news from BRE

published: 31/8/2012

Diligentia pilots new BREEAM Communities certification scheme at Sundbyberg

Recent development has made significant inroads toward achieving sustainable buildings. But the space around those buildings that makes a community has been largely ignored. Working with BRE Global, Stockholm-based developer Diligentia will use the new BREEAM Communities 2012 to improve the sustainability of new communities.

Diligentia will use BREEAM Communities on“Kabeln” (The Cable), a 6.3 hectare mixed-use development encompassing offices, retail space and residential dwellings in Sundbyberg.

Helen Pineo, BREEAM Communities Manager, says: “This is Diligentia’s second masterplan to undertake certification under this scheme. BREEAM Communities is becoming an increasingly powerful assessment method worldwide, giving the developer and local planning authorities confidence that they are designing and constructing sustainably. This is important for the communities who will live in new developments and reap the benefits of a well designed neighbourhood.”

Anna Barosen, BREEAM Communities project leader for Diligentia, says: “BREEAM Communities certification provides us with an ideal opportunity to not only review, but also ensure we are using international best practise in the design of our communities in Sweden. For us (Diligentia), BREEAM Communities standard for both our Masthusen and Sundbyberg projects provides the ability to assess a wide range of sustainability issues within the same project. I would recommend all developments undergo such a process.”

Diligentia plan to develop the site over the next 10 years to become “a dynamic neighbourhood in the future of Sundbyberg, a place of inspiration and new thinking.” The goal is to develop Kabeln and its surrounding area into a modern and active neighbourhood with a mix of jobs, housing and local services. BREEAM Communities will be used to ensure the area achieves its goals to be “alive both day and night, feel safe, accessible and welcoming” in a sustainable way.

This will be an integral part of Sundbyberg’s city centre whilst maintaining its own strong identity that emphasises its cultural history. The site has been an industrial area since 1897, starting as a horseshoe nail factory and later becoming a cable factory. Diligentia purchased the factory buildings in 1982 and converted them into offices and light industrial buildings to meet the changing needs of businesses in the area.

To reflect the history of the site in the new development, new buildings will be constructed in the same form as the existing buildings, using clean and simple materials such as red brick, glass and concrete. Touches of modern design will be added to give the developments a modern feel. BRE Global will be monitoring the project and producing case study material on the BREEAM website.

ENDS

For more information on BREEAM Communities go to www.breeam.org/communities

Press enquiries: SIMON GUY, +44(0)1923 664305, guys@bre.co.uk. 

Notes for Editors

1. BREEAM is an internationally recognised measure of a building’s sustainability. Some 245,000 buildings have been BREEAM certified and 950,000 registered for certification – many in the UK with smaller but increasing numbers in more than 50 other countries. Highly flexible, the BREEAM standard can be applied to a very wide range of building types and locations, with versions for new buildings, existing buildings, refurbishment projects and large developments. They are independently assessed – by licensed assessors – for their performance in energy and water use, health and well-being, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management. BREEAM is based on the latest scientific knowledge and is regularly updated in line with new developments, evolving legislation and feedback from users. The current standard was launched by BRE Global in 2011 and the next update is due in 2013. www.breeam.org
2. An updated and restructured BREEAM Communities 2012 scheme has been developed to help developers, consultants and local authorities to achieve sustainability goals, cut costs and meet planning requirements.  It has now been comprehensively updated to take account of the recent changes to the UK planning system, the latest research and best practice, and feedback from users and focus groups. www.breeam.org/communities
3. BRE Global Ltd (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’s mission is to ‘Protect People, Property and the Planet’. It is part of the BRE Group under the BRE Trust, a registered research and education charity. For further information please contact Tel: +44 (0)1923 664100, Fax: +44 (0)1923 664910, Email: enquiries@breglobal.com or visit www.breglobal.com.