The Building Research Establishment (BRE) are aware of the challenges both BREEAM Assessors and clients are facing in respect to the requirement for a BREEAM Assessor Site Inspection during this period of increasing restrictions.
The BRE have been working to find a solution that enables assessments to continue to take place and be submitted. Therefore, they have made the following adjustment regarding BREEAM Assessor Site Inspections:
- Where the licensed assessor is unable to access the site, they can appoint a competent individual, for example a Contractor or Building Manager, to undertake a formal Site Inspection on their behalf.
- The appointed individual would be expected to provide a robust report as evidence in place of the Assessor Site Inspection report. The report would need to include photographs and/or virtual tour stills from the building and/or site inspection and be signed off by both the appointed individual and the assessor. We can of course provide assistance to enable the appointed competent individual to carry out this inspection.
This approach will be deemed acceptable as evidence for all BREEAM Assessor Site Inspection requirements until further notice.
For New Construction and Refurbishment schemes, in place of a site visit report, the BRE will accept ‘as built drawings’ and ‘written design team confirmation’.
Element Sustainability will provide the necessary support to our clients to close out this process and achieve final certification.