(up to 8 credits)
Aim
To recognise projects where the proximity of good public transport networks has been reviewed, and encourage the implementation of alternative transport solutions where proximity to public transport networks is poor; thus helping to reduce transport-related pollution and congestion.
Assessment criteria
This issue is split into two parts:
- Accessibility Index (up to five credits–building type dependent)
- Alternative transport measures (up to three credits).
The following is required to demonstrate compliance:
Up to five credits–Accessibility Index
| 1 | The public transport Accessibility Index (AI) for the assessed building is calculated and BREEAM credits awarded according to the building type. For Accessibility Index benchmarks see Table 34. |
| 2 | The Accessibility Index is determined by entering the following information into the BREEAM Tra 01 calculator: |
| 2.a | The distance (m) from the main building entrance to each compliant public transport node |
| 2.b | The public transport types serving the compliant node, e.g. bus or rail |
| 2.c | The average number of services stopping per hour at each compliant node during the operating hours of the building for a typical day (see compliance notes and Table 37). |
Up to three credits–Alternative transport measures
| 3 | Where alternative transport measures in Table 35 are provided, credits can be awarded based upon the number of measures implemented as detailed in Table 33. |
Table 33 Credits achieved for alternative transport measures
| Credits | Number of measures required from Table 35 |
|---|---|
| One | Two |
| Two | Four |
| Three | Six |
Checklists and tables
Table 34: Credits available for each building type relating to the public transport Accessibility Index (AI) score
| Accessibility Index | ≥ 2 | ≥ 4 | ≥ 8 | ≥ 10 | ≥ 12 | ≥ 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building type | BREEAM credits available | |||||
| Offices, Industrial, Multi-residential | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - |
| Preschool, School, College | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - |
| Retail, university and higher education, Higher Education type 1 Hotels and other short stay accommodation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Higher Education type 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | - |
|
Rural location sensitive buildings. |
1 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
Table 35 Alternative transport measures
| Ref | Measure |
|---|---|
| A (worth two measures) | For buildings with a fixed shift pattern, i.e. where building users will predominantly arrive or depart at set times, this measure is achieved where the building occupier provides, or commits to providing, a dedicated bus service to and from the building at the beginning and end of each shift or day. |
| B |
Where compliant cycle storage spaces that meet the minimum levels set out in Table 36 (see Checklists and tables) are installed. Please check Methodologies and Additional Information for more information. Note: This measure is not applicable for sheltered housing, care homes and supported living facilities. |
| C |
Where at least two of the following types of compliant cyclist facilities have been provided for all building users (including pupils where appropriate to the building type):
Please see Methodologies and Relevant definitions for the scope of each compliant cyclist facility. Note: This measure is not applicable to sheltered housing, care homes and supported living facilities, student residents and key worker accommodation. |
| D |
For sheltered housing, care homes and supported living facilities, where the requirements of measures B and C have been met for cycle storage space and compliance cycle storage facilities, this is equivalent to the achievement of one measure. |
| E |
Provision of electric recharging stations for at least 5% of the total car parking capacity for the building, with a minimum of at least 2 spaces. The design team can demonstrate electric vehicles emissions than petrol or diesel counterparts. |
| F |
Provision of the following:
|
| G | Where the building has digital information points providing details on alternative transport options; this could include bus times, car sharing and cycle routes. These information points must be well positioned and accessible to all building users. |
| H | Where on-site facilities have been provided that reduce the need to travel (taking into account the activities being undertaken in the building), for example the specification of video conferencing systems or where the appropriate amenities are available on site. |
| I | Where negotiations with local bus companies have resulted in an increase of the local service provision in the building's local area that results in improving the existing Accessibility Index (AI) for the building by at least one point. |
| L | Where another alternative measure has been implemented that is not listed above, which has been approved by BRE Global. Any additional approved measures will be listed on the assessor FAQs and added to this list over time as and when BRE Global reissue the technical manual. |
Table 36 Compliant cycle storage spaces
| Building type | No. spaces per unit of measure |
