BREEAM International New Construction Version 6

[edit] Introduction

BREEAM International New Construction Version 6 (INC V6) is a performance based assessment method and certification programme for new buildings. On 1 December 2021, INC V6 was introduced. The application process for INC V6 opened on the same date. In conjunction with the announcement, an updated manual for the standard was published.

The standard helps future-proof new building developments, including the local, natural or human-made environment surrounding buildings. It is intended for use with most types of new buildings, including new homes and new-build extensions to existing buildings.

Organisations that register for INC V6 can use the standard to measure and evaluate the performance of new buildings against best practice in an independent and robust manner. This is achieved through integration and use of INC V6 by clients and their project teams at key stages in the design and construction process.

[edit] Summary of changes

Changes to INC V6 were made to the energy category; no modifications were made to other categories.

Projects assessed against INC V6 may benefit from:

• Greater support to projects on the road to net zero carbon.
• Alignment of energy outputs with EU taxonomy classification criteria.
• Recognition and encouragement of operational energy modelling.
• Updated energy performance benchmarks.
• Greater convergence with other BREEAM schemes.

[edit] Environmental targets more important than ever

INC V6 was specifically developed to mitigate the life cycle impacts of new buildings in a robust and cost effective manner.

Environmental sections and assessment issues in INC V6 include:

[edit] Transition period from 2016 to V6

BREEAM acknowledges the importance of transition time between opening INC V6 registrations on 1 December 2021 and closing the 2016 version of the programme. Therefore, registration for the previous version remained open until 14 January 2022. After this date, the only version for new registrations is INC V6.

As with any new version that is released, it will be possible to move an existing registration forward to a newer version (or newer issue of a manual), but it will not be possible to move a registration back to an earlier version.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• BREEAM.
• BREEAM and CEEQUAL.
• BREEAM In-Use Version 6 environmental standard launched by BRE.
• BREEAM Life cycle impacts
• BREEAM UK New Construction (NC) 2018.
• Life cycle assessment.

[edit] External resources

• BREEAM, International New Construction Version 6.