The construction industry is becoming increasingly committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, in order to lower carbon emissions and conserve resources. Timber is set to play a key role in the future of building design as the sector seeks to drive up sustainability standards and meet net zero emissions targets.
Certifications such as BREEAM, short for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, are setting new high standards for green performance. Here’s a look at how timber frame manufacturers are helping builders to achieve these certifications.
What is BREEAM?
BREEAM is the world’s most widely recognized method of evaluating the sustainability of buildings. The core objective of BREEAM is to measure a building’s environmental, social and economic sustainability. The performance of the building is assessed in two stages against a series of benchmarks, which can be adjusted to suit the type of building.
The categories include energy efficiency; health and wellbeing; materials; waste; emissions; and water use. The assessor will use a credit scoring system in order to calculate the building’s final score, which will fall into one of six ratings, with Unclassified being the lowest and Outstanding being the highest.
How timber frames can help a building achieve a higher BREEAM certification
Sustainability
Timber is a renewable resource, so it is a natural choice of material to help the building meet sustainability goals. In order to gain the highest possible credits, choose suppliers that use certified timber from responsibly managed forests. Look for labels such as FSC (Forest Sustainability Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification).
Lower carbon emissions
Timber has a significantly lower carbon footprint than many other building materials such as steel or concrete. The manufacturing of timber requires less energy, and timber is actively able to store carbon dioxide. This low embodied carbon and sequestration properties will ensure that it rates highly in green certification assessments such as BREEAM.
Durability and strength
Timber is strong enough to be used for the structural elements of the building and is also durable and aesthetically pleasing, making it ideal for external architectural features. This will help the building to score higher credits in the category of the performance and resilience of the materials over time.
Energy efficiency
Timber has natural insulation properties and when used in well designed buildings it is also airtight. This can help buildings meet energy conservation and efficiency requirements, reducing fuel consumption, lowering running costs, and producing less carbon dioxide emissions.
Adaptability to modern construction techniques
Timber frames are ideally suited for prefabricated construction methods, which reduce the amount of on-site waste, resource consumption and carbon emissions from plant machinery and deliveries. This will help to strengthen the building’s scoring in BREEAM’s Waste category.
What are the advantages of BREEAM certification?
Environmental benefits
First and foremost, buildings with BREEAM certification have significant environmental benefits, with minimal harmful impacts and in the cases of the highest rated buildings, may even have a beneficial impact. Above all, this will help to preserve the planet and its resources for future generations and slow the impact of climate change.
Economic benefits
The BREEAM certification offers various economic benefits to the owners or managers of the building. The most significant is lower running costs, as the building will have a high energy efficiency rating, low water consumption and an effective waste management scheme.
BREEAM buildings also have other benefits such as enhanced access to government financial incentives, including tax breaks and grants that are designed to encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly construction methods.
The building will also potentially be able to command a higher price on the property market, as the lower running costs and environmental credentials will attract a better quality of bids. Businesses are actively seeking highly rated BREEAM buildings to meet their ESG goals and to meet changing customer expectations.
Regulatory requirements
Countries such as the UK have rigorous building regulations and standards, with the possibility of penalties if these are not met satisfactorily. The BREEAM certification can ensure that the building will meet most of these requirements, saving extra time, resources, and even legal complications.