There are a number of elements that determine the overall performance of a new construction project assessed using BREEAM. They are:
- The BREEAM rating level benchmarks
- The minimum BREEAM standards
- The environmental section weightings
- The BREEAM assessment issues and credits
The next sections summarise how these elements combine to produce a BREEAM rating for a new building and are followed by a description and example calculation of a rating.
BREEAM rating benchmarks for projects assessed using BREEAM UK New Construction Version 7 are shown in Table 2.2.
Table 2.2 BREEAM rating benchmarks
| BREEAM Rating | % score |
|---|---|
| Outstanding | ≥ 85 |
| Excellent | ≥ 70 |
| Very Good | ≥ 55 |
| Good | ≥ 40 |
| Pass | ≥ 25 |
| Unclassified | < 25 |
BREEAM rating benchmarks enable a client and all other stakeholders to compare the performance of a newly constructed building with other BREEAM rated buildings, and the typical sustainability performance of a stock of new non-domestic buildings in the UK.
In this respect each BREEAM rating broadly represents performance equivalent to:
- Outstanding: Less than the top 1% of UK new non-domestic buildings (innovator)
- Excellent: Top 10% of UK new non-domestic buildings (best practice)
- Very Good: Top 25% of UK new non-domestic buildings (advanced good practice)
- Good: Top 50% of UK new non-domestic buildings (intermediate good practice)
- Pass: Top 75% of UK new non-domestic buildings (standard good practice)
An unclassified BREEAM rating represents performance that is non-compliant with BREEAM, in terms of failing to meet either the BREEAM minimum standards of performance for key environmental issues or the overall threshold score required to achieve at least a Pass rating.