BREEAM Communities: Integrating Sustainability in a Masterplan
A developer is planning a new mixed-use community on a 10-hectare brownfield site. The masterplan includes 300 homes, a primary school, a health centre, and retail space. The site is near a town centre but has poor public transport links. The local authority requires 30% affordable housing and a minimum of 10% renewable energy. The developer wants to achieve BREEAM Communities certification. The project team has conducted initial community consultation, but the local residents are concerned about increased traffic and loss of a local park that is partly on the site. The developer is considering a car-dependent layout to maximize housing numbers, but the assessor suggests a more sustainable approach. The project is in the UK and uses BREEAM Communities 2012.
1. How can the project address the community concerns about traffic and the park while meeting BREEAM Communities requirements?
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The project should integrate community concerns into the masterplan. For traffic, the developer could implement a travel plan, improve public transport links, and design a walkable layout with safe cycling infrastructure. BREEAM Communities includes credits for transport (e.g., TRA 01, TRA 02) that encourage sustainable transport. For the park, the developer should retain and enhance the park as green infrastructure, which aligns with BREEAM Communities credits for green infrastructure (e.g., GRE 01, GRE 02). The assessor should advise the developer to engage with residents to co-design the park and incorporate their input. The masterplan should also include affordable housing to meet local needs, which is recognized in BREEAM Communities (e.g., SOC 01). The developer should demonstrate that the project provides a net gain in green space or at least no net loss. The assessor should ensure that the community consultation is documented and that feedback has influenced the design. The project should also consider a mix of uses to reduce the need to travel, which supports the transport credits.
2. What are the key BREEAM Communities credits related to energy and transport, and how can the developer achieve the 10% renewable energy requirement while reducing car dependency?
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Key energy credits include ENE 01 (Energy strategy) and ENE 02 (Renewable energy), which require a percentage of energy from renewable sources. The developer can achieve the 10% renewable target by incorporating solar PV, heat pumps, or district heating. For transport, credits TRA 01 (Public transport) and TRA 02 (Cycling) encourage sustainable modes. To reduce car dependency, the developer should design a compact, mixed-use layout with pedestrian and cycle priority, and provide good public transport links. The assessor should advise the developer to conduct a transport assessment and implement a travel plan. The developer could also consider car clubs or limited parking to discourage car use. The renewable energy requirement can be met by on-site renewables or connection to a nearby renewable energy source. The assessor should ensure that the energy strategy is integrated into the masterplan and that the transport measures are viable. The project should also consider the community concerns by ensuring that the renewable energy infrastructure is visually acceptable and that transport improvements benefit existing residents.