By David Lloyd Riley
Securing a strong sustainability rating is now a priority for many commercial developments, and we’re often asked how to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating. This requires more than meeting minimum regulations needed for BREEAM-rated buildings, it involves integrating sustainability into the project from the outset.
At Contact One, we see that early planning makes the difference. When sustainability measures are considered from day one and aligned with the BREEAM framework, projects are better positioned to reduce long-term operating costs and strengthen asset value. This approach also supports clearer decision-making as the project develops.
This guide explains the core BREEAM requirements, how category weightings influence your final score, and the practical steps needed to achieve an Excellent rating.
BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and is a means of measuring a building's performance in regard to its energy.
It is a sustainability rating system developed in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in the UK. Now used in over 100 countries, it is one of the most widely recognised frameworks for measuring building sustainability.
A BREEAM assessment evaluates a building’s environmental performance across a range of categories. Credits are awarded where specific criteria are met, contributing to an overall rating.
The framework provides a clear and consistent way to measure environmental impact across the full lifecycle of a project, from initial design through to construction and operation.
To achieve certification, a building must meet defined performance benchmarks. BREEAM ratings range from Acceptable through to Outstanding, reflecting different levels of sustainability achievement.
To secure a BREEAM Excellent rating, a project must achieve a minimum overall score of 70% across a range of sustainability categories. This places the development within the top tier of UK non-domestic buildings and reflects a best-practice approach to environmental performance.
While an Outstanding rating often involves more complex or innovative solutions, the 70% threshold for Excellent is a practical target for many developers. It balances strong sustainability performance with commercial viability.
The final BREEAM score is calculated by applying environmental weightings to each category and multiplying these by the credits achieved, giving a weighted overall percentage.
Targeting a high BREEAM rating offers clear commercial and operational benefits. The certification provides a recognised standard that confirms a development meets established sustainability requirements. For many businesses, it supports both cost control and long-term asset performance.
Key benefits include:
BREEAM assesses sustainability performance across ten core categories. Each one focuses on a different aspect of how a building is designed, constructed and operated, with weighted scores contributing to the overall rating.
Energy typically accounts for around 25% of the total score. It focuses on overall efficiency and the use of low or zero-carbon technologies.
Key considerations include:
Accounting for about 18% of the score, this category emphasises occupant comfort and productivity. Essential elements include:
Contributing roughly 12% to the score, materials are evaluated for their lifecycle environmental impact. To score highly, projects should:
Accounting for around 10%, this category rewards water conservation. BREEAM Excellent requirements include:
This category encourages the reuse and recycling of materials during construction and operation. Best practices include:
This category aims to protect and enhance site biodiversity. A suitably qualified ecologist must be involved early to maximise the ecological value of the site, which can help a project secure additional credits by integrating elements like living walls.
Addressing the building's contribution to local pollution levels involves measures to minimise contamination of the surrounding environment. Strategies to gain maximum credits involve:
This assesses the building's connectivity to transport infrastructure. You can maximise credits by:
This evaluates the management processes used to minimise a building's environmental impact. Key steps involve:
Achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating requires a coordinated approach across the full lifecycle of a project, from early planning through to completion and verification. The process is structured around several key stages, each contributing to the final certification outcome.
The BREEAM process begins with a feasibility and pre-assessment stage. At this point, the project team defines sustainability targets aligned with BREEAM criteria. This early evaluation identifies achievable credits, highlights potential constraints and sets a clear strategy that informs design and delivery.
Engaging a licensed BREEAM Assessor and Accredited Professional - such as Contact One - at an early stage, allows sustainability requirements to be embedded into the concept design. This stage shapes spatial layouts, building systems and performance strategies. Early involvement reduces the likelihood of redesign and allows the project to align with BREEAM benchmarks from the outset.
During the design stage, the assessor works with the project team to gather and review evidence required for targeted credits. This may include Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), energy modelling outputs and detailed specifications. Clear and consistent documentation at this stage supports the planned BREEAM rating and prepares the project for construction.
At the construction stage, the focus shifts to implementation and verification. Site inspections, contractor records and material documentation are used to confirm that the design intent is delivered in practice. The assessor continues to monitor progress and provides guidance where adjustments are needed to maintain compliance.
Once construction is complete, a post-construction assessment is carried out. This stage verifies that the finished building reflects the commitments made at the design stage. Any discrepancies are reviewed, and final evidence is compiled to support the assessment.
The final stage for meeting BREEAM requirements for excellent involves an independent quality assurance review by BRE. This external verification confirms that the assessment has been completed correctly and that the submitted evidence supports the awarded rating. Certification is issued once this review has been successfully completed.
BREEAM places emphasis on early-stage environmental data and whole-life carbon analysis. Building analytics can help improve a building's BREEAM rating by providing insights into environmental performance and identifying areas for improvement. We expect future updates to focus heavily on climate change resilience and measurable operational data.
For further information or to request a consultation, get in touch with Contact One today by calling 0161 839 9220 or submitting an online contact form
Achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating requires a coordinated approach across design, specification and delivery. It is not a standalone assessment at the end of a fit-out project, but a process that runs alongside every stage. As BREEAM requirements continue to expand, projects that lack early planning often face delays, redesign or missed credits.
At Contact One, we support you from the outset by aligning your commercial interiors, fit-out or refurbishment with BREEAM criteria. We work with your wider project team to identify which credits are achievable and how they can be incorporated into the design without disrupting the programme or budget. This includes advising on material selection, energy performance, waste management and layout decisions that contribute to overall sustainability outcomes.
Our role is to translate BREEAM requirements into practical actions. We review specifications, coordinate with contractors and gather the evidence required for assessment. This reduces the risk of gaps at the post-construction stage, where inconsistencies between design intent and delivery can affect the final rating.
Where local authorities require BREEAM certification, we support you to meet those planning conditions in line with project timelines. For building owners looking to improve asset value or environmental performance, we provide clear direction on how to achieve a higher rating without unnecessary complexity.
We work alongside you from concept through to completion, providing consistent input at each stage of the process. If you are planning a commercial project and want to achieve BREEAM Excellent, contact our team on 0161 839 9220 or complete our online enquiry form to discuss your requirements.
