Living the BREEAM!
Three future BREEAM Assessors take their first steps…
Here at Mainer we like to throw our Graduates in at the deep end, so they had barely got their feet under the table before Dan, Alice and Chris embarked on the BREEAM Associate training course!
The course is run through the BRE Academy and provides Built Environment Professionals with a comprehensive understanding of BREEAM to equip them with the knowledge needed to support its successful application throughout the built environment lifecycle.
30 hours of study is split across the following 3 modules:
Module 1 - BREEAM
(Comprehensive overview of how BREEAM works, the assessment process, and the value of certification)
Module 2 - Success Behaviours
(BREEAM timing, whole life value, collaboration).
Module 3 - Technical Delivery
(How to succeed in the technical delivery of BREEAM)
This is followed by a Mock examination and then a Formal examination to assess their competence as a BREEAM associate.
They have all successfully passed this course but eager for more, they have already moved onto the BREEAM AP course. We caught up with the Graduates and asked them for their thoughts so far…
“So far on my BREEAM training journey I have undertaken and passed the BREEAM associate course, understanding the basics of the assessment as well the fundamental goals which underpin the ethos of the guidelines.”
I am really enjoying learning about the BRE and how they have been striving for environmental excellence since 1990. It’s also very interesting to link the discussions about BREEAM I have been having with the rest of the team, to where this is applied in the technical guidance and what types of evidence is needed for compliance.
Going on to the AP course is definitely a step up but one I am relishing and is aimed at applying what I have learned in the associates and understanding how I can apply my BREEAM knowledge to help project teams achieve greater environmental standards and higher accreditation awards.
One of the most valuable things I have learned from the training is the scope of what is needed from the assessor and what isn’t. This has helped me to understand for future work what responsibilities lie on each party, and how best to build rapport with project teams to achieve the greatest ratings possible, with the most robust evidence base.
I can already see that both courses will provide an invaluable basis for BREEAM assessments and how to carry them out, with a plethora of resource available to support assessors and project teams, such as the BREEAM knowledge base and forum for assessors to help guide each other).
“Having successfully passed the BREEAM Associate Course, I am excited to be moving onto the next level of the BREEAM Advisory Professional (AP) course to become a BREEAM Sustainability Champion.”
With this qualification, I will be able to provide expert advice on the built environment sustainability, environmental design and environmental assessment.
This course is more intensive and covers the basics of sustainability at the design stage and during the construction site phase.
So far, I have completed the first module, which covers topics such as the overall certification principles and scope and scheme classification. I have enjoyed learning about the role and how to conduct a BREEAM assessment.
Particularly insightful were topics on how to complete a successful kick-off meeting with the project team and how to write a successful pre-assessment report. This really highlights the importance of organisation and proactiveness required in the role of a BREEAM Assessor.
I have enjoyed how all the presentations have been interactive and quizzes allow you to test your knowledge at stages. In the next module, I will be looking into the specifics of each criterion, I am especially interested to learn more about the Land Use and Ecology credit and how Biodiversity Net Gain relates to this.
“I started my BREEAM journey by first completing the BREEAM Associates course which gave me the context of the BREEAM certification. This basic knowledge has allowed me to help my team on projects which has given me insight into the application of BREEAM.”
I was particularly interested in the category of health and wellbeing for buildings, specifically indoor air quality which has become more relevant post-Covid within the built environment.
As well as preventing life-threatening diseases this credit will alleviate the threat of eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness and fatigue, while also contributing to long-term health issues such as asthma, respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer.
I am now working towards my BREEAM AP course which will give me the knowledge I need to advise on BREEAM project's in my future as a Sustainability Consultant. One part of BREEAM I am enjoying learning from the AP training is the bespoke standard.
This is when a building is too different from other buildings of its type, which means that there needs to be a specific bespoke standard made especially for that project. This bespoke standard goes through a rigorous procedure between BRE and the client before it can be implemented in a project. This allows buildings of all shapes and sizes to be assessed against this standard of sustainability, so no building is excluded.