BREEAM is an internationally recognized building assessment system. Over 250 thousand buildings in more than 50 countries have been certified since the creation of BREEAM. The BREEAM certificate guarantees that the building is designed, built and managed in accordance with good practices and market standards. BREEAM is a widely recognizable brand among builders, real estate developers and – with increasing frequency – also among tenants.
The certification process is monitored by BRE (Building Research Establishment) – organization specializing in comprehensive services relating to sustainable construction. The assessment is based on the documentation and reports prepared by a licensed assessor responsible for the assessed building. The job of the assessor is to cooperate with the design team at every stage of the project and advise in the implementation of sustainable solutions.
There are many criteria that are considered during the assessment, grouped into 10 categories. These include aspects such as:
– management
– health and wellbeing
– energy
– transport
– water and materials
– land use and ecology and waste
– pollution
– innovation
Each category consists of individual technical requirements awarded with points and then added up in each category. Each category is assigned percentage weighting determined by BRE. The final result is the sum of the products of results and weightings of the individual categories. Depending on the result, the certificate is awarded with one of the following five ratings:
PASS (≥ 30%)
GOOD (≥ 45%)
VERY GOOD (≥ 55%)
EXCELLENT (≥ 70%)
OUTSTANDING (≥ 85%)
Residential, commercial, industrial and other buildings can be certified as well upon prior approval by BRE.
In summary, a certificate with a suitable rating provides a number of benefits, e.g.:
verification and independent certification of building quality
reduced operating costs of the building
marketing and presentation of the building on the market
improved tenant comfort
confirmation of environmental and social responsibility of the builder

Jerzy Wójcik