Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM): BREEAM: The global benchmark for sustainable and resilient buildings

What’s Required

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the world’s oldest green building certification system, created by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in the United Kingdom in 1990.
It provides a voluntary framework for assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability performance of buildings and infrastructure projects.

BREEAM evaluates projects on environmental, social, and economic sustainability across their entire life cycle — from design and construction to operation and refurbishment.

Key Requirements:

• Assessment carried out by licensed BREEAM Assessors or Accredited Professionals (APs).

• Projects are rated across categories such as:

  • Energy efficiency and carbon reduction.

  • Health & Wellbeing: indoor air quality, comfort, daylight.

  • Water: consumption and reuse.

  • Materials: responsible sourcing and life-cycle impacts.

  • Waste, Pollution, Land Use & Ecology, Management, and Transport.

• Each category earns credits that determine the final rating:
  Pass (≥30%), Good (≥45%), Very Good (≥55%), Excellent (≥70%), or Outstanding (≥85%).

• Certification is granted by BRE Global Ltd, based on verified evidence and performance scoring.

Important Deadlines

• 1990: BREEAM was first introduced in the UK.

• 2008–2016: International versions launched for Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

• Ongoing: Updated regularly; the latest framework BREEAM v6 (2022) aligns with net-zero and climate resilience goals.

Mandatory or Exceptions

Type:

Voluntary, but mandatory or incentivized in some jurisdictions for specific project types or public developments.

Criteria:

• Voluntary:

  • Available globally to developers, architects, owners, and operators seeking to demonstrate sustainable design and operation.

  • Used for new construction, in-use, refurbishment, and community-scale developments.

• Mandatory or incentivized:

  • Required for certain UK government and public buildings.

  • Recognized as an equivalent green building certification under public procurement and funding schemes in the EU, UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Exemptions:

• Projects located outside BRE’s licensed territories must use BREEAM International or custom schemes adapted to local contexts.

• No certification required unless stipulated by local planning authorities or funding conditions.

Current Status

• Created by: Building Research Establishment (BRE), United Kingdom.

• Administered by: BRE Global Ltd (part of BRE Group).

• Legal status: Voluntary, non-governmental certification system.

• Scope: Applicable worldwide — over 94 countries use BREEAM or national equivalents.

• Objective: Drive sustainability and resilience in the built environment through measurable performance and third-party verification.

• Alignment: Supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), EU Taxonomy, and Net-Zero Carbon frameworks.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

• As a voluntary certification, BREEAM has no legal penalties for non-certification or failure to achieve a target rating.

• However, contractual or regulatory obligations may impose:

  • Loss of planning approval or public funding where BREEAM rating is required.

  • Reduced project valuation or reputational risk for failing to meet sustainability targets.

Examples of Known Violations

• No formal legal violations exist, but certification may be revoked if a project misrepresents data or fails post-construction verification.

• BRE has withdrawn certification in cases of non-compliance with documentation or audit standards.