BREEAM Certification: What You Need to Know
Healthy buildings and IAQ (indoor air quality) are something we often take for granted. We don't go to work in a new office and think, "Man, I sure hope this air is safe to breathe!" However, new technology and practices are always emerging, and global CO2 emissions aren't going away just yet. Thus, making sure our living and working spaces are healthy is a constant task.
One things that helps is the existence of independent programs whose role it is to evaluate our buildings for safety, efficiency, and sustainability issues. You may be familiar with LEED, but there's also its predecessor, BREEAM. As one of the most respected building certifications in the world, it's worth pursuing whether your building is in development or fully operational. If you want a green building, BREEAM certification is definitely a valuable goal.
What Is a BREEAM Certification?
BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It's a certification process established by BRE Global. Its purpose is to evaluate existing buildings, as well as buildings-to-be, for overall safety, efficiency, and sustainable design. It's one of the most popular green building certification systems in the world, especially in Europe.
Why Is Being BREEAM Certified Important?
BREEAM is considered one of the most rigorous green building certifications. This is partially because it was based on European, specifically British, construction standards. The program's strict standards are why building owners in over 70 countries covet BREEAM certification. In fact, its US equivalent, LEED, was based on it.
Even still, there's a difference between LEED and BREEAM. While the former focuses on cost efficiency, the latter has a greater emphasis on carbon emissions. Furthermore, unlike LEED, BREEAM sends assessors to personally inspect and evaluate the building in question.
In some cases, getting BREEAM certification is a mandatory part of the development process. In others, it's seen as a badge of honor, which can, in turn, lead to both savings and profits.
Key Categories Assessed in BREEAM
BREEAM grades buildings by the following criteria, which relate to efficiency and environmental performance:
Energy: This scores energy consumption and efficiency. Buildings that utilize renewable energy sources and emit less carbon will score better here.
Health and well-being: This category scores not only the building's IAQ, but also the comfort of its occupants. Lighting, noise, temperature, and air quality are all factors.
Innovation: This category awards creativity. If a building goes the extra mile to improve its environmental performance, it scores well here.
Land use and ecology: This scores the building's environmental impacts on the land it sits on. It's not just about how the building minimizes harm on the land and wildlife, but how it actively protects it.
Materials: This evaluates the safety and sustainability of the materials that the building is made from. Locally sourced, recycled materials will net a higher score than imported asbestos, for example.
Management: This ranks how well the building is managed from construction to operation. It also accounts for how everyone involved (management, stakeholders etc.) promotes sustainability and efficiency.
Pollution: This accounts for pollution of all types: air, water, noise, light, etc. Basically, this scores how well the building keeps to itself.
Transport: This category has to do with the location of the building and how easy it is to get to. It scores well here if it's accessible by foot, bicycle, or public transport. Sometimes, there's only so much that can be done about this, but if management promotes carpooling or arranges for a bus, it can make up some points.
Waste: This looks at how much waste is generated during construction and operation. Buildings that reduce waste and use recyclable materials score better than those that don't.
Water: This focuses on water consumption and efficiency. For example, it evaluates how much water your appliances use, as well as how water is preserved during landscaping.
The BREEAM Rating System
Based on the above factors, a building can receive one of six BREEAM certification levels:
Unclassified (0 stars): The lowest passing score a building can receive is 30%. Unclassified buildings are unable to even meet that threshold.
Pass (1 star): These buildings are able to achieve a passing grade of 30%, meeting the basic requirements for BREEAM certification.
Good (2 stars): Buildings that reach 45% are considered to follow good practices.
Very Good (3 stars): At 55%, a building is seen as solidly above-average compared to its competition.
Excellent (4 stars): This rating is reserved for sustainable buildings with a score of 70%. It's proof that the building in question follows best practices.
Outstanding (5 stars): The performance of buildings that reach a score of 85% is extraordinary. They are considered pioneers in regard to sustainability, efficiency, and IAQ.
The BREEAM Certification Process
Once you register with BREEAM, the process will follow this general outline:
Select the appropriate standard: The first step is to choose one of six standards. These serve as a framework for the evaluation process. Which one you go with will depend on what your building's purpose is and how far along in construction it is. The six are: In-use, Refurbishment and fit-out, Communities, New construction, Home Quality Mark, and Infrastructure.
Engage a BREEAM assessor: The next step is to reach out to an assessor, who will be responsible for evaluating your space. You can find BREEAM assessors on GreenBook Live.
Undertake assessment: At a specified date, the assessor will arrive and see how your space ranks against the ten criteria mentioned previously.
Get certified: Assuming you score at least 30%... Congratulations, you are now BREEAM-certified!
Keep in mind that the BREEAM certification cost includes a registration fee, which depends on which standard you choose. The assessor charges a fee as well, which can depend on the location, size, and style of your building. The total cost can vary quite a bit, so keep this in mind.
How Can Attune Help You Become BREEAM Certified
The first true step toward getting BREEAM certification is having a healthy building with good air quality and a low carbon footprint. This may be the hardest part, but Attune makes it easy. We offer tools to help you evaluate your space before BREEAM does, ensuring you can face the assessor with full confidence.
Your building can become a BREEAM building, so reach out to Attune today!
