The BREEAM Home as a Nearly Zero Energy Building

The most immediate future of construction lies in sustainable homes. More than just a trend, building homes that are environmentally friendly and have low pollution is already a necessity. Starting in 2020, all new buildings in our country will have to be of Nearly Zero Energy Consumption. To achieve this, certifications for ecological homes are one of the best ways to adapt to the requirements of the nZEB (nearly Zero Emissions Buildings) regulations for nearly zero consumption. For example, the proposal of the BREEAM Home, developed under the same certification name.

BREEAM is an official certification whose acronym stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, which translates to "Environmental Assessment Methodology" from the English Building Research Establishment association. One of the main features of the certification is that, in addition to being very technical, it is also transparent and is fully adapted to Spanish, making it one of the easiest certifications to implement in Spain. It is easy to apply and does not require specialized technicians, as we have already explained about BREEAM construction.

The BREEAM Home is a proposal for a Nearly Zero Energy Building in harmony with the guidelines of the certification, which offers a housing model fully adapted to the requirements that will come into effect in 2020 for the private sector. This is contrary to conventional homes until recently:

The photo shows some of the common issues in homes built without considering basic aspects to avoid excessive consumption and comfort far from the health problems that affect many homes.

• The main health issue is poor air quality, whether due to breathing pollution from the street or also due to a stale situation known as vitiated air. Both phenomena generate problems in our rest and also situations of discomfort in the home, beyond respiratory complications. It can even be very harmful in situations with possible exposure to radon gas.
• Within the problems of a humid atmosphere, it is common to also experience complications near humid areas - such as the bathroom and kitchen - due to excess humidity, even in summer.
• Odors and possible air discomfort linger in the environment since there is no good circulation, worsening our quality of life.
• Acoustic pollution is often common in homes built without considering airtightness or noise. This also negatively influences our comfort and well-being.
• The other major problem is the difficulty of heating or cooling the rooms. If the home has not been built efficiently, it is most likely that we will rely on the use of heaters, heating systems, or air conditioning. This will lead to a very high bill each month, in addition to seriously harming the environment.

The BREEAM Home proposal solves all these problems and offers an option for Nearly Zero Energy Consumption that guarantees health, comfort, and savings at home.

What the BREEAM Home can do

In the case of the proposal offered by BREEAM to adapt to the needs of Nearly Zero Energy Building, it advocates for houses constructed in an airtight manner and with efficient mechanical ventilation. All this makes it possible to not need to spend a lot of money on utilities, pollute very little, and also improve well-being in our homes.

• The environment is healthy and the air breathed is better. This is possible thanks to double flow mechanical ventilation systems. By using these, vitiated air is extracted when necessary and fresh filtered air is introduced.
• Pollution is avoided, and comfort and well-being are enhanced. This renovated air helps combat respiratory diseases at home, but also aids better sleep and concentration.
• The BREEAM Home does not suffer from problems related to humidity or unpleasant odors. Automatic constant flow systems and ventilation act when they consider it necessary to renew the air. Everything is done automatically.
• As the home has been constructed airtight, the walls and ceilings protect against exterior noise or noise from other rooms. Similarly, as it is not necessary to open windows for ventilation, we manage to avoid external noise.
• Consumption for heating and cooling is very low, as we avoid using heating devices in most cases.

It is for all these reasons that the BREEAM Home, designed under the commitment of the certification of the same name, is a way to adapt to the Nearly Zero Energy Building, with the benefits of following the certification guidelines.