Unit of measure |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial | |||
| Offices, Industrial | 1 | 10 staff | None |
| Retail | |||
| Large retail | 1 | 10 staff | The number of staff should be the maximum number using the building at any time or shift. The staff spaces must be provided in addition to customer spaces. While they do not need to be separate from customer spaces, this is encouraged. This is subject to providing a minimum of 10 cycle customer spaces. Any retail development that provides at least 50 customer cycle storage spaces will comply regardless of the number of parking spaces. |
| 1 |
20 public car parking spaces |
1 | |
| Small retail | 10 | Total | The spaces must be publicly accessible within the proximity of a main building entrance. Compliant cyclist facilities are intended for staff only, i.e. it is not a requirement of compliance to provide facilities for customers. |
| Education | |||
| Preschool or crèche (i.e. up to age 6) | 1 | 10 staff | None |
| Primary school (i.e. age 6 -11) | 5 | Per class in year group | For example: where a primary school has been designed to accommodate three classes per year, a total of 15 compliant cycle storage spaces are provided for the whole school. Where there are varying numbers of classes per year, the calculation must be based on the year with the greatest number of classes. |
| Secondary schools (11 years plus), college, University and higher education | 1 | 10 staff & pupils or students total | University and higher education: |
| Multi-residential | |||
| Student residences, key worker accommodation | 1 | 10 staff | The requirement is subject to a minimum of one compliant space being provided. |
| 1 |
2 residents |
||
| Sheltered housing, Care homes, Supported living facility | 1 | 10 staff | * Or spaces specified in accordance with the number required as identified by the likely resident profile. Where the resident profile is not the elderly or physically disabled or impaired then, where appropriate, the requirement for wheelchair or electric buggy spaces should be changed to compliant cycle spaces. |
| 1 compliant wheelchair or electric buggy storage spaces |
10 residents* |
||
| Hotels and other short stay accommodation | |||
| All | 1 | Staff | None |
| 1 | Visitors or beds | ||
| Note: Here the number of building users (based upon the unit of measure) exceeds 200 the sliding scale of compliance can be used to identify the appropriate number of cycle spaces required (see Methodology section). | |||
* See Tra 01 Sustainable transport solutions – Additional building type classifications
Compliance notes
| Ref |
Terms |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable assessment criteria | ||
|
CN1 |
Part 1: Fabric and Structure |
All assessment criteria are applicable. |
|
CN2 |
Part 2: Core Services | Not applicable. |
|
CN3 |
Part 3: Local Services | Not applicable. |
|
CN4 |
Part 4: Interior Design | All assessment criteria are applicable. |
| General | ||
|
CN5 |
Campus style sites, see criterion 1 . |
Where 80% or more of the buildings on a campus style site, e.g. University or higher education sites, are within 1000m of the campus’s main entrance, then the campus’s main entrance can be used as the reference point for the assessment of distance to compliant public transport nodes for this issue. The campus’s main entrance is that which is accessed by the majority of the assessed building's staff, students and visitors. A site may have more than one main entrance which between them account for the majority of staff, students and visitors that access the site. In such a case any of the entrances can be used as the basis for the calculation. Where less than 80% of the buildings on the campus are within 1000m of the campus’s main entrance, the assessed building's main entrance must be used as the reference point for the assessment of distance to compliant public transport nodes for this issue. This rule implies for large campus sites, when distances are too great to be comfortably covered by walking, the needs of the building users would be served better by locating the public transport nodes inside or on the periphery of the campus. Where the building is not part of a centralised campus then its main entrance must be used as the reference point for the assessment of this issue. |
|
CN6 |
Building locations with a high level of public transport accessibility | For sites where at least 50% of the available BREEAM credits for the Accessibility Index under criteria 1 and 2 have been awarded (rounded to the nearest whole credit), the number of compliant cycle spaces required in Table 36 for alternative transport measures reference B and C can be reduced by 50%. This reduction will also reduce the requirement for compliant showers or lockers by the same margin for most building types by default, since the calculation is based on the number of cycle storage spaces. Building types where the number of required showers or lockers is not based on cycle storage provision can reduce the actual requirement for compliant showers or lockers by 50%. |
|
CN7 |
Rural locations |
For sites in rural locations the following can be applied;
