How does Rockpanel perform in the BREEAM scheme?

The BREEAM scheme remains primarily focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability, but this is closely followed by social dynamics. After all, a beautiful building can really upgrade a deprived neighbourhood. The BREEAM certification looks both at how sustainable a building design is and at the environmental impact of products in buildings.

For certification purposes, elements like resource consumption, environmental impact and health benefits are dominant factors. You can gain credits in different categories.

There are several versions of the BREEAM. The scheme can be adapted by National Scheme Operators (NSO) and is used in more than 70 countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Spain, but there is also an BREEAM International New Construction (NC) scheme which can be used when there is no NSO.

One way to demonstrate compliance to BREEAM schemes is the use of ‘Environmental Profiles’. In all of them, the impact of a construction element with a Rockpanel board is calculated and compared to similar elements. This is done on so-called environmental indicators, which include climate change, water extraction, stratospheric ozone depletion and eutrophication. There are 13 indicators in total.

The score on each indicator is combined and added up to an Ecopoint score (the Ecopoint score is relative to the impact of an EU citizen in one year), which is then compared to similar construction elements. In Rockpanel’s case, that would be other types of facade panels. The products are then rated on a scale from best (A+) to worst (E). Manufacturers can always apply for recertification, which means a rating can change.