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What is BREEAM?

BREEAM, the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is the UK sustainability assessment method for buildings, developed by BRE since 1990. BREEAM provides certification across new construction, refurbishment, and in-use buildings, covering categories including energy, water, materials, waste, transport, ecology, management, health and wellbeing, pollution, and innovation. Ratings range from Pass (the minimum) through Good, Very Good, Excellent, to Outstanding (the highest). BREEAM is widely adopted in UK commercial property, with planning policy in many local authorities specifying minimum BREEAM ratings for new developments.

BREEAM is the de facto sustainability standard for UK commercial property. Understanding BREEAM matters for property developers, investors, occupiers, and asset managers, particularly given growing investor focus on green building credentials and ESG performance.

How BREEAM works

BREEAM assesses buildings against criteria in ten categories. Each criterion has credits available; the project earns credits for meeting requirements. Total credits are weighted by category and combined into a single score:

1. The project team selects the BREEAM scheme appropriate to the project (new construction, refurbishment, in-use, etc.).
2. A licensed BREEAM Assessor works with the team to identify achievable credits.
3. Credits are pursued through design, construction, and verification.
4. The Assessor submits evidence to BRE for certification.
5. BRE verifies the evidence and issues the certificate.

BREEAM is designed to be applied early in the design process to maximise credit availability. Late-stage application typically achieves lower ratings.

BREEAM rating levels

The most common UK target ratings are Very Good and Excellent. Outstanding is achieved by exemplar projects and is more demanding (and costly) than the alternatives.

BREEAM categories

The ten BREEAM assessment categories:

• Management. Project management, commissioning, handover, aftercare.
• Health and wellbeing. Indoor air quality, daylight, acoustics, thermal comfort.
• Energy. Energy efficiency, low carbon design, energy monitoring, lifts.
• Transport. Public transport access, cyclist facilities, EV charging.
• Water. Water consumption, water monitoring, leak detection.
• Materials. Responsible sourcing, environmental product declarations, robustness.
• Waste. Construction waste, operational waste, adaptability.
• Land use and ecology. Site selection, ecological value, biodiversity enhancement.
• Pollution. Refrigerant impact, NOx emissions, surface water runoff, noise, light pollution.
• Innovation. Exemplary performance and innovative approaches earning additional credits.

BREEAM schemes

Distinct BREEAM schemes cover different building lifecycle stages:

• BREEAM New Construction. For new buildings.
• BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-Out. For refurbishment or fit-out of existing buildings.
• BREEAM In-Use. For existing buildings in operation; covers asset performance, management, and occupier behaviour.
• BREEAM Communities. For master-planning and large-scale developments.
• BREEAM Infrastructure. For infrastructure projects (rail, road, energy, etc.).

Each scheme has its own assessment manual and credit structure tailored to the building lifecycle stage.

BREEAM assessment process

Typical timeline:

1. Pre-assessment. Early-stage feasibility identifying achievable credits and target rating.
2. Design stage assessment. Interim certification confirming design meets target.
3. Post-construction assessment. Final certification after completion confirming as-built meets target.
4. In-use assessment (optional). Ongoing assessment of operational performance.

Working with the BREEAM Assessor from concept design through to handover gives the best chance of achieving the target rating cost-effectively.

BREEAM vs LEED

BREEAM FAQs