This reduction will also reduce the requirement for compliant shower or lockers by the same margin for most building types by default, since the calculation is based on the number of cycle storage spaces. Building types where the number of required showers or lockers is not based on cycle storage provision can reduce the actual requirement for compliant showers or lockers by 50%, 70% or 90% as appropriate. A percentage reduction in this context cannot be applied in addition to the 50% reduction due to the building's Public Transport Accessibility level (as described in the Compliance note above). |
|
CN8 |
Existing facilities | Existing facilities such as cycle storage spaces, electric vehicle charging points etc. can be used to support the number of required but must be BREEAM compliant to be considered. For example, all existing cycle storage must be conveniently located and accessible to all appropriate building users. |
|
CN9 |
Phased refurbishment or projects, see criterion 3 |
In the case of a large phased refurbishment or regeneration of a site where new transport facilities will be provided, but at a later stage than the building being assessed, the assessment can consider such facilities provided that: A commitment has been made to provide transport facilities within the shortest of the following periods, this is demonstrated either within the General Contract Specification or in the form of a Section 106 Agreement:
The most appropriate rule for the site in question must be used, ensuring that the time building users have to wait before having use of the transport facilities is as short as possible. Where the transport facilities will not be available for use within a period of five years from occupation of the building, they cannot be considered for determining compliance with the BREEAM criteria. |
Methodology
The methodology for calculating the AI is a calculation based on the number and distance of nearby public transport nodes and the frequency of the transport from these nodes. It uses the UK Transport for London's Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) method. For a description of the PTAL methodology and how it works refer to appendix B of Transport Assessment Best Practice; Guidance Document (PDF link).
Calculating the average number of services
For the purpose of the calculation, the frequency of public transport is the average number of services per hour. This is calculated by determining the number of stopping services at the node during the peak arrival and departure times for the building or the building's typical day's operating hours (see Operating hours), divided by the number of hours within that period. For example: the average number of services for an assessment of a building that operates between 08:00–19:00 hrs (11 hours) and is within proximity of a bus stop with 35 stopping services during this period is 3.2 (equivalent to an average service frequency of approximately 20 minutes).
Multiple services
Services that operate from more than one node within proximity of the building, i.e. two separate bus stops served by the same bus, must be considered only once at the node in closest proximity to the building. Different services at the same node can be considered as separate.
Bidirectional routes
Routes will be bidirectional; however for the purpose of calculating the index, consider only the direction with the highest frequency (in accordance with the PTAL methodology).
Sliding scale of compliance for cycle facilities
To recognise the increased confidence in availability that occurs where there is larger scale provision of facilities, it is acceptable to reduce the provision requirement for building users by increasing the standard unit of measure (defined in Table 36) and potentially the provision of cyclist facilities on a sliding scale as follows:
- For buildings with more than 200 users but less than 300, the unit of measure can be increased by a ratio of 1.5.
- For buildings with more than 300 users but less than 400, the unit of measure can be increased by a ratio of 2.
- For buildings with more than 400 users, the unit of measure can be increased by a ratio of 2.5.
For example, an office building with 800 users would be required to provide the following number of cycle storage spaces:
- 1-200 users @ 1 space per 10 users = 20 spaces
- 201-300 users @ 1 space per 15 users (standard unit of measure x 1.5) = 7 spaces
- 301-400 users @ 1 space per 20 users (standard unit of measure x 2) = 5 spaces
- 401+ users @ 1 space per 25 users (standard unit of measure x 2.5) = 16 spaces
- Total compliant cycle storage spaces required = 48 spaces.
The sliding scale of compliance does not apply to the following building types: small and large retail, primary schools, multi-residential buildings and Defence and national security residential buildings.
Sliding scale of compliance for electric vehicle charging points
To recognise the increased confidence in the availability that occurs where there is a larger scale of provision of facilities and also the current use of electric vehicles, it is acceptable to reduce the provision requirement for building users on a sliding scale as follows:
- 1-200 car parking spaces: electric charging points for 5% of car parking capacity or a minimum of 2 spaces
- 201–400 car parking spaces: electric charging points for 4% of car parking capacity
- 401 + car parking spaces: electric charging points for 3% of car parking spaces.
