services

We can provide BREEAM support to main contractors as a stand-along service to the client’s appointed BREEAM assessor.

We understand contractual implications of BREEAM so can provide commercial guidance and risk analysis during the tender process.

We can also provide ongoing support during construction to collect data, challenge the client’s assessor, act as the AP or even take over ownership and delivery of the whole assessment during RIBA Stage 4 & 5.

We can help with planning applications associated with BREEAM targets and how to optimise pre-planning BREEAM costs.

We can provide pre-assessment report and advise on risks and opportunities especially when there is no certainty that the building can be built until the planning approval is achieved.

Without undertaking a BREEAM credit MAT 01 Material Life Cycle Assessment (i.e. a review of embodied carbon) up to 10% of a BREEAM assessment is at risk. Miss doing the first stage of assessment at a pre-planning stage and before the end of RIBA Stage 2 and most of these credits will be lost.

Originally set up by the institute of Chartered Surveyors, CEEQUAL is the civil engineering version of BREEAM. We can provide guidance and support on these assessments and in summary they can cover anything that is built but that is not a building.

The WELL Building Standard was developed in the USA but can be used in the UK. It encourages healthy living in buildings in terms of air quality, materials, lifestyle choices and environmental design. Although we can assist with full certification, most of our clients like to apply the principles of the scheme without the certification.

The best way to help reduce our drain on natural resources when constructing a building is to reuse materials already on site where possible. We can help to survey and identify which materials could be reused on a site by undertaking pre-demolition and pre-refurbishment audits.

We can help people with Circular Economy Statements that are often required for planning applications in London and other parts of the country. The focus is on how circular economy measures can be maximised (e.g. avoid materials going to waste) and these can be integrated into our zero-carbon modelling if needed.

We are often asked to help project teams develop sustainability statements for planning applications. Drawing on our broad range of sustainability design and certification knowledge makes us experts in helping you to navigate the relevant targets required by local authorities.

We can produce domestic and non-domestic EPCs for all types of buildings. We specialise in new construction, refurbishment and change of use schemes, although we can survey and certify existing non-domestic dwellings as well.

To be able to predict how much energy a building will use once it is built and operated is not easy, but we can help. We use IES VE software and generally follow the CIBSE TM54 methodology to assist in this prediction with high level of accuracy.

This work can feed into general studies on energy use, BREEAM credit ENE 01 and planning applications required for London and other local planning authorities.

If domestic modelling estimates are required, we can also undertake BREDEM calculations.

NABERS is an operational energy rating system for offices. Its tried and tested methodology is currently limited to offices but does offer the highest level of accuracy of any prediction methodology in the UK.

However as a result, it is also the most time consuming and most expensive methodology, so it is often used in development that want to set themselves apart in the office market.

We have Passivhaus trained modelling experts who can guide your design through the challenges that is the Passivhaus standard.

Most projects are not taken through to full certification, but we are happy to work with people to whatever level of performance and certification that they want to adopt on their project.

The AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) Building Standards aim to create high performing buildings.

Our Passivhaus trained modellers lead our approach to the delivery of these standards and are more than happy to discuss whether these standards could be applied to your projects.

As Fitwell Ambassadors, we can guide clients through this formal accreditation scheme.  The scheme’s aim is to provide building occupants with a healthier environment through improving design choices and intelligent decision making to improve operational performance. 

Coming into effect in June 2022, Part O of the Building Regulations effectively defines acceptable ways to show that a building is achieving adequate levels of comfort, predominantly through openings in the façade.

We can help teams to calculate if the target performance levels have been achieved in their design and if not, what could the done to achieve compliance. If necessary, we can also undertake CIBSE TM59 modelling that is called for if openings along are not sufficient.

We use IES VE software to model the impact of daylight and sunlight on occupied spaces in a building. These are based on dynamic simulation calculations that mimic the movement of the sun throughout the year to identify how this will affect the occupant’s experience of natural light.

We have the engineering knowledge needed to undertake heating and cooling calculations to assist with the sizing of equipment for building services designs. We use CIBSE complaint software but can also use bespoke calculation methodologies where a standard “steady-state” calculations may not give the designer the answers they need.

Building need to achieve minimum water use standards. We can help you calculate if your selection of fittings is achieving the correct level of performance for Building Regulations Part G.

If you have a multi-unit domestic development, we can help you to target and achieve PAS 2035 standard. It’s a standard associated with the retrofitting of existing houses and flat to achieve exemplar energy performance.