Project management online aids BREEAM
GWP Project Services has successfully used the online project-management tool IES TaP on a number of BREEAM 2008 and 2011 projects. They include the BREEAM 2008 bespoke assessment of the new visitor centre and distillery for Bombay Sapphire Gin, the BREEAM 2011 assessment of the National Horseracing Museum and the BREEAM 2011 student residential scheme for Cumbria University.
IES Tap was launched in March 2012 as an online project tracing tool for BREEAM and the Code for Sustainable Homes. The original TaP tool was launched in October 2010, and GWP has been using this system since March 2012.
TaP makes it clear exactly which parts of a project each individual is responsible for delivering, and the system can automatically issue reminders to people who are late filing important evidence — saving their assessors from chasing exercises.
Barry Rankin, director of GWP Project Services, explains, ‘Our clients want to create sustainable buildings with low running costs. However, the amount they have to invest in the construction remains the same. Anyone can achieve a high BREEAM rating if they throw enough money at it. Our challenge is to help clients achieve a high sustainability rating within budget.’
He adds, ‘To be really cost effective, green features need to be built in from the outset. We wanted to enable our BREEAM assessor to quickly establish and communicate to the entire design team exactly where the build was in terms of compliance from the outset.
‘The system’s transparency means everyone knows who’s due to do what, giving people a real incentive to respect deadlines. Assessments are at less risk of over-run, and problems can be identified and addressed early on to achieve the highest ratings.’
