Evidence Gathering, Data Validation and Quality Assurance
Evidence principles
BREEAM assessment depends on robust evidence. Candidates must understand the qualities evidence must have: it must be relevant to the specific issue and credit, current (reflecting the stage being assessed), attributable (traceable to the project and source), and verifiable. Evidence types include drawings, specifications, calculations, manufacturer declarations, commissioning records, and site inspection reports.
Validation and QA
Know the difference between the assessor's internal validation and the scheme operator's external quality assurance. The assessor checks that evidence is sufficient, consistent, and correctly interpreted before submission. QA checks a sample of assessments for compliance with the standard and the assessor's competence. Poor evidence leads to queries, delays, or credit rejection.
Traps in questions
Frequent traps include accepting a manufacturer's marketing claim as evidence without a formal declaration, using out-of-date drawings, and relying on verbal assurances. Another trap is treating a single document as sufficient when the issue requires multiple evidence types. Questions may also test whether evidence from one issue can be reused for another - it can, but only if it genuinely satisfies both.
Worked example
A credit requires confirmation that a material has a responsible sourcing certification. The assessor should obtain the certificate reference, confirm it covers the specific product and supplier, and check validity dates - not accept a brochure statement.
Rule of thumb
Apply the four tests: relevant, current, attributable, verifiable. If any fails, request stronger evidence before submission.