How it works

Building with Nature (BwN) is a voluntary approach that enables developers and other built environment professionals to go beyond the statutory requirements to deliver more for people and wildlife.

The BwN Standards are free to use and provide industry with a benchmark, underpinned by a set of quality standards and ‘how-to’ guidance, to meet the challenges of the climate, ecological and health emergencies.

You can use BwN Standards for every type and scale of development across the UK. The benchmark is equally applicable across residential, commercial, and community infrastructure development; and is designed to support the quality of green infrastructure in projects of all sizes, from infill development, up to new settlements.

A BwN Award can provide your scheme with formal recognition of meeting the BwN Standards, an external verification of quality that can reassure a wide set of stakeholders that you are committed to the design and delivery of high-quality green infrastructure, at both pre- and post-construction stages. There are two types of BwN Award for physical development:

  • BwN Design Award is used to accredit projects at an early stage of design, for example an outline planning application in larger schemes

  • BwN Full Award is used to accredit projects at a more detailed stage of design and includes a post-construction check.

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How to start

Download and use the Standards

If you want to create a high-quality place for people and wildlife, for the best results, we recommend using the BwN Standards as early in the design process as possible. The first step is to download a copy of the BwN Standards Framework. Use the Standards to reflect on the task you are undertaking, including purchasing or assembling land for development, master-planning, detailed design, implementation, or management and maintenance of green infrastructure.

Apply for an Award

If you decide you would like to apply for a BwN Award, to prove that your design and built out schemes meet our benchmark for high-quality green infrastructure, the next step is to talk to a BwN Approved Assessor. You can select an Assessor from our UK-wide Approved Assessor network - Find an Assessor, or utilise our Approved Assessor training to develop in-house Building with Nature expertise.

BwN Approved Assessors will be able to advise you on the eligibility of your project for a BwN Award and offer an Initial Review product to determine the best way forward. Suitable projects will then proceed by engaging an Approved Assessor, registering the project with BwN, and starting their two-stage Accreditation journey which includes 1) Assessment - managed directly by the BwN Approved Assessor, and 2) Audit- managed centrally by the BwN Audit team.

Benefits of using BwN

BwN has been used on development the length and breadth of the UK, and the benefits of using the BwN Standards and achieving a BwN Award include:

·       Reducing planning uncertainty

·       Providing a robust set of holistic design principles

·       Delivering corporate environmental and social responsibility

·       Supporting comms, marketing and sales

You can read more about how BwN offers these benefits by downloading a copy of ‘BwN Accreditation: Benefits for Developers’