You are here: 10.0 Materials > Mat 06 Material Efficiency

Mat 06 Material efficiency

(all buildings)

Number of credits available	Minimum standards
1	No

Aim

To recognise and encourage measures to optimise material efficiency in order to minimise the environmental impact of material use and waste without compromising on structural stability, durability or service life of the building.

Assessment criteria

The following is required to demonstrate compliance:

One credit

Opportunities have been identified, and appropriate measures investigated and implemented, to optimise the more efficient use of materials in building design, procurement, construction, maintenance and end of life.

The above is carried out by the design or construction team in consultation with the relevant parties (see CN3) at each of the following project work stages:

2.a

Preparation and Brief

2.b

Concept Design

2.c

Developed Design

2.d

Technical Design

2.e

Construction.

Checklists and tables

None.

Compliance notes

Ref	Terms	Description
Shell and core (non-residential and residential institutions only)
CN1	Applicable assessment criteria	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix D – Shell and core project assessments for a more detailed description of the shell and core assessment options.
Residential - Partially fitted and fully fitted
CN2	Applicable assessment criteria - Single and multiple dwellings	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix E – Applicability of BREEAM New Construction to single and multiple dwellings, partially and fully fitted for a more detailed description of residential assessment options.
General
CN3	Relevant parties	All parties (as relevant to the project stage) involved in the design, specification or construction of the building should be consulted. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Client or developer Cost consultant Architect Structural or civil engineers Building services engineers - mechanical, electrical Principal contractor Demolition or strip-out contractor Environmental consultant Project management consultant Materials or component manufacturers or suppliers.
CN3.1	Evidence requirements	The evidence required to demonstrate compliance will vary according to the work stage; examples of how material efficiency could be considered have been provided in Table 46. To demonstrate compliance, as a minimum BREEAM Assessors must ensure that the measures and outputs under the 'evidence' column have been met.

Methodology

None.

Evidence

Criteria	Interim design stage	Final post-construction stage
All	See compliance note CN3.1, one or more appropriate evidence types can be used to demonstrate compliance with the criteria requirements.

Additional information

Relevant definitions

Material efficiency: The process of undertaking a building project to enable the most efficient use of materials over the life cycle of the building and its components. This includes using fewer materials, reusing existing demolition and strip-out materials and, where appropriate, procuring materials with higher levels of recycled content. It may also include the adoption of alternative means of design or construction that result in lower materials usage and lower wastage levels including off-site manufacture and use of pre-assembled service pods.

Other information

Table 46 The following table is based on the principles set out in parts 1 and 2 of the BSBritish Standard 8895 series of standards, and provides some examples of how material efficiency can be considered at each work stage. As a minimum, the measures listed under the 'evidence' column have been met to show compliance with the issue.

Work Stage	Objective	Participants	Action	Evidence
Preparation and Brief	To set requirements that will inform decisions throughout the design and construction.	Client or client's agent with input from the design team.	Assess the site, the likely project scale, and the client's functional and aesthetic requirements to set material efficiency objectives for the project.	Dedicated report that sets out a clear framework to guide material efficiency activities throughout the design and construction of the project. The report should set out aims, objectives, targets, performance indicators, opportunities, constraints and responsibilities to guide material efficiency activities.
Concept Design	Develop strategies to implement or action the materials efficiency requirements set under the Preparation and Brief stage.	Design team.	Hold workshops with the project team to identify design opportunities to reduce or optimise materials use through design, specification, construction techniques etc.	Minutes of the workshops held. Documentation demonstrating how the feedback from the workshop has been incorporated in the concept design of the project, for example: outline specification for materials selection, report on predicted reductions in material quantities.
Developed Design and Technical Design	Developed design proposals based on learning from the concept design.	Design team	Incorporate material efficiency measures and strategies identified in concept design into architectural, structural and building services design as appropriate. Review performance against previous stages and identify deviations.	Report on deviations from previous stages. Documentation demonstrating the incorporation of the outcomes from the concept stage, for example: design drawings or specifications demonstrating materials efficiency measures undertaken.
Construction	Implement material efficiency measures in construction.	Principal contractor.	Implement material efficiency measures and strategies identified in previous stages in building construction and identify deviations. Identify further efficiencies as appropriate for this stage.	Report on deviations from previous stages. Documented evidence of activity to further identify efficiencies at this stage, for example: meeting minutes, training events, waste reduction documentation etc.

Optimising material use

Optimising material use is one the key resource efficiency goals for any sustainability strategy. This involves various components to ensure efficient use of materials, waste prevention and reduction, minimal damage to the environment and depletion of natural resources. This new BREEAM issue aims to encourage and support efforts to reduce the amount of materials used in building design without compromising on the structural stability and other performance factors. BRE intends to further develop the assessment criteria for this issue in future updates of BREEAM, and as such BRE would welcome any feedback on the application of this assessment issue to assist with the evolution of the criteria and inclusion of additional guidance on compliance in future BREEAM versions.

Tools to guide material efficiency strategies

The following provide frameworks for the consideration and review of resource efficiency in design and construction.

BS 8895 Designing for material efficiency in building projects

This standard outlines specific material efficiency processes, key tasks, team members and their responsibilities and outputs specific to each work stage, along with supporting guidance and tools. This serves as a useful tool to assist the design team in developing and implementing material efficiency strategies for their developments.

The standard is comprised of the following four parts:

Part 1: Code of practice for Strategic Definition and Preparation and Brief1BS 8895-1:2013 Designing for material efficiency in building projects- Part 1 : Code of practice for Strategic Definition and Preparation and Brief. BSI, 2013. (published)
Part 2: Code of practice for concept and developed design2BS 8895-2:2015 Designing for material efficiency in building projects- Part 2: Code of practice for concept design and developed design. BSI, 2015. (published)
Part 3: Code of practice for technical design (planned for development)
Part 4: Code of practice for operation, refurbishment (planned for development).

WRAP

Designing out Waste: A design team guide for Buildings3WRAP. Designing out Waste: a design team guide for Buildings [Internet]. [cited 2015 Nov 3]. Available from: www.wrap.org.uk/content/designing-out-waste-design-team-guide-buildings-0 . This document outlines five principles of designing out waste and can be applied during design development, and serve as prompts for investigating opportunities for material efficiency in design.