BREEAM Assessment

Question: What is a BREEAM Assessment?

Answer: BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the world's longest-established method of assessing and certifying the sustainability of buildings. A BREEAM assessment evaluates a building across categories including management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology, pollution and innovation, awarding a rating of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding.

Assessments are carried out by licensed BREEAM Assessors and certified by BRE at both design (interim) and post-construction (final) stages.

Question: When is a BREEAM Assessment required?

Answer: BREEAM is frequently required by:

• Local Planning Authorities through planning policy or conditions, commonly requiring Very Good or Excellent for non-residential development
• Public sector clients and funding bodies
• Occupiers and investors with ESG commitments
• Lenders offering green finance

It is most commonly required for offices, schools, healthcare, industrial, retail and mixed-use non-residential buildings, although residential schemes may use BREEAM or the Home Quality Mark.

Question: Which BREEAM schemes are available?

Answer: BREEAM offers schemes for different stages of the building life cycle:

• BREEAM UK New Construction for new buildings
• BREEAM UK Refurbishment and Fit-Out for existing buildings and tenant fit-outs
• BREEAM In-Use for operational buildings
• BREEAM Communities for masterplans
• BREEAM Infrastructure (formerly CEEQUAL)

The current version for new construction in the UK is BREEAM UK New Construction Version 7, which places greater emphasis on operational and embodied carbon.

Question: What does the BREEAM process involve?

Answer: The BREEAM process typically includes:

• Pre-assessment to establish the target rating and credit strategy
• Appointment of a licensed BREEAM Assessor and BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP) where required
• Credit tracking and evidence collection through design
• Specialist reports such as ecology, daylight, thermal comfort, LZC feasibility, life cycle costing and security assessments
• Interim (design stage) certification
• Site monitoring and evidence during construction
• Final (post-construction) certification

Early engagement is critical as many credits must be secured at RIBA Stage 2.

Question: What is a BREEAM pre-assessment?

Answer: A BREEAM pre-assessment is an early review of the project against the BREEAM criteria to identify which credits are readily achievable, which require additional cost or design changes and which are not feasible. It confirms whether the target rating is realistic and sets out the actions required from each member of the design team. Pre-assessments are commonly submitted with planning applications to demonstrate that the required rating can be achieved.

Question: What is a BREEAM Accredited Professional?

Answer: A BREEAM Accredited Professional (AP) is a sustainability specialist who advises the design team on integrating BREEAM requirements into the project. Appointing an AP at RIBA Stage 1 or 2 achieves credits under Man 01 and helps coordinate the sustainability strategy, which is particularly valuable on projects targeting Excellent or Outstanding.

Question: How much does BREEAM add to construction cost?

Answer: Independent studies show that achieving BREEAM Very Good typically adds little or no cost where sustainability is considered from the outset, while Excellent and Outstanding require more investment in energy efficiency, renewables, materials and ecology. Costs rise significantly where BREEAM is introduced late. The operational savings, asset value uplift and reduced regulatory risk usually outweigh the additional capital cost.

Question: Why choose Syntegra Group for a BREEAM Assessment?

Answer: Syntegra Group's licensed BREEAM Assessors and Accredited Professionals deliver BREEAM New Construction, Refurbishment and Fit-Out and In-Use assessments across the UK. Because we also provide M&E design, energy modelling, daylight, thermal comfort, acoustics, ecology, security and life cycle carbon services in-house, we can deliver most of the specialist credit reports directly, reducing cost and coordination risk.

We work with clients from pre-assessment through to final certification, providing clear credit strategies, proactive evidence management and practical advice that keeps projects on programme.