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BREEAM Version 7 brings significant changes to pollution credits, with stricter minimum standards, enhanced flood resilience requirements, and a complete ban on fossil fuel combustion for Outstanding ratings. Understanding these changes is essential for projects starting in 2025 and beyond. This comprehensive guide explains every pollution credit update and what it means for your development.

Pol 01 addresses the global warming impact of refrigerants used in cooling, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Whilst these systems are essential for modern buildings, the refrigerants they contain can have global warming potentials thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide if released to atmosphere. BREEAM Pol 01 rewards developments that minimise this impact through careful refrigerant selection and leak prevention. This credit applies only to buildings with

Complete guide to BREEAM Pol 02 air quality credits: NOx emission thresholds, heating system specifications, achieving up to 3 credits through low-emission design in UK New Construction 2018.

Pol 03 represents one of the most significant credit opportunities in BREEAM's Pollution category, offering up to 5 credits plus 1 exemplary for developments that demonstrate proper flood risk management and sustainable surface water control. For projects on constrained urban sites or in flood-prone locations, these credits often determine whether you achieve Good or Very Good ratings. This credit appears across BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 schemes and rewards three disti

What actually happens during a flood risk assessment? Beyond identifying flood zones, professional consultants analyse water depth, flow velocity, debris impact and flood duration from rivers, surface water, groundwater and sewers. We use LiDAR data and hydraulic modelling to map exactly where water will flow during extreme events. For developments in Flood Zones 2 or 3, FRA is legally required for planning permission. Even properties in Flood Zone 1 benefit from professional

There's a quiet revolution happening in how we think about new developments. For years, the bar was set at "do no harm" – don't make air quality worse than it already is. But increasingly, particularly in London, planners are asking a more ambitious question: can new development actually improve the air we breathe? That's the thinking behind Air Quality Positive design, and it's changing how architects, developers, and engineers approach large-scale projects. What Does Air Qu

When you've lived through a flood, you never forget it. The smell of damp that lingers for months, the endless phone calls with insurance companies, the sight of your belongings piled on the pavement. But what if there was a way to bounce back faster – or even stop some of that damage happening in the first place? That's where property flood resilience comes in. Understanding Property Flood Resilience Property flood resilience (often shortened to PFR) refers to the modificati

If you're planning construction, demolition, or major earthworks, you've probably been told you need an Air Quality Dust Risk Assessment. Commonly referred to as an AQDRA, this document has become a standard requirement for most development sites across the UK – and for good reason. Construction dust isn't just a nuisance; it affects public health, damages property, and can cause serious ecological harm if not properly controlled. Getting the AQDRA right matters. A poor asse

If you're planning development in London, you've probably encountered the term "air quality neutral" and wondered what it actually involves. The short answer? Every development in Greater London now needs to demonstrate it won't make air pollution worse. The slightly longer answer is that getting this wrong can derail your planning application, so it's worth understanding what's required. Air quality neutral is a London Plan policy designed to prevent the incremental worsenin

If you've recently been told your development needs "SuDS", you're probably wondering what on earth that means and why nobody can just use normal drainage anymore. Fair question. The answer's actually more straightforward than you'd think, though getting it right takes a bit more effort than just connecting to the nearest sewer. SuDS stands for Sustainable Drainage Systems – essentially a way of managing rainwater that works with nature rather than fighting against it. And wh

Let's be honest – nobody wakes up excited about flood risk assessments. But if you're buying a property, planning a development, or your architect's just mentioned something about "fluvial flooding", you're probably realising this isn't something you can ignore. The question isn't really whether flood risk matters. It's whether you need a flood risk consultant to help you deal with it, or if there's a simpler route. Here's what you need to know. What Does a Flood Risk Consult

If you're managing a construction project, planning a new development, or trying to get your head around local air quality regulations, you've probably wondered whether bringing in air quality consultants is really necessary. The short answer? It depends on what you're trying to achieve and how much risk you're willing to take on. Here's the thing: air quality assessment isn't something you can wing. Get it wrong and you're looking at planning delays, enforcement action, or