(all buildings)
| Number of credits available | Minimum standards |
|---|---|
| 3 |
Yes |
Aim
To provide post-handover aftercare to the building owner or occupants during the first year of occupation to ensure the building operates and adapts, where relevant, in accordance with the design intent and operational demands.
Assessment criteria
This issue is split into three parts:
- Aftercare support (1 credit)
- Seasonal commissioning (1 credit)
- Post-occupancy evaluation (1 credit)
The following is required to demonstrate compliance:
One credit - Aftercare support
| 1 | There is (or will be) operational infrastructure and resources in place to provide aftercare support to the building occupiers, which includes the following as a minimum: |
| 1.a | A meeting programmed to occur between the aftercare team or individual and the building occupier or management (prior to initial occupation, or as soon as possible thereafter) to: |
| 1.a.i | Introduce the aftercare team or individual to the aftercare support available, including the building user guide (where existing) and training schedule and content |
| 1.a.ii | Present key information about the building, including the design intent and how to use the building to ensure it operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. |
| 1.b | On site facilities management training, to include a walkabout of the building and introduction to and familiarisation with the building systems, their controls and how to operate them in accordance with the design intent and operational demands |
| 1.c | Initial aftercare support provision for at least the first month of building occupation, e.g. on site attendance on a weekly basis to support building users and management (this could be more or less frequent depending on the complexity of the building and building operations) |
| 1.d | Longer term aftercare support provision for occupants for at least the first 12 months from occupation, e.g. a helpline, nominated individual or other appropriate system to support building users and management. |
One credit - Seasonal commissioning
| 3 | The following seasonal commissioning activities will be completed over a minimum 12-month period, once the building becomes substantially occupied: |
| 3.a | Complex systems - Specialist Commissioning Manager: |
| 3.a.i | Testing of all building services under full load conditions, i.e. heating equipment in midwinter, cooling and ventilation equipment in midsummer, and under part load conditions (spring and autumn) |
| 3.a.ii | Where applicable, testing should also be carried out during periods of extreme (high or low) occupancy |
| 3.a.iii | Interviews with building occupants (where they are affected by the complex services) to identify problems or concerns regarding the effectiveness of the systems |
| 3.a.iv | Recommissioning of systems (following any work needed to serve revised loads), and incorporating any revisions in operating procedures into the operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals. |
| 3.b | Simple systems (naturally ventilated) - external consultant or aftercare team or facilities manager: |
| 3.b.i | Review thermal comfort, ventilation, and lighting, at three, six and nine month intervals after initial occupation, either by measurement or occupant feedback |
| 3.b.ii | Take all reasonable steps to recommission systems following the review to take account of deficiencies identified and incorporate any relevant revisions in operating procedures into the O&M manuals. |
One credit - Post-occupancy evaluation (POE)
| 4 | The client or building occupier makes a commitment to carry out a POE exercise one year after initial building occupation. This is done to gain in-use performance feedback from building users to inform operational processes. This includes recommissioning activities, and to maintain or improve productivity, health, safety and comfort. The POE is carried out by an independent party (see Independent party) and needs to cover: |
| 4.a | A review of the design intent and construction process (review of design, procurement, construction and handover processes) |
| 4.b | Feedback from a wide range of building users including facilities management on the design and environmental conditions of the building covering: |
| 4.b.i | Internal environmental conditions (light, noise, temperature, air quality) |
| 4.b.ii | Control, operation and maintenance |
| 4.b.iii | Facilities and amenities |
| 4.b.iv | Access and layout |
| 4.b.v | Other relevant issues. |
| 4.c | Sustainability performance (energy consumption, water consumption, performance of any sustainable features or technologies, e.g. materials, renewable energy, rainwater harvesting etc.). |
| 5 | The client or building occupier makes a commitment to carry out the appropriate dissemination of information on the building's post-occupancy performance. This is done to share good practice and lessons learned, inform changes in user behaviour, building operational processes and procedures, and system controls. Refer to CN3.1 and CN3.2 for a definition of appropriate dissemination. This also provides advice on appropriate dissemination where the building or building information is commercially or security sensitive. |
Exemplary level criteria
The following outlines the exemplary level criteria to achieve one innovation credit for this BREEAM issue:
| 6 | There are, or will be, operational infrastructure and resources in place to coordinate the following activities at quarterly intervals for the first three years of building occupation: |
| 6.a | Collection of occupant satisfaction, energy consumption and (where available) water consumption data |
| 6.b | Analysis of the data to check the building is performing as expected, make any necessary adjustments to systems controls or to inform building user behaviours |
| 6.c | Setting targets or appropriate actions for reducing water and energy consumption and monitor progress towards these |
| 6.d | Feedback any 'lessons learned' to the design team and developer for use in future projects |
| 6.e | Provision of the actual annual building energy, water consumption and occupant satisfaction data to BRE. |
Checklists and tables
None.