Minimum cycle storage provision
Where the calculated number of required cycle storage spaces is less than four, total provision should be based on the lower of the following:
- A minimum of four compliant storage spaces must be provided OR
- One space per user (staff and where appropriate other user groups).
Evidence
| criteria | Interim design stage | Final post-construction stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 –3 |
One or more of the appropriate evidence types listed in 4.0 The BREEAM evidential requirements section can be used to demonstrate compliance with these criteria. |
|
| 1 –2 | A completed copy of the Tra01 calculator | As per interim design stage |
Additional information
Relevant definitions
- Accessibility Index
- A measure that provides an indicator of the accessibility and density of the public transport network at a point of interest (in the case of BREEAM, a building). The index is influenced by the proximity and diversity of the public transport network and the level or frequency of service at the accessible node. For example, a building that has a single public transport node 500m from its main building entrance with one service stopping every 15 minutes, i.e. four services per hour on average, will score an AI of approximately 1.90. Alternatively, the same node with one service every 15 minutes, but 300m from the building entrance will achieve an AI of 2.26. The same node with two services stopping every 15 minutes will score an AI of 2.85. The greater the number of compliant nodes, services and their proximity to the building, the higher the AI.
- Additional building type classifications
- Higher Education type 1: HE buildings located on a campus where less than 25% of students are resident on the campus or within 1km radius from the campus’s main entrance. Higher Education type 2: HE buildings located on a campus where 25% or more of the students are resident on the campus or within 1km radius from the campus’s main entrance.
- BREEAM Tra 01 Calculator tool
- A spreadsheet-based calculator used to determine the Accessibility Index for the assessed building and the number of BREEAM credits achieved.
- Compliant changing facilities
- Compliant changing facilities are defined as those that meet the following:
- Appropriately sized for the likely or required number of users. The assessor should use their judgment to determine whether the changing area is appropriately sized given the number of cycle storage spaces or showers provided.
- Changing areas must include adequate space and facilities to hang or store clothing and equipment while changing or showering, e.g. bench seat or hooks.
- Toilet cubicles and shower cubicles cannot be counted as changing facilities.
- Compliant cycle storage space
- Compliant cycle storage spaces are defined as those that meet the following:
- Cycles can be secured within spaces in racks. They are covered overhead and the cycle racks are set in or fixed to a permanent structure (building or hardstanding). Alternatively the cycle storage may be located in a locked structure fixed to, or part of, a permanent structure with appropriate surveillance.
- The distance between each cycle rack, and cycle racks and other obstructions, e.g. a wall, allows for appropriate access to the cycle storage space to enable bikes to be easily stored and accessed.
- The storage facility or entrance to the facility is in a prominent site location that is viewable or overlooked from either an occupied building or a main access to a building.
- The cycle storage facility has adequate lighting; this could be demonstrated with the lighting criteria defined in BREEAM issue Hea 01 Visual comfort. The lighting must be controlled to avoid out-of-hours use and operation during daylight hours, where there is sufficient daylight in or around the facility
- Compliant drying space
- A compliant drying space is defined as a space that is specifically designed and designated with adequate heating and ventilation for the drying of wet clothes. A plant room, for example, is not a compliant drying space.
- Compliant lockers
- Compliant lockers are defined as those that meet the following:
- The number of lockers is at least equal to the number of cycle spaces required.
- Lockers are either in, or adjacent to, compliant changing rooms.
- The lockers are sized appropriately for the storage of a cyclist's equipment.
- Compliant showers
- Compliant showers are defined as those that meet the following:
- Provision of one shower for every 10 cycle storage spaces, subject to a minimum provision of one shower.
- Any building providing eight showers or more will comply regardless of the number of cycle storage spaces provided.
- Both male and female users must be catered for, i.e. either separate showers within shared gender-specific facilities (required provision split 50-50) or single shower cubicles and changing space for mixed use.
- The showers do not need to be dedicated to cyclists and can be those shared with other users or uses.
