Role of BREEAM Assessor vs Accredited Professional (AP)
BREEAM Assessor
Role and Responsibilities
Assessment and Certification
The primary role of a BREEAM Assessor is to conduct assessments of buildings against the BREEAM standards. They gather evidence, evaluate the building’s performance, and submit reports to the certification body.
Site Visits and Evidence Collection
They perform site visits to verify that the sustainability measures claimed are implemented correctly. This includes collecting and reviewing documentation, conducting interviews, and ensuring compliance with BREEAM criteria.
Technical Knowledge
Assessors must have a thorough understanding of the BREEAM technical standards and criteria. They need to stay updated on any changes to these standards.
Objectivity and Independence:
They maintain an objective stance throughout the assessment process, ensuring that the assessment is impartial, and evidence based.
BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP)
Role and Responsibilities
Design and Consultancy
A BREEAM AP provides advice and support to project teams throughout the design and construction process to help achieve the desired BREEAM rating. They offer strategic guidance on integrating sustainability into the project.
Facilitating Certification:
They work closely with the design and construction teams to ensure that sustainability goals are met and that the project is on track for BREEAM certification. This involves advising on best practices and helping to identify the most effective and efficient ways to achieve BREEAM credits.
Coordination and Advocacy
BREEAM APs often act as advocates for sustainability within the project, encouraging stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices and helping to overcome barriers to implementation.
Maximizing Credits
They assist in identifying opportunities to maximize BREEAM credits, offering solutions to meet specific criteria, and helping to troubleshoot issues that arise during the project lifecycle.
Key Differences
Primary Focus
The BREEAM Assessor is primarily focused on the assessment and certification process, while the BREEAM AP is focused on providing strategic advice and support to achieve BREEAM certification.
Timing of Involvement
Assessors are more involved during the evaluation and certification phase, whereas BREEAM APs are involved throughout the design and construction phases to ensure that sustainability goals are integrated from the outset.
Objectivity vs. Advocacy
Assessors must remain impartial and objective, ensuring compliance with standards without bias. In contrast, BREEAM APs are advocates for sustainability, working collaboratively with project teams to achieve the best outcomes.
Both roles are essential for the successful implementation of BREEAM standards, but they serve different purposes within the overall process of achieving sustainable building certification.
Cost and Fees
For clients seeking BREEAM certification, the cost structure typically involves several components, including fees for hiring a BREEAM Assessor and/or a BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP), certification fees, and other associated costs. Here’s a breakdown of the typical price structure from the client’s perspective:
1. BREEAM Assessor Fees
Clients need to hire a BREEAM Assessor to conduct the formal assessment required for certification. The costs involved include:
Assessment Fees:
Initial Pre Assessment:
Typically this covers the preliminary review of the project and initial documentation, Identify risks and opportunities related to the achievement of the BREEAM. Advice in relation to the capture of RIBA stage-related BREEAM requirements. Attendance at two Design Team meetings or BREEAM workshops (conference calls)
Issue Pre-Assessment following initial consultancy, demonstrating how the scheme is meeting the required rating. Fees can range from £1,980 depending on the size and complexity of the project
Interim and Design Assessments
Monitor and advise during design development, including attendance at up to two Design Team / BREEAM meetings (conference calls) and one Pre-start meeting. Update design strategy and IES tracker document as information arises and the building progresses. (Access to the BREEAM IES Tracker online assessment platform, credit scoring, criteria and evidence to be made available to project team members. Each stage may incur additional costs, typically ranging from £2600 to £5,000.
Post Construction Review
RIBA Stages 5 & 6 - Inspect the site to check for compliance against the BREEAM criteria. Advise on any snagging measures required during the visit. Provide a follow up compliance sheet, detailing snagging to be addressed on site. Provide a post construction evidence tracker based on the design stage strategy, review submitted evidence and advise on compliance. Write the Final Assessment Report and submit to BRE for Final Certification. The fee is paid over six-monthly payments upon the transition from the design stage certification to the post construction review stage, followed by submission to the BRE for review. If the scheme's assessment cannot be submitted to the BRE within six months, the monthly charges will continue to apply, or costs may need to be reassessed.
Site Visits
Additional charges may apply for site visits required to verify compliance with BREEAM criteria. Each visit might cost between £800 and £1,500.
2. BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP) Fees
Hiring a BREEAM AP can help streamline the certification process by providing expert guidance and ensuring that the project is designed and built to meet BREEAM standards.
Consultancy Fees
Hourly or Daily Rates
Hourly or Daily Rates: £100 to £200 per hour or £800 to £1,500 per day.
Fixed Fees for Projects
For larger projects, APs might be fixed fee arrangement, which could range from £5,000 to £20,000 depending on the project’s scope and duration.
Our Accredited Professional services structure typically includes:
- Conducting monthly meetings and regular reviews of evidence, followed by feedback to the design team.
- Analysing provided design information.
- Advising on materials, products, and strategies to achieve targeted credits.
- Providing technical support via email and telephone for sustainability-related queries
- Creating task/action lists for project team members.
- Supplying templates to assist in supporting evidence, including RIBA stage related BREEAM requirements.
- Monitoring progress against agreed BREEAM performance targets.
- Overseeing site activities to minimize the risk of non-compliance.
3. Certification Fees
These are fees payable directly to the certification body (BRE or other licensed certification organizations) for processing and issuing the BREEAM certificate.
Certification Costs:
Registration Fee
An initial registration fee is required to register the project with BREEAM. This is typically around £500 to £1,000.
Certification Fee
The certification fee varies based on the type and scale of the project. For a standard building project, the fee might range from £2,000 to £6,000. For larger or more complex projects, fees can be higher.
4. Additional Costs
Clients may also incur additional costs related to achieving BREEAM certification, including:
Design and Implementation Costs:
Sustainable Design Features
Incorporating sustainable design features (e.g., energy-efficient systems, sustainable materials) to meet BREEAM criteria may involve additional costs.
Documentation and Evidence Collection
Preparing and managing the documentation required for the BREEAM assessment may require additional resources and administrative support.
Post-Construction Review:
Post-Occupancy Evaluation
Some BREEAM schemes require a post-occupancy evaluation to verify ongoing performance, which can incur additional costs.
Conclusion
The total cost for a client seeking BREEAM certification can vary significantly based on the project's size, complexity, and specific sustainability goals. While upfront costs may seem substantial, achieving BREEAM certification can lead to long-term benefits, including reduced operational costs, enhanced building performance, and improved marketability. It's advisable for clients to obtain detailed quotes and work closely with both BREEAM Assessors and APs to understand and manage these costs effectively.