An introduction to BREEAM

1 Introduction
2 Assessments
3 Updates
4 BREEAM USA
5 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Introduction

BREEAM is the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Environmental Assessment Method, first launched in the UK in 1990. It sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings through design, specification, construction and operation.

BREEAM sets benchmarks for standard categories of development (such as offices, retail developments, education buildings and healthcare buildings) and offers a bespoke scheme for non-standard buildings. It can be applied to new developments or refurbishment projects, and international schemes exist for projects outside of the UK.

It allows clients, project teams and facilities managers to be certain that the required standard of environmental best practice is being adopted on their project. It can also be used as a marketing tool for potential purchasers or tenants.

Some clients may require the use of BREEAM.

The government’s Common Minimum Standards referred to in the Government Construction Strategy require that an environmental assessment is carried out on all public projects, and states that; '…where BREEAM is used, all new projects are to achieve an “excellent” rating….where an alternative environmental assessment methodology is used, projects should seek to achieve equivalent ratings.'

In addition, local planning authorities may require BREEAM certification (or equivalent) either as part of a local plan, or as a planning condition imposed on developments. This kind of requirement is likely to become more common given the presumption in favour of sustainability in the National Planning Policy Framework.

[edit] Assessments

BREEAM assessments are carried out by trained assessors based on a scoring system with nine criteria:

Each of the criteria is scored and then multiplied by a weighting. There are minimum thresholds that must be achieved, and additions can be made for specific innovations. The resulting overall score is translated into one of the BREEAM ratings; unclassified, pass, good, very good, excellent or outstanding.

Two stages of assessment and certification are typically carried out:

A design stage assessment resulting in an interim certificate being issued (This stage is optional)
A post-construction assessment resulting in a final certificate being issued and a rating awarded.

There is also an optional pre-assessment stage, which can help designers understand aspects of their proposals that need to be improved to achieve the desired rating. In addition, there is a BREEAM In-Use scheme which allows an action plan to be produced to improve the management and performance both of the building in use and of client activities within the completed building.

Whilst BREEAM dominates the UK market, alternative methods of environmental assessment include; Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the USA, Greenstar in Australia, HQE in France and CASBEE in Japan. For more information see: Green rating systems.

[edit] Updates

1990 - The first BREEAM version for assessing new offices; established with the weighting of sustainability issues.

1998 - Scheme revamped office standard; restructured scheme layout, weights, and criteria.

2008 - Launch of BREEAM Europe (New Construction assessments) scheme.

2011 - BREEAM for new construction, (major reorganisation) a consolidated UK scheme for all new buildings; reclassified issues and criteria to streamline assessments.Introduction of "BREEAM International Bespoke".

2012 - New BREEAM scheme for domestic refurbishment introduced. As previous scheme it allows domestic refurbishments to be assessed and rated on a range from pass to outstanding.

2014 - BREEAM scheme for non-domestic refurbishment and fit-out introduced in the UK, updated manuals, and BREEAM UK New Construction updated.

2015 - June BREEAM scheme for non-domestic refurbishment and fit-out becomes international, with updated technical manuals, expanded building types; better clarity and more detailed criteria for sustainability issues. In November 2015, BRE announced their acquisition of CEEQUAL to enable the development of a new sustainability rating scheme for civil engineering and infrastructure projects. Prompted by need single sustainability rating scheme to deliver more sustainable and resilient infrastructure on the part of clients and contractors. For more information see BREEAM and CEEQUAL.

2018 - Further development of criteria, more stringent energy / environmental benchmarks, updated indoor environment and material sourcing requirements.

BREEAM UK New Construction Version 6 (UK NC V6)

2022 - BREEAM UK New Construction Version 6 (UK NC V6) updates to align with England’s Building Regulations (Part L 2021); changes to energy/carbon emissions (Ene 01) and indoor air quality (Hea 02) issues; enables registration under V6 for buildings complying with newer regs.

2023 - BREEAM UK New Construction Version 6.1 (UK NC V6.1). Minor update extending V6 changes to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; adjustments in energy performance calculations, updated translator curves.

2025 - BREEAM New Construction Version 7 (V7). Published in July, mandatory update from 30 September 2025 for al new registrations under UK New Construction. A major overhaul with stronger emphasis on whole-life carbon, updated energy/carbon science, predictive energy modelling, new minimum standards, alignment with EU Taxonomy; greater consistency across UK and International versions; updated rating boundaries; more stringent health, air quality, ecology, pollution & refrigerant requirements. See also 35 Years of BREEAM and latest V7 mandatory update.

[edit] BREEAM USA

On 9 June 2016, BRE announced the further expansion of BREEAM in partnership with BuildingWise, the award-winning US-based LEED certification consultancy, to create BREEAM USA.

There are currently 5.6 million commercial buildings in the US that are not benchmarking their sustainability efforts using a scientifically-based green building certification. The collaboration provides BRE with a platform on which to further develop BREEAM in the USA, where the focus will be on the BREEAM In-Use standard.

Gavin Dunn, Global Director of BREEAM, said: “BREEAM has massive potential in the USA – many of their existing buildings are not equipped for the future and underperform against their potential, wasting resources and unnecessarily impacting the environment. BREEAM USA will help us to address this. It also demonstrates the global value of BREEAM, which is further reinforced with the recent opening of our offices in China and Dubai.”