Building a better world

Green Print

BRE's GreenPrint methodology has been developed to assist design teams in delivering masterplans that maximise the potential for sustainable communities. It can be applied to a wide range of development types ranging from urban extensions to business parks.

As every site is unique, each project requires a unique assessment in order to maximise its sustainability potential. The GreenPrint methodology provides such an assessment, which is designed in consultation with the client and key stakeholders. This may include the masterplanners, detailed design team and developer, as well as the planning authority and other statutory bodies.

The Green Print framework covers eight key areas which impact on sustainability:

  • Climate change - Ensures developments mitigate, and are appropriately adapted to, present and future climate change impacts.
  • Resources - Promotes the sustainable use of resources including water, materials and waste, both in construction and operation.
  • Transport - Ensures transport hierarchy issues are fully addressed and catered for within the development.
  • Ecology - Ensures the ecological value of the site is conserved and enhanced.
  • Business - Ensures that the development contributes to the sustainable economic vitality of the local area and region.
  • Community - Ensures the development supports a vibrant, diverse and inclusive community that integrates with surrounding communities.
  • Placemaking - Ensures the design process, layout structure and form provide a development that is appropriate to the local context.
  • Buildings - Ensures that the design of individual buildings does not undermine the sustainability of the overall development.

The GreenPrint compliments BREEAM methodologies and other industry recognised tools and standards.

The benefits of GreenPrint

  • Reduces reworking by helping design teams to work collaboratively and understand sustainability objectives and cross-cutting issues at the start of projects.
  • Prioritises those sustainability issues that are most important to the site.
  • Provides a comprehensive framework and language that is invaluable in communicating the sustainability credentials of a development to key stakeholders.
  • Takes account of a site's strengths and weaknesses and is adaptable to local priorities, policies and targets.
  • Focuses on issues that a developer can influence and does not stifle creativity.
  • GreenPrint is an iterative process whereby facilitated workshops allow the design team to fully appreciate the potential for the site and maximise the GreenPrint rating achieved.
  • Throughout the process, consultancy support from BRE Group is available if required.
  • GreenPrint can be tailored to apply to any stage of the design and construction process.

"As there is such a complex and sometimes contradictory set of equations that inform the sustainable profile of a place, to have a rigorous and clearly structured matrix that evaluates the implied outcome is vital. The GreenPrint process provides this tool, but goes further in that it properly weights the varying approaches from the most strategic to the most detailed.

The GreenPrint process has helped steer the development of strategy at Sherford, has acted as a great benchmarking tool and thereby enhanced comparative evaluation.  We would recommend that all developers submit themselves to the process as an innately good disciple to inform good design and planning." James Koe, Red Tree LLP

" I am delighted that Shannon Free Zone will have the first GreenPrint Master Plan for a business park. The Master Plan will provide the framework for the sustainability of Shannon Free Zone and hence its long-term competitiveness.

BRE's GreenPrint process has been invaluable in providing a structured framework for comprehensively integrating sustainability considerations into all stages of the Master Plan process. It is particularly important that sustainability is an integral part of the design process (not an add-on) and  I congratulate BRE on their professionalism and expertise in this regard" Michael Leydon, Shannon Development

"The GreenPrint documentation prepared by the BRE has enabled Explore Investments to clearly articulate to the Design Team the sustainability aspirations of the Napier Park Project" George Graham, Explore Investments