By utilising our combined expertise in civil, structural,
mechanical and electrical engineering as well as in ecology, air
and noise quality and environmental management, our BREEAM
assessors are able to adopt and promote the multi-disciplinary
approach essential to the assessment process.
BREEAM is the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Environmental
Assessment Method. It is an established and widely used method of
environmental assessment for buildings in the UK, providing the
construction and property sectors with a measure of best practice
in environmental design and management.
BREEAM is used to assess the performance of both new and old
buildings in the following areas:
- management
- energy use
- health and well-being
- pollution
- transport
- land use
- ecology
- materials
- water
We undertake core assessments to establish a buildings potential
(operational) environmental impact allowing comparison of buildings
of any age. We undertake BREEAM assessments on vacant buildings,
and carry out management and operation assessments addressing the
issues associated with day-to-day activities of building
management, including the people within the building and the
services that are required.
The majority of our work however, covers design and procurement
assessments addressing the design, procurement and construction
phases of both large and small scale office developments. We
provide an holistic approach, integrating the project management
team from project initiation, and provide concise methodologies to
ensure that BREEAM excellent ratings are attained. Although the
application of BREEAM is predominately led by designers and
construction planners on a project, Mott MacDonald prides itself on
having the available expertise to allocate technical specialists to
any requisite field, whether specialists in green engineering
(natural ventilation, daylighting, grey water, energy efficiency),
or ecologists who can advise an ecological enhancement measures and
biodiversity.
Mott MacDonald also acts in a technical advisory role to major
funders and investment bodies on private finance initiative (PFI)
projects, including hospitals, educational facility refurbishments
and new build projects. In this capacity we audit the application
of BREEAM, Eco Homes and NEAT (NHS Estates specific version of
BREEAM) to ensure that an excellent rating is achieved.
Our BREEAM assessors work along side our in-house sustainable
design and construction specialists integrating sustainable design
solutions into the engineering process at the earliest opportunity.
