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Calculating a building's BREEAM rating

A BREEAM assessor must determine the BREEAM rating using the appropriate assessment tools and calculators. An indication of performance against the BREEAM scheme can also be determined using a BREEAM Pre-Assessment Estimator. The Pre-Assessment Estimator is available from the BREEAM website www.breeam.com.

The process of determining a BREEAM rating is outlined below and an example calculation included in Table 6

  1. For each of BREEAM’s nine environmental sections the number of ‘credits’ awarded must be determined by the BREEAM assessor in accordance with the criteria of each assessment issue (as detailed in the technical sections of this document).
  2. The percentage of ‘credits’ achieved is then calculated for each section.
  3. The percentage of ‘credits’ achieved in each section is then multiplied by the corresponding section weighting. This gives the overall environmental section score.
  4. The section scores are then added together to give the overall BREEAM score.
  5. The overall score is then compared to the BREEAM rating benchmark levels and, provided all minimum standards have been met, the relevant BREEAM rating is achieved.
  6. An additional 1% can be added to the final BREEAM score for each ‘innovation credit’ achieved (up to a maximum of 10% and with the total BREEAM score capped at 100%).

Table 6 Example BREEAM score and rating calculation

BREEAM Section Credits Achieved Credits Available % of Credits Achieved Section
Weighting (fully fitted)		 Section Score
Management 10 21 47.62% 0.12 5.71%
Health and Wellbeing 17 21 80.95% 0.15 12.14%
Energy 16 31 51.61% 0.15 7.74%
Transport 5 12 41.67% 0.09 3.75%
Water 5 9 55.56% 0.07 3.88%
Materials 10 14 71.43% 0.135 9.64%
Waste 3 9 33.33% 0.085 2.83%
Land Use and Ecology 5 10 50.00% 0.10 5.00%
Pollution 5 13 38.46% 0.10 3.84%
Innovation 2 10 20.00% 0.10 2.00%
Final BREEAM score 56.5%
BREEAM Rating VERY GOOD

Table 7 Minimum standards for a BREEAM Very Good rating

Minimum standards for
BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating		 Achieved?
Ene 02: Energy monitoring Y
Wat 01: Water consumption Y
Wat 02: Water monitoring Y
Mat 03: Responsible sourcing of materials Y
LE 03: Minimising impact on existing site ecology Y


BREEAM UK New Construction non-domestic buildings technical manual 2014
Reference: SD5076 – Issue: 5.0
Date: 23/08/2016
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