The Requirements Brief

A Requirements Brief is key occupier document that captures all desired sustainability principles and design requirements of a fit-out. It should seek to cover the whole project life-cycle and be developed as early as possible. It serves as reference document at key project stages and will evolve to become more refined and detailed through the course of the fit-out project.

A clear, concise requirements brief, that develops over time can:

Provide a simple set of requirements to inform an occupier’s Search for Space and Engagement & Agreement with owners and letting agents.
Be used as a primer to support Project Team Procurement & Set-up, before being used as a core document in the briefing of the selected team.
Help build a foundation for design and specification documents.
Ensure that Design Review and Construction delivery meet the occupier’s and owner’s requirements.
Support a smooth Commissioning and Handover by allocating appropriate resource to those phases.

To support the development of a Requirements Brief, a Requirements Brief Framework is included to guide occupiers through this process of identifying and recording sustainability design principles.

The table below is a summary of the Requirements Brief Framework providing principles for considerations structured around a set of sustainability related aspects.

Requirements Brief Framework Summary

1. Fit-out Rating Tools

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Select an appropriate fit-out rating tool.

See Fit-out Rating Tools.

2. Layout & Space Planning

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Create Spaces that Support Different Working Needs
Design for a Healthy & Active Workforce
Co-ordinate Layout, Fenestration & HVAC Design
Build in Adaptability

See Layout & Space Planning.

3. Lighting

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Design for Different Functional Spaces
Design for Productivity
Design to Maximise Daylight
Design to Reduce Glare
Design for Energy Efficiency
Design Appropriate Lighting Zones & Controls

4. Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning

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Assess the Base-Build Specification.
Undertake a Thermal Comfort Assessment.
Consider Natural Ventilation & Mix-Mode Strategies.
Choose Efficient Equipment.
Select Appropriate Controls.
Ensure HVAC Design Meets Indoor Environmental Quality Requirements.

See HVAC.

5. Green Infrastructure

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Select Space with Green Infrastructure.
Review Opportunities to Improve Site Ecology.
Enhance Internal Green Infrastructure & Biodiversity.

See Green Infrastructure.

6. Materials

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Review Opportunities to Reuse Materials.
Base Procurement Decisions on Lifecycle Costs & Impacts.
Prioritise Materials with Low Environmental Impacts.
Specify Materials with Low/No Pollutant Levels.
Review Suppliers Responsible Sourcing Policies.
Prefer Locally Sourced Material & Services.
Embed Principles in a Procurement Plan.

7. Furniture

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Undertake a Utilisation Assessment.
Select Furniture to Complement Layout & Agile Working.
Review Opportunities to Reuse Furniture.
Base Procurement Decisions on Lifecycle Costs & Impacts.
Prioritise Furniture with Low Environmental Impacts.
Select Furniture that Supports Employee Wellbeing.
Review Suppliers Responsible Sourcing Policies.
Prefer Locally Sourced Product & Suppliers.
Develop an Operational Strategy.

8. Metering & Monitoring

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Develop a Metering & Monitoring Strategy.
Assess Base-Build Metering & Monitoring.
Select ECA Eligible Equipment.
Design for Commissioning & On-going Maintenance.

See Metering & Monitoring.

9. Small Power Electrical Equipment

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Assess Potential Power Use to Help Inform Design.
Base Procurement Decisions on Lifecycle Costs & Impacts.
Choose Energy Efficient Equipment.

See Small Power Electrical Equipment.

10. Water

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Determine Water Metering Requirements.
Develop a Water Quality Strategy.
Reduce Water Leakage Risks.
Specify Water Efficient Sanitary Fittings.
Explore Rainwater Harvesting & Greywater Recycling.

See Water.

11. Waste - Construction

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Design for Re-use & Recovery.
Design for Off-site Construction.
Design for Materials Optimisation.
Design for Deconstruction & Flexibility.
Set Waste Management Targets.
Use a Site Waste Management Plan.
Embed Requirements in Contractor Scope of Works.

See Waste - Construction

12. Waste - Operations

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Review Existing Waste Management Regimes.
Set an Operational Waste Management Strategy.
Define Appropriate ‘Back-of-House’ Requirements.
Define Appropriate ‘Front-of-House’ Requirements.
Embed Responsible Waste Management in Service Contracts.

See Waste - Operations.

13. Transport

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Undertake a Travel Survey.
Choose a Building with Good Transport & Cycling Links.
Build Facilities for Active Commuters.
Continue Employee Engagement During Operation.