Compliance notes
| Ref |
Terms |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Shell and core (non-residential and residential institutions only) |
||
|
CN1 |
Applicable assessment criteria | Both options: This issue is not applicable. 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 dwellings |
Aftercare support and Seasonal commissioning: criteria 1to 3.b. 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. |
|
CN2.1 |
Applicable assessment criteria - 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 |
Collection and monitoring of energy and water consumption data. |
This function can be coordinated or carried out by a dedicated aftercare team or, where the building occupier is known and able to confirm compliance based on their existing or proposed operations for the building, the building owner or occupier's estates or facilities management team. |
|
Appropriate dissemination of POE information See criterion 5. |
Where there is a demonstrably justifiable reason why public dissemination is not possible, for example the information is commercially or security sensitive, compliance can be demonstrated by a commitment to produce and disseminate the relevant information at an organisational level or to appropriate internal or external stakeholders. Alternatively, the sensitive parts of the relevant information for dissemination can be omitted from the publication. |
|
|
Relevant information for dissemination. See criterion 5. |
This includes the following information about the building and its performance:
|
|
Methodology
None.
Evidence
| Criteria | Interim design stage | Final post-construction stage |
|---|---|---|
| Aftercare support | ||
| Evidence of a commitment or contract to provide compliant aftercare support and training. | Evidence of a contract to provide compliant aftercare support and training. | |
| Seasonal commissioning | ||
| 3 |
Appointment letters or commissioning responsibilities schedule. Evidence of either existing procedures or a commitment or contract to put in place a mechanism to:
|
Seasonal commissioning records, reports or a letter of appointment and commissioning responsibilities schedule. Records of occupant interviews. |
| Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) | ||
| 4–5 |
A signed and dated commitment by the client or developer or future building occupier. |
As design stage. |
| Exemplary level requirements | ||
| 6 | Evidence as above (for the data collection and aftercare support credit), but from the end user. | Evidence as above (for the data collection and aftercare support credit), but from the end user. |
Additional information
Relevant definitions
- Complex systems
- These include, but are not limited to, air-conditioning, mechanical ventilation, displacement ventilation, complex passive ventilation, building management systems (BMS), renewable energy sources, microbiological safety cabinets and fume cupboards, cold storage enclosures and refrigeration plant.
- Specialist commissioning manager
- The specialist commissioning manager is a specialist subcontractor rather than a general subcontractor.
- Independent party
- To comply with criterion 4 relating to the use of an independent party, the client or design team needs to demonstrate either of the following options:
- They have used a party independent of the design process to conduct the necessary POE exercise using a compliant method OR
- If the POE is to be carried out by an organisation involved with the design of the building, e.g. the project architect, they must present the assessor with the evidence that demonstrates the independence of the POE process from the design process. BREEAM has not attempted to define what form this exercise must take; the onus is on the design team or relevant individual to clearly demonstrate to the BREEAM Assessor a credible level of independence.
- Actual vs predicted performance
- In most cases it is not feasible to accurately compare predicted vs actual performance due to variances in the assumptions used in the models. Figures reported via the UK's Carbon Buzz website show that on average, buildings consume between 1.5 and 2.5 times the predicted values. When comparing predicted with actual values, an analysis should be carried out to understand why there may be discrepancies in performance. These discrepancies can be for a number of reasons including:
- Predicted energy consumption is normally based upon building regulation compliance models which only focus on 'regulated' energy use. Additional unrelated energy use may not have been modelled in the design prediction model
- They may be extended use due to extra occupancy and operating hours, not accounted for in the predicted models
- Inefficiencies from poor control, bad commissioning or poor maintenance
- Additional special functions such as a cafeteria, server rooms etc. not accounted for in the predicted model
- Variances in actual occupant behaviour that vary from predicted, such as use of small power and lighting.
- Absence of predicted performance data
- Where building occupiers do not have predicted performance models, it may be more appropriate to benchmark actual building performance data with other sources of Building Performance Evaluation Data and benchmarks. The following sources of benchmarking information are from the UK and are internationally recognised. Building performance benchmarks can be found in CIBSE Guidance including:
- Guide F: Energy Efficiency in Buildings
- CIBSE TM46: Energy Benchmarks
- CIBSE TM47: Operational Ratings and Display Energy Certificates.
- POE Methodologies
- The most relevant POE methodology that fulfils the criteria should be used. For example, in the UK, the building use studies (BUS) methodology was developed following a series of Government funded 'PROBE' building performance evaluation studies in 1995. The BUS methodology is used by independent licensed partners following a four part process. Further information can be found at: www.busmethodology.org.uk.
- BRE's Design Quality Method (DQM) is a tried and tested, independent, POE method used by all UK auditing authorities, and many funding bodies. Further information can be found at: www.bre.co.uk/dqm. Further guidance on POE:
- The BCO guide to Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE), British Council for Offices, 2007
- BRE Digest 478, Building performance feedback: getting started, Building Research Establishment, 2003
- Guide to Post Occupancy Evaluation Report and Toolkit, HEFCE, AUDE & University of Westminster, 2006.
Other information
Soft Landings Framework1
A framework written and produced by the Usable Buildings Trust (UBT) and the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) that seeks to promote improved briefing, design, handover and building performance in-use. Embedding the principles of this framework within a project should ensure that the evidence is available to demonstrate compliance with particular aspects of the criteria under this BREEAM issue. Please also note that BSRIA has produced a BREEAM New Construction Soft landings interpretation note2 for clients and design teams.
The Government Soft Landings (GSL) is a version of the Soft Landings concept tailored for use on public sector related projects to link in with the work of the Government's Building Information Modelling Task Group. It is to be mandated in 2016 alongside Building Information Modelling (BIM) Level 2 and is to be implemented by central Government departments. It should be noted that the GSL programme will become compulsory for local Government developments after 2016. Further information is available from: www.bimtaskgroup.org/Government Soft Landings.