News from Rethinking Refurbishment
published: 12/6/2012
BREEAM launches domestic refurbishment standard
The new BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment launched today, can be used for home improvements through to larger projects involving multiple dwellings.
The process has been independently peer reviewed and extensively trialled in a pilot scheme involving more than 200 properties. The scheme has also been developed to align with the Government’s Green Deal initiative.
Carol Atkinson, Chief Executive of BRE Global, said: ‘The new scheme helps building owners and occupiers to save operating costs and reduce the environmental impact of refurbishments. It pinpoints those elements of the refurbishment that will bring the greatest returns and provides a methodology, software tool and certification for those responsible for the delivery of sustainable domestic refurbishment projects.’
As well as addressing overall sustainability issues, the scheme can help specific initiatives to tackle fuel poverty, reduce flooding and security risks, and enhance the health and wellbeing of tenants and householders. Certification under the scheme will provide market recognition for residential buildings that have had sustainable and higher quality refurbishments.
The BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment technical manual is now available on the BREEAM website (www.breeam.org/domrefurb), along with case studies from some of the pilot projects.
The scheme will be live for project registration on 2 July 2012, with the race already on for the first projects to gain certification under the scheme. Anyone wanting to qualify as a BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment Assessor can attend a training course – details of which can be found on the website.
