A Guide to BREEAM for Your Next Construction Project

Sustainability is at the forefront of modern construction. The chances are, if you are planning a new project, contributing to the eco-friendly built environment will be a priority. 

To achieve this, you will need to go through BREEAM, which is the leading framework for assessing construction sustainability throughout the world. In this BREEAM guide, the Aedifice team will outline what BREEAM certification is and how to make sure your building achieves it. 

What is BREEAM?

Essentially, BREEAM is a framework which measures the sustainability performance of a building. Also known by its full name, Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, it is a third-party system that was developed by BRE, the Building Research Establishment, three decades ago to support eco-friendly building standards. 

Widely used throughout the world, the BREEAM certification is recognised as a holistic approach. The process gives you insights that you can act on, making your building project more resilient in the long run, and ultimately providing solutions to any sustainability challenges your project may face. 

The ultimate aim of BREEAM is to help those managing developments and building projects work towards a net zero carbon future. 

What Are the Benefits of a BREEAM Certificate?

Achieving BREEAM certification will give your project the adaptability to respond to any risks or challenges, while also protecting the value of your building, driving commercial success and upholding your sustainability goals.  

Overall, BREEAM is there to support: 

• Net zero carbon: We all need to work together to achieve a net zero future by 2050, and this is at the heart of what BREEAM does. 

• Performance and longevity: The whole lifecycle of the building is taken into account in the BREEAM process, from the first ideas through to the end of its life, allowing you to plan for the future. 

• Healthy environments: The solutions offered aim to help support the health and wellbeing of building users. 

• Resilience: Resource use and supply chains will be examined, helping companies to decrease their reliance on unsustainable or finite resources. 

• • Biodiversity: Strategies will be developed to protect nature and biodiversity.

• Reporting: Any stakeholders will be given the information they need to develop better built assets, helping to inform decisions and achieve sustainability goals.  

Now you understand the benefits, let’s take a closer look at the step-by-step process. 

How Does the BREEAM Process Work?

If you have decided that this is the route you would like to go down, the BREEAM certification process is as follows: 

• Pre-assessment: First, it’s recommended that you undergo the BREEAM pre-assessment to establish a rating that your upcoming building could potentially achieve. This gives you something to work towards, and is especially important if you have dreams of achieving an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Outstanding’ rating. During the pre-assessment, any initial designs are looked at and refined, allowing any challenges to be identified early on. 
• Find a licensed assessor: Once your building is constructed, you will need to find a licensed BREEAM assessor to carry out the post-construction assessment. 

• Register your project: This stage will require you to register your project with BREEAM before the assessment can proceed. 

• Undertake the assessment: During the assessment, the assessor will look at management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and pollution to establish a rating. 

• Undertake the quality assurance stage of the assessment: A final audit of the assessor’s findings must be carried out. 

• Receive your BREEAM certification: You will now receive your certification, along with your building’s rating, which will be Outstanding, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Pass or Unclassified. 

Ensure a greener future for your upcoming sustainable construction project by engaging with the BREEAM process. 

To further support your project, make sure to arrange the services of Aedifice, an experienced team of property consultants and chartered surveyors. We’re a client-centered company, delivering project management, quantity surveying and building surveying, providing a dependable service you can trust. 

Get in touch with Aedifice today for experienced project management and property surveying. We’ve assisted clients in sectors that include residential, commercial, healthcare, education and care homes, and we have the skills to help you too. Please contact us for services in St Albans, Harpenden, Watford and beyond.