LUE03 - Ecology report, what does this subsection of the BREEAM certification require?

What are the characteristics of the LUE03 - Ecology report subsection?

LUE03 - Ecology report is the third of the 5 subsections that make up the environmental category Land Use and Ecology. This subsection is associated with up to a maximum of 4 credits and falls under the Management performance assessment.

LUE03 - Ecology report is the document that identifies the existing ecological value of the site to allow for the mitigation and management of possible negative effects of the asset on biodiversity and supports overall ecological improvements. The aim of this subsection is to encourage companies to establish the ecological value of their assets and to improve that value based on the recommendations of a qualified ecologist (SQE).

The question for this subsection is: “Has an ecological assessment with a related report been performed in the last 3 years?”. Depending on the type of response, between 0 and a maximum of 4 credits can be obtained.

What are the evaluation criteria for the LUE03 - Ecology report subsection?

The evaluation criteria (assessment criteria) for the LUE03 - Ecology report section are as follows:

1- Protection of existing ecological value: before planning any intervention for biodiversity regeneration, any existing ecological value must be protected and maintained in line with SQE recommendations and the mitigation hierarchy.

2- Independence of the SQE: the SQE should be independent of the organization.

3- Off-site improvements: if there are no ecological features on-site, or if the asset does not have an area outside to regenerate, credits can be obtained for increasing the ecological value of an area within 2 km of the asset, in line with the recommendations and guidance of the SQE. The ecological features must be uniquely associated with the assessed asset to avoid double counting.

The qualified ecologist is responsible for the investigation to determine the ecological baseline of the asset site, including:

• Current and potential ecological value and condition of the site and related areas within the influence zone.
• Direct and indirect risks to the current ecological value from the asset.
• Capacity and feasibility for improving the ecological value of the site and, where applicable, of the areas within the influence zone.

Once the ecological baseline is established, it should be used to determine the minor and major recommendations of the SQE for the protection and improvement of the asset and its site.

The support of XNatura in obtaining a good score

Thanks to our monitoring platform and our team of Nature Experts, we can fully respond to the LUE03 - Ecology report subsection.

Indeed, while on one hand the platform provides us with the essential KPIs for a good assessment of the environmental status of the asset, our Nature Experts interpret the data, conduct field analyses, and write the ecological report. Thanks to their expertise and with the support of the XNatura platform, our Nature Experts assess aspects such as:

• Determination of the influence zone of the site, including nearby land and habitats.
• Current flora, fauna (including permanent and transient species), and habitat characteristics.
• Extent, quality, connectivity, and fragmentation of the habitat.
• Current value and condition of the site and the influence zone in terms of characteristics (habitat, species, food sources, and connectivity) and broader biodiversity benefits and ecosystem services.
• Direct and indirect risks to the current ecological value.
• Capacity and feasibility for improving ecological value.
• Potential for habitat restoration and creation.
• Impact of current asset management practices and potential future developments.
• Recent and historical site conditions.
• Existing ecological initiatives on the site.