BREEAM Certification

BREEAM New Build: Criteria

BREEAM certification evaluates around 60 criteria in 10 environmental categories.
Some of these are minimum criteria.
A total of 100 or 110 points must be achieved.
In BREEAM certification, there are different systems internationally for new buildings and existing buildings.
The following information relates to the certification system for new buildings; the exact criteria for BREEAM certification of existing buildings can be found here.

What awards are there in the BREEAM certification?

There are 5 different levels of excellence in BREEAM certification, which are awarded depending on the degree of fulfillment:

Passport (at least 30 %)	★
Good (at least 45 %)	★★
Very Good (at least 55 %)	★★★
Excellent (at least 70 %)	★★★★
Outstanding (at least 85 %)	★★★★★

TÜV SÜD DIFNI is responsible for awarding the certificates in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

How does the evaluation work?

A so-called “balanced scorecard” approach is used in BREEAM certification for assessment and classification.
This means that a lack of points in one area can be compensated for by achieving a greater number of points in another area.
However, depending on the award level to be achieved, there are minimum requirements that must be met in core areas.

Do all evaluation categories have the same importance?

Each of the 10 categories into which the BREEAM criteria are divided has a different significance for the assessment.
For example, successful fulfillment of criteria in the Energy category has more influence on the overall rating than fulfillment of criteria in the Waste category.

Overview of categories and criteria

Management (Man): holistic management strategies, operational and process management

• Man 01 Project description and planning
• Man 02 Life cycle costs and service life planning
• Man 03 Responsible building practice
• Man 04 Commissioning management and handover
• Man 05 Aftercare

Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden / Health and Wellbeing (Hea): indoor and outdoor-related

• Hea 01 Visual comfort
• Hea 02 Indoor air quality
• Hea 03 Safe containment measures in laboratories
• Hea 04 Thermal comfort
• Hea 05 Building and room acoustics
• Hea 06 Accessibility
• Hea 07 Natural hazards
• Hea 08 Private open spaces
• Hea 09 Water quality

Energy / Energy (Ene): Consumption and CO2 reduction

• Ene 01 Reduction of energy consumption and CO 2 emissions
• Ene 02 Monitoring energy consumption
• Ene 03 Outdoor lighting
• Ene 04 Low CO2 emission planning
• Ene 05 Energy-efficient cold storage and refrigerated warehouses
• Ene 06 Energy-efficient transportation systems
• Ene 07 Energy-efficient laboratory systems
• Ene 08 Energy-efficient equipment
• Ene 09 Drying room for laundry

Transport (Tra): CO2 emissions caused by transportation and location-related factors

• Tra 01 Accessibility to public transportation
• Tra 02 Proximity to relevant facilities
• Tra 03 Alternative means of transportation
• Tra 04 Maximum parking space capacity
• Tra 05 Mobility concept
• Tra 06 Home office

Wasser / Water (Wat): Consumption and efficiency

• Wat 01 Water consumption
• Wat 02 Water monitoring
• Wat 03 Detecting and preventing water leaks
• Wat 04 Water-saving equipment

Materials (Mat): Environmental impact and effects of building materials used, including life cycle effects

• Mat 01 Ecological effects
• Mat 02 Landscaping and fortification of the borders
• Mat 03 Responsible procurement of materials
• Mat 04 Insulation
• Mat 05 Planning for durability and resistance
• Mat 06 Material efficiency

Waste / Waste (Wst): Waste generation and its efficient avoidance

• Wst 01 Construction waste management
• Wst 02 Recycled aggregates
• Wst 03 Industrial waste
• Wst 04 Speculative expansion
• Wst 05 Adaptation to climate change
• Wst 06 Functional adaptability

Land Use and Ecology (LE): ecological value preservation and enhancement of the site; factors for safety and accident prevention

• LE 01 Property selection
• LE 02 Ecological value of the property and protection of ecological values
• LE 03 Minimizing the impact on the existing site ecology
• LE 04 Improvement of site ecology
• LE 05 Long-term effects on biodiversity

Environment / Pollution (Pol): Minimizing risks to air and water

• Pole 01 Effects of refrigerants
• Pole 02 NOx emissions
• Pole 03 Surface water runoff
• Pole 04 Reduction of night-time light pollution
• Pole 05 Reduction of noise pollution

Innovation (Inn): In the Innovation category, an additional 10 points can be awarded for exemplary solutions or if buildings significantly exceed the requirements for “outstanding quality” of a particular criterion.

• Inn 01 Innovation

If you would like to find out more about our services relating to BREEAM certification, click on the criteria highlighted in blue to access a detailed description.
Of course, we are also happy to answer individual questions.