BREEAM In-Use Commercial is a sustainability assessment system designed to measure and improve the environmental performance of existing commercial buildings. Its goal is to provide a practical tool for building owners, managers, and occupants to manage and reduce environmental impacts throughout the building’s lifecycle.
Structure and Modules
BREEAM In-Use consists of three main modules, each evaluating a specific aspect of the building:
- Asset Performance:
- Assesses the physical characteristics and design of the building.
- Includes aspects such as construction quality, energy efficiency, resource use, and impact on the surrounding environment.
- Building Management:
- Examines how the building is managed in practice.
- Focuses on operations, maintenance, and service management, with an emphasis on energy efficiency, waste management, and water use.
- Occupier Management (optional):
- Analyzes the behavior and practices of the occupants.
- Covers aspects such as energy and water consumption, waste management, and initiatives to improve occupant well-being.
Assessment Process
- Registration:
- The building is registered with an accredited BREEAM certification body.
- Self-Assessment:
- Building managers and owners complete an online questionnaire to gather data about the property’s performance under the relevant modules.
- Assessment by an Accredited Assessor:
- An independent BREEAM assessor reviews the submitted data, conducts on-site inspections (if necessary), and verifies the information.
- This ensures that assessments are accurate and compliant with standards.
- Scoring and Rating:
- The building receives a score for each module and an overall rating ranging from Pass (minimum) to Outstanding (maximum).
- The score reflects the building’s sustainability level compared to BREEAM benchmarks.
Assessment Criteria
BREEAM evaluates a wide range of factors, including:
- Energy: Energy efficiency and use of renewable sources.
- Water: Consumption and management of water resources.
- Materials: Environmental impact of materials used in the building.
- Waste: Reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste.
- Pollution: Air emissions and wastewater management.
- Transport: Accessibility and promotion of sustainable transport options.
- Health and Well-being: Comfort, indoor air quality, natural lighting.
- Management: Management practices and environmental policies.
Benefits
- Cost Savings: Identifies opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce consumption.
- Property Value: Improving the BREEAM rating can increase the attractiveness of the property for tenants and investors.
- Regulatory Compliance: Helps meet sustainability requirements imposed by local or international regulations.
- Long-term Sustainability: Enhances environmental performance and reduces the building’s ecological footprint.
