BREEAM Assessments & Consultancy

BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for buildings, measuring environmental performance across categories like energy, water, materials, health, and ecology. You may need BREEAM because planning authorities increasingly require minimum ratings (typically Very Good or Excellent) as planning conditions, corporate sustainability commitments demand certified green buildings, clients and tenants expect sustainable premises, and BREEAM buildings command rental and capital value premiums. It demonstrates environmental responsibility and future-proofs your investment.

Engage a BREEAM assessor as early as possible—ideally during RIBA Stage 1 or 2 (feasibility/concept design). Early involvement allows the assessor to influence design decisions that maximize credits cost-effectively. Late appointment often means missed opportunities and expensive retrofitting to achieve target ratings. The assessor can help establish realistic targets, guide material selection, coordinate with the design team, identify quick wins and cost-neutral credits, and ensure BREEAM requirements integrate seamlessly with your project program.

Target ratings depend on several factors: planning requirements (many authorities mandate Very Good or Excellent), client sustainability goals and corporate commitments, budget availability for enhanced specifications, project type and feasibility (some credits suit certain building types better), and market expectations in your sector. Very Good is often the baseline for planning compliance. Excellent demonstrates serious environmental commitment and is increasingly standard for commercial projects. Outstanding is reserved for exemplar projects with significant sustainability investment. We’ll help assess what’s achievable and cost-effective for your project.

BREEAM assessment runs throughout the project lifecycle, typically 12-24 months from registration to final certification. Key stages include: registration (2-4 weeks), design stage assessment (4-8 weeks, reviewed at design development), construction monitoring (ongoing throughout build), post-construction assessment (6-8 weeks after practical completion), and BRE verification and certification (8-12 weeks). The assessment works alongside your existing program and shouldn’t cause delays if properly managed. Critical path items are identifying issues early, evidence collection, and timely documentation.

BREEAM requires comprehensive evidence demonstrating credit achievement. This includes drawings and specifications showing compliant design, manufacturers’ certificates and EPDs for materials, product datasheets and technical information, test results (airtightness, thermography, acoustics), commissioning records and handover documentation, photographs showing completed work, management plans and policies, and calculations for energy, daylight, water, etc. We guide you on exactly what’s needed for each credit and when to provide it. Good documentation management throughout the project makes final certification much smoother.

Yes, through BREEAM Refurbishment & Fit-Out for renovation projects or BREEAM In-Use for operational buildings. Refurbishment BREEAM assesses upgrading work and achieved ratings similar to new construction. BREEAM In-Use evaluates asset performance (building fabric and services) and building management (operations and maintenance) separately, allowing certification without major capital works. It’s ideal for landlords, facility managers, and organizations wanting to demonstrate sustainability of existing estates. Both schemes help identify improvement opportunities and demonstrate environmental credentials.

If projections show you’re falling short of your target, we work with you to identify solutions: quick wins and cost-neutral credits that were missed, value engineering other credits for better returns, reviewing evidence to ensure nothing’s been under-credited, and considering if enhanced specifications in key areas could close the gap. Sometimes targets prove unrealistic once detailed design emerges—we’ll flag this early and help establish achievable goals. If you still fall short, you receive the rating you’ve achieved (e.g., Very Good rather than Excellent). For planning conditions, this could be problematic, so we monitor progress closely.