11/6/2009
Jane Davidson presents awards to the most sustainable buildings in Wales
BREEAM Awards Wales 2009 winners announced at the Greener Homes and Buildings Show in Builth Wells
Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing for the Welsh Assembly, last week presented the BREEAM Awards Wales 2009, recognising the most sustainable new buildings in Wales over the last year.
The Awards recognise and reward those involved in the design and construction of the highest scoring buildings certified under BREEAM. A BREEAM ‘Excellent' rating is a pre-qualification, so the winners truly represent Wales' top examples of sustainable design. The awards are not subjective as each development has been independently assessed and certified.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister said: "This is the second year of the BREEAM Awards Wales and I am encouraged to see the private sector taking forward the zero carbon agenda. In November 2008 we announced the UK's first green building charter and more than 52 organisations from the public and private sector have committed themselves to support progress towards a built environment that contributes low or zero net carbon emissions as quickly as practically possible. This ‘coalition of the willing' will play a major role in the development of low/zero carbon buildings ahead of the UK Government's target of achieving zero carbon new homes by 2016 and achieve a major step change in Wales by 2011."
Paul Gibbon, Director of Sustainability at BRE Global said "This year's Awards have increased in importance in light of the Welsh Assembly's recent announcement that under planning policy all new non-domestic buildings will be expected to achieve at least BREEAM Very Good from 1st September 2009. These Awards show how BREEAM is leading the drive for sustainability in the built environment in Wales."
The winners and commended buildings in the various categories of BREEAM, with some of the key features that contributed to their high BREEAM rating, are :
BREEAM Offices - Winner
Canolfan Hyddgen
- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 84.43%
- A new development for Powys County Council which houses local education and training providers and other services for the Dyfi Valley in Mid Wales
- Utilises Passivhaus principles, highly insulated and energy-efficient
- Uses renewable energy technology and locally-sourced construction materials
- A living green roof helps local ecology
BREEAM Offices - Commended
3 Assembly Square, Cardiff
- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 75.52%
- Speculative office development
- Incorporates a biomass boiler and rainwater harvesting
- A Green Transport Plan encourages use of public and shared transport
- Achieves U-values and air tightness well ahead of Building Regulations
BREEAM Industrial - Winner
Unit 8, Parc Dderwen Fawr, Llanidloes
- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 72.67%
- Situated on a former brownfield site
- Hot water generated by solar panels
- Biomass boiler
- Landscaped to match the local environment
BREEAM Bespoke - Winner
Arts Centre at Coleg Morgannwg, Nantgarw Campus, Cardiff.
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- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 74.39%
- Uses renewable energy technology
- Strong community and stakeholder consultation
- Uses Green Guide A-rated materials
- A 5-year biodiversity management plan will enhance the ecological value of the site
BREEAM Bespoke - Commended
Canolfan Gorseinon Centre, Swansea
BREEAM Courts - Winner
Aberystwyth Courthouse
- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 70.90%
- Green roof and solar water heating
- Sustainable urban drainage
- Passive solar design and shading
- Detailed consultation with local groups and future user
- Ecological value of the site enhanced
BREEAM Courts - Commended
Caernafon Criminal Justice Centre
- BREEAM Excellent-rated with a score of 70.05%
- Rainwater harvesting supplying over 50% of WC flushing demand
- Natural ventilation via windcatchers
- Good public transport links
- Ecological value of the site enhanced
Ecohomes - Winner
The Old Job Centre, Holyhead
- Ecohomes Excellent-rated with a score of 76.17%
- Solar hot water panels
- Improved ecological value of the site with nine new natural species
- High level of sound insulation
- Surface water run-off attenuated by a hydrobrake
- Rainwater recycled for toilet flushing
- Water efficient fittings
Further details on each of these buildings can be found at www.breeam.org/awards
ENDS
Press enquiries : SIMON GUY, +44(0)1923 664305, guys@bre.co.uk
Notes for Editors
1 BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is the leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings around the world, with over 110,000 buildings certified and over half a million registered. It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de-facto measure used to describe a building's environmental performance. Credits are awarded in eight categories according to performance. These credits are then added together to produce a single overall score on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding which is also reflected in a star rating from 1 to 5 stars. The operation of BREEAM is overseen by an independent Sustainability Board, representing a wide cross-section of construction industry stakeholders. http://www.breeam.org/.
2 BRE Global Limited (incorporating LPCB & BREEAM) is an independent third party approvals body offering certification of fire, security and sustainability products and services to an international market. BRE Global mission is to ‘Protect People, Property and the Planet' and is a trading subsidiary of the BRE Trust, the registered research and education charity which owns the BRE Group. For further information please contact: BRE Global, Garston, Watford, WD25 9XX, Tel: 01923 664100, Fax: 01923 664910, Email: enquiries@breglobal.com or visit http://www.breglobal.com/
3 The Welsh Assembly has announced a new planning policy that as from 1st September 2009 as a minimum all non-domestic buildings will be expected to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good' rating and housing will be expected to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. http://www.wales.gov.uk/