What Is BESS and How Can It Benefit Your Projects?

The Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS) is an assessment tool created by Victorian local governments through CASBE (Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment). It evaluates Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) at the planning permit stage for residential, non-residential, and mixed-use projects. By measuring energy efficiency, indoor environment quality (IEQ), and more, BESS ensures your proposed development meets sustainability requirements while helping developers, architects and building designers and refine design at the planning phase.
BESS aligns with SDAPP (Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process) to demonstrate 'best practice' across categories:
  • Indoor Environment Quality
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Water Efficiency
  • Stormwater Management
  • Transport
  • Waste
  • Urban Ecology
  • Management

How BESS Works

BESS provides overall scores comparing project performance against set benchmarks:
  • 50% = Best Practice
  • 70% = Excellence
Some mandatory categories require specific pass marks:
  • Water: 50%
  • Energy: 50%
  • Stormwater: 100%
  • Indoor Environment Quality: 50%
This structure focuses on essential areas such as thermal comfort and stormwater, giving projects flexibility in others like Transport and Waste.

Key Benefits of BESS

1. Economical Pathway

  • BESS is free and often more cost-effective than certifications like Green Star.

2. Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment

  • Covers energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reductions, water management, and IEQ, ensuring robust environmental performance.

3. Immediate Feedback

  • Early design insights let teams fine-tune their new building or alteration to achieve a higher overall BESS score.

4. Tool Integration

  • Works with NatHERS, STORM, and other sustainability assessment tools, enhancing management plans and ESD reports.

5. Council Alignment

  • BESS is designed to streamline planning permit application processes and meet council policies for sustainable design.

How ESD Consultants Assist Architects and Developers Using BESS

1. Early Design Collaboration

  • Consultants integrate sustainable design from the start, reducing costly adjustments later.

2. Optimised Design for Compliance

  • They ensure your BESS assessment covers critical areas like energy efficiency and stormwater, simplifying planning permit approvals.

3. Expertise in Tool Integration

  • By combining BESS with tools like NatHERS, they provide deeper insights into ventilation and other IEQ factors.

4. Tailored Recommendations

  • Advice is shaped around budgets, council standards, and design assessment in the planning context.

5. Sustainability Advocacy

  • Consultants guide planning permit applicants through the process, helping secure an ESD-focused, environmentally sustainable outcome.
By using BESS effectively, you can demonstrate sustainable design and reduce the impact of your project on the environment. SUHO offers ESD assessment services, ensuring your development meets BESS benchmarks and aligns with long-term sustainability goals—all while keeping the planning permit process straightforward.

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