- Compliant transport node
- A compliant node includes any bus service with a stop within 650m and any railway station within 1000m of the assessed building's main entrance, measured via a safe pedestrian route (not measured directly as a straight line, unless access via pedestrian routes is in a straight line). The service stopping at each node must provide transport from, or onward travel to, either an urban centre, major transport node or a community focal point, e.g. doctor's surgery, library, school or village centre. Only local services should be assessed and any national public transport services should be excluded from the analysis, unless such a service can be said to provide a local commuter service.
- Large retail type
- Includes large retail developments, such as shopping centres, retail parks and supermarkets, which typically will have covered or uncovered parking, or external areas, and therefore scope to provide their own dedicated cyclist facilities.
- Main building entrance
- The main building entrance is the entrance to the assessed building which is directly connected to the main building reception, circulation routes, lifts or stairs and is available to the majority of the building's staff and visitors on arrival; it is not the site entrance (unless the site entrance is also the building entrance, e.g. a building with a boundary on a public highway).
- Operating hours
- BREEAM seeks to define the building's accessibility to the public transport network for the period during which the majority of building users will travel to and from the building. In most cases the normal operating hours of the building can be used. Where shift patterns see the majority of building users (over 80%) arriving or leaving during a certain period, for example an office building where the majority of office workers arrive between 8.00-10.00, then that period can be used as an alternative to the operating hours of the building. This accounts for some building types that operate a 24 hour day and on a shift work basis. During what typically would be deemed unsociable hours, and therefore periods where there is little if any public transport operating, such periods are not required to be accounted for in the assessment of this issue. Where the assessed building operates on a 24 hour basis or the operating hours are unknown at the time of assessment, then refer to and use the table of default operating hours, which can be found in the Additional information section of this issue.
- Rural location
- A rural location is defined in this context as a site clearly not within or on the boundary of a small, medium or large urban cover. An urban cover will have a population of 3000 people or more, located within a tract of continuously built-up urban land extending 20 hectares or more. Therefore, the definition of rural includes village locations, green field sites or small urban centres with a population of less 3000 people within a tract of land no greater than 20 hectares. Such locations will most likely be on a local bus route to larger urban areas or other local towns and may have local shops and other facilities.
- Rural location sensitive buildings
- This definition includes any of the building types (listed below) where there is a demonstrable social or economic need from a rural population for the service or demand, which the building is intended to meet; and therefore locating the building at an alternative site which could have higher public transport accessibility levels, i.e. within an urbanised area, is unfeasible. The following building types are examples of those that may fall into this category:
- Offices where providing services to the local community
- Industrial where providing services to the local community
- Retail where providing services to the local community
- Preschool, primary and secondary school
- Small retail type
- Includes smaller retail units or shops that may form part of a wider retail or business district, city or town centre or mixed use sites, and typically do not have the scope to provide their own dedicated cyclist facilities.
- Typical day
- The typical day is that which represents the period when travel to and from the building by its users and visitors will be at its highest. For most buildings this should be taken as a midweek day. In choosing a typical day the assessor should check that timetabled information for that day is, within reason, representative of the public transport provision for the entire operating week (excluding Sundays).
Other information
Table 37 Default hours of operation by building type for a typical day
| Building type | Default hours |
|---|---|
| Commercial | 08:00–19:00 |
| Preschool, School, College | 07:30–22:00,15:00–17:30 |
| University and higher education | 08:00–19:00 |
| Retail: Shopping centre | 09:00–19:00 |
| Retail: Supermarket | 08:00–22:00 |
| Retail: Service provider | 08:00–18:00 |
| Retail: Convenience store | 07:00–22:00 |
| Retail: Retail park | 08:00–20:00 |
| Retail: Shop | 08:30–17:30 |
| Multi-residential accommodation, Hotels and other short stay accommodation | 08:00–19:00 |
| 24 hour use building | 07:00–20:00 |
BREEAM International Non-Domestic Refurbishment 2015
Reference: SD225 – Issue: 1.4
Date: 27/04/2017
Copyright © 2017 BRE Global. All rights reserved.
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