1. What is BREEAM?
The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) sets the
standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation and has
become one of the most comprehensive and widely-recognised measures of a building's
environmental performance.
BREEAM is the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for
buildings, with over 300,000 buildings with certified BREEAM assessment ratings and over a
million registered for assessment since it was first launched in 1990.
BREEAM works to raise awareness amongst owners, occupiers, designers and operators of
the benefits of taking a sustainable approach. It helps them to successfully and cost
effectively adopt sustainable
Aims of BREEAM:
To mitigate the life cycle impacts of buildings on the environment
To stimulate demand for sustainable buildings
Improve efficiencies at no or low cost
Provides a credible, environmental label for buildings
Scheme has captured the benefits and best practice from the construction industry-
Building experts
‘If you don’t measure you cannot manage’ - goes above and beyond Building
Regulations
solutions, and provides market recognition of their achievements.
Criteria for BREEAM:
BREEAM sets benchmarks for standard categories of development (such as offices, retail
developments, educational buildings and healthcare buildings) and offers a bespoke scheme
for non-standard buildings. It can be applied to new developments or refurbishment
projects. International schemes also exist for projects outside of the UK.
Assessments are carried out by trained assessors. BREEAM assessments are based on a
scoring system carried out against nine criteria:
Energy
Land use and ecology
Water
Health and well-being
EDUCATIONAL SHEET
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
(BREEAM)
2. Pollution
Transport
Materials
Waste
Management
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 the BREEAM rating.
BREEAM ratings include; unclassified, pass, good, very good, excellent and outstanding.
How does BREEAM work?:
Two stages of assessment and certification are carried out; a design stage assessment
resulting in an interim certificate being issued and a post construction assessment resulting
in a final certificate being issued and a rating awarded. There can also be an optional pre-
assessment report, which can help designers understand where the design needs 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 activities within the completed building.
Why Choose BREEAM?:
By setting sustainability benchmarks and targets that continue to stay ahead of
regulatory requirements – and by encouraging the use of innovative means of
achieving these targets – BREEAM drives greater sustainability and innovation in the
built environment
Requirement of many funding bodies
Allows organisations to demonstrate progress towards corporate environmental
objectives
Help with Life Cycle Analysis of materials and buildings
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.
