Mat01 - Life cycle impacts – Above Green

(credits available dependent on building type)

Aim

To recognise and encourage the use of robust and appropriate life cycle assessment tools and consequently the specification of construction materials with a low environmental impact (including embodied carbon) over the full life cycle of the building.

Assessment criteria

The following is required to demonstrate compliance:

One to five credits

The project uses a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool to measure the life cycle environmental impact of the building elements.

The LCA includes at least the mandatory building elements indicated in the 'Materials assessment scope' section of the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator (where present in the building).

The mandatory requirements identified in the 'Materials assessment tool, method and data' section of the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator have been met.

A member of the project team completes the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator and determines a score based on the robustness of the LCA tool used and the scope of the assessment in terms of the elements considered. Credits are awarded as follows:

Table 41: Percentage of BREEAM Mat 01 calculator points achieved and credits awarded

Percentage of BREEAM Mat 01 calculator points achieved (%)	Credits
Percentage of BREEAM Mat 01 calculator points achieved (%)	Industrial	All other buildings
25.0	1	1
62.5	1	2
75.0	1	3
80.0	2	4
82.5	2	5
85.0	2 + Exemplary	5 + Exemplary

One credit - Environmental product declarations (EPD)

Where a range of at least five products specified at Design Stage (DS) and installed by Post-Construction Stage (PCS) are covered by verified EPD (see CN3.2).

Exemplary level criteria

The requirements for exemplary level criteria outlined in Table 41 within the assessment criteria above have been achieved.

Where a range of at least 10 products specified at DS and installed by Post-Construction Stage (PCS) are covered by verified manufacturer specific EPD (see CN3.2).

Checklists and tables

None.

Compliance notes

Ref	Terms	Description
Shell and core (non-residential and residential institutions only)
CN1	Applicable assessment criteria	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix D – Shell and core project assessments for a more detailed description of the shell and core assessment options.
Residential - Partially fitted and fully fitted
CN2	Applicable assessment criteria - Single and multiple dwellings	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix E – Applicability of BREEAM New Construction to single and multiple dwellings, partially and fully fitted for a more detailed description of residential assessment options.
General
CN3	Element not specified (applicable elements)	In some buildings, not all elements listed within the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator will be present or specified, e.g. upper floors in single storey buildings. In these instances the calculator will re-evaluate the standard and exemplary level benchmarks according to the applicable elements.
CN3.1	LCA tool approvals	Where a project team is considering using a LCA tool which has not been previously evaluated by BRE Global (BREG), the assessor should contact BREG providing all information required for the evaluation of the tool. The evaluation process of LCA tools often requires the involvement and issue of evidence by the tool producer or developer. The evaluation process can take up to four weeks; therefore assessors are advised to contact BREG as soon as possible to initiate the process. The fee sheet available on the assessor extranet provides details of fees for LCA tool evaluations. All tools (and versions of tools) used must: Meet the mandatory requirements outlined in the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator Have the score generated by the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator and evaluated by BRE Global. The BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator provides a list of previously submitted tools (by version) and their associated evaluation score.
CN3.2	Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) Classifications	Each EPD shall be classified according to Mat 03 Responsible sourcing of construction products : Table 44 . For each EPD, select the classification that is the closest match. Only two EPDs per classification group may be counted. This is to encourage a range of EPDs from different construction product sectors. Where a product is comprised of more than one material, the assessor should decide which material category classification should be used at their own discretion. EPD certificates must be valid (unexpired) at the point of specification. The EPD must be compliant with ISO 14025, ISO 21930 or EN 15804.

Evidence

Ref

Design stage

Post-construction stage

1–4

Specification confirming:

The name and version of the LCA tool used
A copy of the LCA tool output or information from the tool provider to demonstrate answers given in the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator.

A copy of the output from the BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator.

See also Other information section for detailed requirements.

As design stage but with as-built data.

A schedule of specified products in the building with accepted EPDs, and their product categories.

Copies of the EPD certificates.

As design stage but with as-built data.

Additional information

Relevant definitions

BREEAM International Mat 01 calculator: A spreadsheet-based calculator required to determine whether a project has used an appropriate LCA tool, and to calculate the number of credits achieved for this BREEAM issue, based on the scope and rigour of life cycle assessment and elements considered within the LCA.
Environmental Product Declaration: An EPD is an independently verified environmental label (i.e. ISO Type III label) according to the requirements of ISO 14025.; For construction products, the EPD must be produced to either EN 158041,ISO140252 or ISO 219303.

Integrated Material Profile and Costing Tool (IMPACT): Integrated Material Profile And Costing Tool. For more information about IMPACT visit: www.IMPACTwba.com

Calculation procedures

This issue is concerned with the use of LCA on the project, and robustness of the method or tools used. At present, we do not seek to benchmark performance. This is likely to be included as LCA matures and BRE Global have collated enough building performance data to establish robust benchmarks.

The Mat 01 Calculator scores points based on the rigour of the life cycle assessment in terms of:

The quality of the assessment tool or method and data
The scope (of building elements) included in the assessment.

Other information

Evidence requirements

Note: Aside from the likely benefit to the environment from teams using LCA tools, the objective for BREEAM is to gather LCA performance data in order to create benchmarks and inform future updates of the scheme. The evidence requirements below are generic, but BRE Global understand that some tools are not able to fulfil all of the criteria. Where this is the case, the tool operator should submit results as close as possible to that required for the tool.

IMPACT compliant tools

A copy of the full IMPACT project or building file submitted by the assessor to BRE Global must be transmitted in the following format:

For 3D CAD or building information model (BIM) based IMPACT compliant tools: In Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) or the IMPACT Compliant tool’s native format.
For spreadsheet-based IMPACT compliant tools: IFC, MS Excel or comma-separated variables (CSV) file format.
Building element categorisation to be according to New Rules of Measurement (NRM) Royal Institution of Chartered surveyors (RICS).
A table in MS Excel or CSV file format listing each building element with, for each one, the information listed under 2 b, c and d (from the 'other tools' section), along with the NRM classification.

Other tools

An electronic data table or tables of results (suitably cross referenced) generated by the tool, submitted by the assessor to BRE Global must fulfil the following criteria:

Submit a total building environmental impact result for year 0 (installation only) and year 60 study periods, as follows:
1. To include individual results for all environmental issues or indicators that the tool or data permits, showing issue or indicators names and units used. Where issues or indicators according to BS EN 15978:2011 are available, these should be used
2. Include individual results for each life stage or module, e.g. stages A, B and C (see BS EN 15978:2011). Where the tool further permits, or where complete measurement of the aforementioned stages is not possible, more detail should be provided. For example, BS EN 15978:2011 modules should be used
3. The reporting format should be to BS EN 15978:2011 (or equivalent).
Results for each element as follows, to enable project team members and assessors without an IMPACT Compliant tool to check the accuracy of the model:
1. Element impact per issue (as above), with units
2. Element kg kgCO2e per life stage or module (as above)
3. Element quantity, with units
4. Element description
5. For each material in the element:
  1. Installed quantities, with units
  2. Site wastage quantities, with units
  3. Replace, repair, refurbish quantities, with units
  4. Reuse, recycling or disposal (landfill, incineration) quantities, with units.
Transmitted in IFC, MS Excel or CSV file format.

Data permissions

Submission of information to BRE Global for the purpose of assessing this issue will be deemed to grant permission for the BRE Group of companies to use the information to:

Fulfil BREEAM quality assurance requirements
Conduct further research (using anonymised data), including for the establishment of robust building level life cycle performance benchmarks in BREEAM and BRE associated tools and methodologies.