BREEAM Building User Guide – Do’s and Don’t’s
Whether you are completing a BREEAM 2008 or New Construction 2011 assessment, one of the credits which will have almost certainly been targeted is the for the production of a BREEAM Building User Guide (BUG). The reason why many design teams take this credit is because it is seen as both simple to achieve and free.
Whilst the above is true for the design stage assessment, where a letter and/or specification clause will suffice, it is often a different story when it comes to actually having to compile the actual guide. The following are some do’s and don’t’s to consider when preparing your guide:
Do’s:
- Do keep it simple and to the point
- Do ensure that all the required topics are covered
- Do use headings to differentiate between sections/topics
- Do make it relevant to the intended users
- Do present it in a way which is accessible to the intended users.
Don’t’s:
- Don’t copy large sections of manufacturers’ information from the O&M manuals.
- Don’t include too much block text
- Don’t try and cover too much
- Don’t assume that something is obvious, but equally don’t patronise
Realistically, as long as you consider the above and aim to make your guide a useful tool (rather than something required to pass BREEAM), then you should be on the right track.
However, if you are still not confident or would just prefer someone else to prepare the BREEAM Building User Guide, this is a service we can offer. Please contact Peak Sustainability for further details, and go to Far and Away to leave a comment about this article.