• On page 5 of manual: The following is written: ”The Impact Area refers to the area between Site Boundary and the parallel platted line 500m away from the Site Boundary.” But in Figure 1, a distance of 500m walking distance is mentioned.  Which one is the correct, a 500m parallel line or 500m walking distance?
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• Response:
• An Impact Area refers to the area extended 500m from the Site Boundary. 

• On page 11 of manual: In example 2 the Weighted Achieved Score for CA should be 16% and the Weighted Achieved Score for SA should be 13.3 % ?
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• Response:
• There is a typo on the manual. Under example 2 on page 11, the weighted Achieved Score for CA should be 16% , while SA should be 13.2%.

• On page 43 of the manual:  Regarding the word "any”.
  "a. Neighbourhood Basic Services.

1 credit point is awarded where at least 10 different basic services are located within a 500m walking distance from a notional entrance of anymajor occupied building within the Site with availability of pedestrian access to such services from the Site.”

Does this mean that if I have 5 major occupied buildings in my site, that for each of those 5 buildings you have to prove that there are 10 different basic services within a 500 m walking distance? Or can you just pick 1 out of those 5 buildings, and that is sufficient?

Response: 

In normal circumstance, there should be one main entrance to each building and therefore, the answer to your question is "yes”, you need to demonstrate each of the 5 buildings has access to 10 different basic services within a 500m walking distance in order to achieve the relevant credits.

• On page 43 of the manual:  Regarding walking distance.
  "a. Neighbourhood Basic Services.

1 credit point is awarded where at least 10 different basic services are located within a 500m walking distance from a notional entrance of any major occupied building within the Site with availability of pedestrian access to such services from the Site.”
However in p.44 of the manual: (3^rd textblock) it is written that:

"The onus is placed on the Applicant to demonstrate the basic services, appropriate to the needs of the intended building users and immediate neighbourhood, exist within the Site or within a 500m walking distance from a notional entrance of any major occupied building within the Site.”

Which one of the two requirements for distance is correct: a 500 m walking distance .. or… within the site or within a 500m walking distance ?

Response: 

The 10 basic services located within the site or within a 500m walking distance either one can be fulfil the requirements.

• In p.44 of the manual: (4^th textblock) it is written that:

"A basic service can be counted twice for any one type of services mentioned above.”

Does this mean that I can have 5 pairs of different basic services and that is good for the credit?

Response: 

No. There can only be one type of basic service being counted twice. 

• In p.46 of the manual: Regarding a Suitably Qualified Person for Shaded or Covered routes:

Should that not be CA 3d, instead of CA 3a ?

Response: 

There is a typo in the manual. Yes, the suitably qualified person should apply to CA 3d Shaded Covered Pedestrian Routes.

The scope of BEAM Plus NBv2.0 Examination shall include the basic concept of BEAM Plus and credit-related knowledge of the Tool. Only BEAM Plus Manual will be provided as open-book materials for candidates during examination. The Project Assessment Procedures Manual may serve as a guidebook which allows BEAM practitioners to understand the assessment procedure and responsibilities for conducting a BEAM Plus assessment.

(Q) Please provide methodology on how to determine the "respective benchmark (zero-credit) criteria” for mixed-use development? For example, when office, hotel and residential components all been packed inside a high-rise tower.

(A) The methodology of the energy simulation for Baseline Building Model (zero-credit benchmark) shall make reference to the latest Building Energy Code (BEC) or Appendix G of ASHRAE 90.1-2007 or equivalent. For mixed use development, Area Weighting Method shall be applied in the assessment to cater for a mix of building types in complex premises which consists of residential, clubhouse, retail and/or car park.

(Q) In the NBv2.0 Manual, P.356, it is stating that the lighting power density for "other space" shall refer to BEC 2018 Table 5.4.  Will that table be provided during the examination?  Otherwise, based on the Manual alone it is hard to conclude the answer C "retail lighting power density of 15W/m2" is wrong.

(A) Please note that only BEAM Plus NBv2.0 Manual is provided during BEAM Pro examination, the lighting power density for retail area cannot be found as no BEC 2018 is provided.

