Sustainability round-up, September.
BREEAM Official
Official account for #BREEAM, the world's leading built environment sustainability assessment. Part of BRE Group.
In this month's sustainability round-up, we share the results of last month’s poll on net zero building standards and celebrate our partnership with ITG Technology Center and Gr?nn Byggallianse . We also share some news about our partnership with NABERS , as well as discussing the importance of Environmental Product Declarations. Finally, you can find our latest courses and job opportunities to get your #sustainability journey started.?
Last month's poll we asked?
Do you believe the net zero carbon buildings standard and other sustainability initiatives should prioritise addressing embodied carbon or operational carbon?
Although the majority of people (40%) agree that both of these have the same importance, there is still a slightly higher inclination towards embodied carbon and the relevance of the asset type.
Considering an asset’s future use and internal environment plays a key role in helping stakeholders realise cost savings, command higher rental incomes, and foster better performance.
Join our next discussion:
How can sustainability initiatives play a larger role in advancing sustainability worldwide?
Insight and opinion
BRE responds to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s update to UK green policies
"The Government’s U-turn on introducing tighter energy efficiency targets for landlords is concerning", said Gillian Charlesworth, CEO of BRE.
"Nearly a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions come from heating buildings – and tackling this will be crucial to achieving net zero by 2050. Heat pumps are likely to be the technology that will dominate the transition to net zero, but today’s delay to the phase out of gas boilers will discourage the public and industry."
NABERS seeks new administrator
The NABERS UK scheme was developed to emulate the success of the same in Australia, where 90% of office space is rated, with buildings making energy savings of $1.4billion AUD and 9.9 million tonnes of CO2.? Having successfully worked together to launch and operate since 2020, the scheme is currently transitioning to a new administrator.
BRE CEO Gillian Charlesworth said:
“We look forward to seeing NABERS UK continue to grow with a new partner, and working with them to recognise NABERS within BREEAM to further our shared goal of increasing the sustainability of the built environment for the good of our planet.”
The importance of Environmental Product Declarations
With more than 40% of greenhouse gases globally coming from the built environment, businesses are increasingly recognising the demand and need for adopting more sustainable practices.?
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) play a pivotal role? by providing transparent and credible information about a product’s environmental impact, ensuring consistency and reliability in product sustainability reporting.?
Businesses and consumers can rely on high quality EPDs from trusted organisations to make decisions that align with their values and objectives as these have the ability to distil complex Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs).
Latest industry updates
BREEAM infrastructure partners with Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia and Gr?nn Byggallianse
BRE has announced partnerships with Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia (ITG) and Gr?nn Byggallianse (NGBC) to deliver BREEAM Infrastructure Foundations training and promote BREEAM Infrastructure in Spain and BREEAM In-use in Norway.
These partnerships will provide added value to BREEAM Infrastructure assessors and clients operating in Spain and Norway, further improving project performance to drive sustainability and standards for their BREEAM Infrastructure assets. Under the new agreements, our partners will be:
The agreement with Gr?nn Byggallianse aims to engage the construction industry and demonstrate how BREEAM In-Use can benefit projects in Norway.
Dive deeper into social sustainability
Greengage Environmental Ltd has?launched their latest report on social sustainability. With insights and contributions from across the industry including from BRE, the report shows how we can better drive development decisions around people's wellbeing, shaping the future of sustainability in the built environment.
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Celebrating success?
BREEAM Outstanding rating for HS2 West London station
HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd is currently building the largest new station ever built in the UK, the 'super-hub' station in West London. A design stage BREEAM assessment was previously completed by the project team, which resulted in an "Excellent" rating for the building's eco-friendliness. This time around, through their full commitment and understanding, they worked on improvements for multiple areas, while keeping best practice in mind for both design and innovation throughout the detailed design phase.
The rating recognises that the station will deliver net zero emissions and will require minimal or no grid-supplied energy by incorporating low and zero carbon technologies into its design.
"From the design of our stations and structures for HS2, to the rolling stock and operation of Britain’s new high speed railway, long-term sustainability is a prime consideration for HS2. The recognition of HS2’s Old Oak Common station being in the 1% of the world’s most sustainable buildings is something we are hugely proud of," said Huw Edwards, Project Client for Old Oak Common.
Celebrating 25 years of SmartWaste
This year marks a significant milestone for SmartWaste as we celebrate 25 years of pioneering sustainability and environmental monitoring. From its inception, SmartWaste has consistently set industry benchmarks, from real-time tracking to advanced analytics. SmartWaste has enabled contractors to divert millions of tonnes of waste from landfill, and enable ESG and net-zero reporting.
Engagement and learning?
Navigating urbanisation: a focus on better standards for indoor air quality
In a rapidly urbanising world, it’s vital that we don’t neglect the quality of the air we breathe within our buildings. Through regulation and the adoption of practical measures, we can build progressive cities whilst prioritising the well-being of communities.
Understanding the relationship between urbanisation and IEQ is our pathway to ensuring that the future cities we build are cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable for generations to come.
This article explores the consequences of urbanisation on indoor air quality and discusses how standards for indoor environmental quality, like the newly released?British Standard BS 40102-1, can guide us towards healthier indoor spaces.
New Home Quality Mark training with BRE Academy
The badge of a better home, Home Quality Mark (HQM) enables house builders to showcase the qualities of their homes and to distinguish them from other houses on the market. It provides a comprehensive framework for creating homes that are not only environmentally friendly but also comfortable to live in.?
As a third-party certification scheme, HQM assessments are completed by independent assessors, and quality audited by BRE.?
BRE Academy’s online training course provides a training route for those looking to become a HQM assessor, and has been recently updated to be aligned with the latest version of the scheme.?
Events
Highways UK 2023 18-19 October, The NEC, Birmingham
Join us at Highways UK for the opportunity to meet our SmartWaste and BREEAM Infrastructure teams to discuss our innovative solutions for sustainable infrastructure development and resilient asset maintenance with BREEAM Infrastructure Term Contracts.?
Work for BRE
BRE’s expertise is used to tackle some of today’s toughest global challenges, specifically in sustainability, safety and security of buildings and infrastructure.?
As part of our team, you’ll be joining ambitious colleagues, intent on doing the right thing in finding solutions to these problems.??
Work at BRE is interesting, innovative and incredibly valuable. You’ll have the opportunity to keep developing your knowledge and skills to continue your professional development throughout your career with us.??????
Here are some of our current vacancies: