Understanding BREEAM: The Benchmark for Sustainable Buildings

What is BREEAM?

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a British internationally recognised sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings. It differs from an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which provides detailed information about the environmental impact of a specific product throughout its lifecycle. While an EPD focuses on a product's impact, BREEAM assesses the overall sustainability performance of a building, covering aspects such as energy use, health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste, water, ecology, and management processes.

Why is BREEAM Important?

BREEAM is crucial because it provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and improving the environmental performance of buildings. By setting benchmarks for best practices in sustainable building design, construction, and operation, BREEAM helps reduce the environmental impact of buildings, promotes health and well-being, and supports economic benefits through energy efficiency and lower operating costs. Achieving BREEAM certification can also enhance the market value of a property and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability to stakeholders.

Our Contribution to BREEAM Certification

At KE Fibertec, we are committed to supporting sustainable building practices and helping our clients achieve BREEAM certification. KE Fibertec has achieved BREEAM certification, demonstrating that our textile ventilation systems meet the rigorous sustainability standards set by BREEAM assessors.

Here's how our textile-based ventilation solutions play a significant role:

Sustainable Materials: We use our GreenWeave and MultiWeave product materials, which are 100% recyclable and certified under the Cradle to Cradle standard. These materials contribute to higher sustainability scores by reducing waste and promoting recycling.

Energy Efficiency: Our textile ventilation systems improve indoor air quality and ensure efficient air distribution without drafts. This enhances occupant comfort and reduces the need for energy-intensive heating and cooling, contributing to lower energy consumption.

Reduced Emissions: By incorporating recyclable materials and improving energy efficiency, our solutions help reduce CO₂ emissions. This aligns with BREEAM's criteria for minimising the environmental impact of buildings.

Water Savings: The production process of our materials is designed to minimise water usage, supporting BREEAM's water efficiency objectives. Our textile ducts use significantly less water in their lifecycle compared to traditional systems, contributing to a more sustainable water footprint.

Health and Wellbeing: Proper ventilation is crucial for indoor air quality, which impacts occupant health and wellbeing—a key consideration in BREEAM assessments. Our systems ensure a healthier indoor environment, contributing to higher scores in this category.

BREEAM Certification: We are proud to be BREEAM-certified, which underscores our commitment to sustainable practices and provides assurance that our products meet the rigorous standards set by BREEAM. This certification further supports the integration of our textile ventilation solutions into BREEAM-rated buildings, facilitating easier compliance and higher sustainability ratings.

Documentation and Transparency: We take responsibility for documenting the sustainability of our products, which supports the transparency and rigor required for BREEAM assessments. By providing detailed documentation and meeting high sustainability standards, we ensure that our products contribute positively to a building's BREEAM score. KE Fibertec's BREEAM certification provides third-party validation that our systems comply with BREEAM's criteria.

Conclusion

Incorporating our textile-based ventilation solutions can significantly benefit buildings aiming for BREEAM certification. By improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and enhancing indoor air quality, our systems support sustainable building practices and help achieve higher BREEAM ratings, thereby promoting a greener, healthier, and more efficient built environment.

If you would like to see the difference of, not only the sustainability of textile vs steel ventilation, but a wider comparison please click here to get our guide, "Textile Ventilation Systems or Metal Ventilation Systems - Which should you choose for your project?"