BRE BR389 PDF

A general guide to the principles of environmentally-friendly building and to BRE's rating scheme.

New and renovated homes are rated according to the environmental impact of building and occupying them. The categories are:

Energy: operational energy and carbon dioxide emissions

Transport: location issues related to transport

Pollution: air and water pollution (excluding carbon dioxide)

Materials: environmental implications of materials selection, recyclable materials

Water: consumption issues

Ecology and land use: ecological value of the site, greenfield and brownfield issues

Health and well-being: internal and external issues relating to health and comfort

Credits are awarded where specific performance levels are achieved in each category. Various options are available to developers to gain these credits. The number of credits available in each category does not necessarily reflect the relative importance of the issue, as the total rating is calculated according to a series of weighting factors. 23 pages