BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Evaluation Approach) is the world's premier sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and building design and operation. Its goal is to raise awareness of the benefits of implementing a sustainable approach among owners, occupiers, and designers, as well as to give a framework for adjusting business operations and making informed decisions.
Developed in the 1990s by BRE (Britain's leading certification body for renewable energy technologies), BREEAM is now used to assess and certify buildings all over the world by organisations such as The United states Green Building Council (USGBC), The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB).
The BREEAM technique was developed in the UK and has been used in over 14,000 projects in over 90 countries, with around 55 percent of projects in the United Kingdom and 40 percent in Europe. BREEAM is also incorporated into certain construction laws, such as the Building Control Regulations 2015 in Ireland (S.I. No 333 of 2015). As a result, BREEAM certification for projects in Ireland may be a feasible option for achieving compliance.
It is monitored and revised on a regular basis by an international Advisory Council of industry experts from the legal, planning, design, construction management, and broader sustainability sectors.
It aids in the cost-effective adoption of sustainable solutions as well as market acknowledgment of their accomplishments. It's a method for boosting the marketability of any project that's participating in or aiming for long-term success. It's especially effective for integrating sustainability into existing facilities when there aren't any to compare it to.
The BREEAM approach specifies the main needs for ensuring sustainability in a building or facility, as well as tools and strategies for evaluating various barriers between what is required and what is available.
Its goal is to lessen the negative environmental consequences of construction and development.
From new construction to in-use and restoration, it identifies and represents the value of superior performing assets. BREEAM does this through getting third-party certification of an asset's environmental, social, and economic sustainability evaluation based on BRE standards.
This means that BREEAM-rated developments are more sustainable environments that enhance the well-being of the people who live and work in them, aid to the conservation of the environment, and make for more appealing property investments. BREEAM is the only certification that incorporates both design and operational sustainability ('Demonstration of BREEAM Achievement'), indicating that it is more than just a set of building ratings. The BRE accreditation system for all areas of the built environment strives to produce better buildings that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable for people to live, work, and play in.
BREEAM New Construction –
The New Construction standards are used to assess the design, construction, intended use, and future-proofing of new building developments, as well as the natural and manmade surroundings in which they are situated. The criterion can be used to assess a variety of new constructions, including new homes and expansions to existing structures. The same flexible framework is used regardless of the nature or location of the structure.
BREEAM In-Use –
It's a programme that assists property managers in lowering operating expenses and improving the environmental performance of existing structures. It is divided into three sections, each of which is described below.
Part 1 – Building Assets
Part 2 – Building Management
Part 3 - Occupier management
BREEAM In-Use is majorly used by members of International Sustainability Alliance (ISA).
BREEAM Refurbishment –
It's a procedure for designing and evaluating sustainable housing renovation projects with the goal of enhancing their long-term viability.
BREEAM Communities –
It focuses on whole-community master planning. Its goal is to assist professionals in creating places that people want to live and work in, as well as locations that are good for the environment and profitable.
BREEAM International New Construction –
It is the BREEAM standard for assessing the sustainability of new residential and non-residential buildings all around the world, excluding the United Kingdom and those countries that have a national BREEAM programme. This method employs evaluation criteria that consider the circumstances, priorities, codes, and standards of the country or region where the construction or development is occurring.
The sustainable categories that is included in BREEAM are,
• Management
• Energy
• Health and wellbeing
• Transport
• Water
• Materials
• Waste
• Land use and ecology
• Pollution
