEDA Sustainability Checklist • NWDA are doing the same + Sustainability Guidance Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders • Elevate - EcoHomes ‘VERY GOOD’ on all developments

BREEAM as a Commitment Private Developers • “Countryside Properties is committed to building all of its new homes to a minimum standard of 'Good', with the intention of achieving 'Very Good' on all of its new homes over the next 10 years.” NGO’s • WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) • One Million Sustainable Homes (OMSH) • Campaigning for EcoHomes ‘VERY GOOD’ to be set as the CSB standard

Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) • Sustainable Buildings Task Force (SBTF) recommended the code should be based on BREEAM / EcoHomes • ODPM – “Proposals for Introducing a Code for Sustainable Homes - A Consultation Paper” – published 5th December 2005 • Consultation closes 5th March 2006

Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) “Those familiar with EcoHomes will recognise that the Code owes much to the BREEAM system developed by the Building Research Establishment and BRE has helped develop the Code.” “It is intended that … there will be a single national standard for the sustainability performance of new dwellings.”

EU Initiatives COMING SOON … • EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) “whenever a building is constructed, sold or rented, a certificate on its energy performance is made available”

What about the cost? Capital Costs Research • Social Housing – Using Research by Sustainable Homes – Published in a document called: ‘A Guide to EcoHomes’ (2003)

• Private Housing – ‘Putting a price on sustainability’ - BRE Trust (BRE & Cyril Sweett) 2005 – Part of this study considered the capital cost implications of achieving the different BREEAM / EcoHomes ratings

Social Housing: Costs to achieve each rating

Rating

Favourable site

Unfavourable site

Pass

£0

£ 30

Good

£0

£ 111

Very Good

£ 1430

£ 1680

Excellent

£ 1760

£ 3040

Based on Social Housing compliant with HC’s SDS

Private Housing: Costs to achieve each rating Rating

Good Location

Poor Location

Pass

£0

£ 76

Good

£ 228

£ 684

Very Good

£ 988

£ 2356

Excellent

£ 3192

£ 5244

Based on Private house of £76,000 capital cost

BREEAM • www.breeam.org BRE • www.bre.co.uk

Centre for Construction Innovation • www.ccinw.com • [email protected]