BREEAM Certifications
Achieve BREEAM Certification and Maximize the Sustainability Performance of Your Assets
What are the BREEAM Certifications?
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is one of the world’s leading sustainability certification systems for buildings, infrastructure projects, and masterplans.
Recognized internationally, BREEAM provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating environmental, social, and economic sustainability throughout the lifecycle of an asset.
Why Should You Opt for a BREEAM Certification?
As sustainability expectations continue to rise, achieving a BREEAM certification helps organizations demonstrate environmental leadership, improve operational efficiency, reduce resource consumption, and enhance long-term asset value.
A certified building not only supports sustainability objectives but also strengthens its appeal to investors, tenants, occupants, and other key stakeholders:
- Improve energy and water efficiency
- Reduce operational and maintenance costs
- Enhance asset value and market competitiveness
- Strengthen ESG performance and sustainability credentials
- Attract investors, tenants, and occupiers
- Improve occupant wellbeing and building performance
- Demonstrate compliance with sustainability best practices
- Future-proof assets against evolving environmental requirements
Which BREEAM Scheme is Right for Your Project?
BREEAM offers a family of schemes tailored to different stages and types of development, so every project can find the right pathway to certification.
1) BREEAM New Construction
Assesses the design, construction, and performance of new buildings, focusing on energy efficiency, water usage, material selection, and minimizing environmental impacts.2) BREEAM International New Construction
A flexible version of the New Construction scheme, adapted to local requirements for projects outside the UK.3) BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit-Out (RFO)
Applies sustainability standards to the refurbishment and interior fit-out of existing buildings, reducing environmental impact and improving energy performance during renovation.4) BREEAM In-Use
Evaluates the operational performance of existing buildings, offering a framework for sustainable improvements, benchmarking, and data validation for owners and managers.5) BREEAM Communities
Supports sustainable masterplanning for new communities and large-scale developments, integrating social, economic, and environmental factors at the planning stage.6) BREEAM Infrastructure (formerly CEEQUAL)
Assesses the sustainability of civil engineering and infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, and railways, at every stage of delivery.
Our BREEAM consultants can help identify the scheme that best matches your asset type and project stage.
What Is the Process of Earning a BREEAM Certification?
The BREEAM certification journey typically follows these steps:
- Registration of the project with a licensed BREEAM Assessor and BRE
- Pre-assessment and strategy development to identify achievable credits
- Integration of sustainability measures during the design stage
- Evidence collection and documentation throughout construction
- Post-construction review and site verification by the assessor
- Certification and rating, ranging from Pass to Outstanding
- Ongoing performance management through BREEAM In-Use, where applicable
How Does the BREEAM Scoring System Work?
BREEAM uses a weighted scoring system across ten categories — management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology, pollution, and innovation. Each project earns a percentage score, which determines its certification level:
- Outstanding: 85% or more
- Excellent: 70% or more
- Very Good: 55% or more
- Good: 45% or more
- Pass: 30% or more
- Unclassified: below 30%
How Can DCarbon’s BREEAM Consulting Services Help?
DCarbon supports clients throughout the entire certification journey, including:
- BREEAM feasibility and strategy assessments
- Sustainability target setting
- Gap analysis and credit optimization
- Design and technical reviews
- Evidence collection and documentation management
- Coordination with project stakeholders
- Support throughout design, construction, and operational phases
- Certification submission and assessment support
- Portfolio-level sustainability strategies
Why choose DCarbon for BREEAM consulting?
Our BREEAM consultants combine technical sustainability expertise with real estate and construction experience, helping clients achieve their target rating while maximizing the operational and financial benefits of certification.
FAQs
How long does the BREEAM certification process take?
Timelines vary with project size and complexity, typically ranging from a few months for pre-assessment and evidence gathering to a year or more for large new construction projects, with the formal assessment itself usually taking a few months.
Can an older, existing building get a BREEAM certification?
Yes. Existing buildings can be assessed and certified through BREEAM In-Use, which evaluates ongoing operational performance and management rather than design and construction.
Is getting BREEAM certified expensive?
Costs vary based on project size, location, and target rating, and generally include registration and assessment fees plus the cost of implementing sustainability measures. Our BREEAM consulting services help identify the most cost-effective path to your target rating.