However, referring to BEAM Plus NBv2.0 Manual Appendix 9.2 page 356 to 357, the baseline settings regarding lighting power density for residential dining room (Answer A), equipment load for office building (Answer B) and equipment load for residential unit (Answer D) could be looked up. Details please refer to the below excerpts of BEAM Plus Manual (p.356 to 357).

Referring to BEAM Plus Manual NB v.2.0 page 293, the statements A, B and C are correct.

For statement D, it is incorrect due to the riser should not be more than 150mm (instead of 1,500mm). Details please refer to the below excerpts of BEAM Plus Manual (p.293).

(Q) Referring to the manual BEAM Plus for New Buildings V1.2 MA P4 "For a domestic building or composite building on a site of an area of not more than 250 m², the provision of a refuse storage and material recovery room on every floor of a domestic building shall be exempted in BEAM Plus Assessment." While the Building (Refuse Storage and Material Recovery Chambers and Refuse Chutes) (Amendment) Regulation 2008 states that "In view of the above, the Administration has proposed in the new Regulation 3A(6)(d) of the Building (Refuse Collection and Material Recovery Chambers and Refuse Chutes) (Amendment) Regulation 2008 to exempt the mandatory provision of RCMRR for domestic and composite buildings locating on a site having an area of not more than 500 sqm."

Please clarify the figure on (250 m² or 500 m²).
 
(A) On this subject, you may wish to refer the following elaboration in the Circular letter No. 2014.124 issued on 3 December 2014. The Circular letter may be found at the link: https://www.beamsociety.org.hk/files/tech/tech-20141203162639.pdf "MA P4 Waste Recycling Facilities

i. Appreciated the difficulties in fulfilling the captioned credit for small sites, domestic building or a domestic part of a composite building with a site area of less than 500 m², the provision of refuse storage and material recovery room (RS&MRR) on every domestic floor shall be exempted from the BEAM Plus Assessment subject to TRC approval on the alternative proposal by the Applicant for the exemption.”

Hence, under the BEAM Plus New Buildings Version 1.2, the provision of RS&MRR is exempted for a domestic building or a domestic part of a composite building with a site area ≤ 250 m²;

For a domestic building or a domestic part of a composite building with a site area greater than 250 m² and less than or equal to 500 m² (i.e. 250m² < site area ≤ 500m²), the provision of RS&MR on every domestic floor shall be exempted subject to TRC approval on the alternative proposal by the Applicant.

(Q) For Extra Mock Up Question No.27 regarding accountable greenery area in SS P1, please explain why the answer is B "20m² covered greenery above the primary zone in communal area” but not A "100m² greenery on ground level without cover”. Based on NBv2.0 Manual Page 108 (part B) - 1.2, it seems the answer is covering answer B as the accountable greenery area for a 1000m² site in SS P1.

(A) Referring to BEAM Plus Manual NB v2.0 page 108 to 109 assessment criteria Section (b)1.1.3, the covered greenery areas above the primary zone in communal areas shall only be counted that they must be measured from 45^o projected line taken from the edge of building.

Since the Answer B is not specified the covered greenery whether measured from 45^o projected line taken from the edge of building, the greenery area is not accountable.
Besides, for Answer A, the greenery is not covered on ground level, it must be accountable as greenery area in SS P1.

(Q) Under Summary of credits - does the SS P1 requirement only apply to sites with site area of 1,000m² or more? What happens if the concerned site area is less than 1,000m²?

(Q) In SS 10 Thermal Sensation Index, how to get the horizontal solar radiation value?

(A) For simplicity, we should refer to the reference environmental conditions shown in the Table under SS 10 (b), 6, which makes reference to the Hong Kong Observatory data. Solar radiation value can be referred to the GHI figures in the table, i.e. 525 (W/m2).

(Q) Please clarify why statement B is incorrect and statement C is the correct.

(A) For answer B, no water detection system is required for exposed potable water tank rooms, so this statement is incorrect.

For Answer "C”, the applicability should refer to the "Extent of Application” of WU 5 Twin Tank System - All buildings and buildings with centralised/ shared tank that is outside the assessment boundary.

If the project development with a twin tank system which is a shared facility (outside the assessment boundary) with the same project owner, the potable water tank room for the twin tank system is still required to be assessed in WU 4.

Details please refer to the below excerpts of BEAM Plus Manual (p.271).