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
1 | 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. |
2 | 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 | ||
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:
|
|
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 48. 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
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. |
|
Developed Design and Technical Design | Developed design proposals based on learning from the concept design. | Design team |
|
|
Construction | Implement material efficiency measures in construction. | Principal contractor. |
|
|
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 Brief1 (published)
- Part 2: Code of practice for concept and developed design2 (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 Buildings3 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.