ABSTRACT
The environmental labelling of buildings is a potentially powerful market based mechanism for reducing environmental impacts across a wide range of issues affecting the global, local and indoor environments. In 1990 the Building Research Establishment (BRE) launched its environmental assessment method (BREEAM) and there are now five versions covering different building types: New Offices; New Homes; New Superstores and Supermarkets; New Industrial Buildings and Existing Offices. A ‘Cities’ version of BREEAM is under development in collaboration with a network of UK and European Cities and Universities.
BREEAM exercises market influence in three important ways. It raises awareness of the importance of environmental performance; it sets targets for achievement in relation to key performance indications, and it provides documentary recognition when targets have been met.
The scheme is voluntary, self financing and helps markets to work better. Currently around 25% of new office development in the UK apply for a BREEAM assessment. This demonstrates that clients, designers and users of the building, who participate in BREEAM, are convinced that there are real benefits in addressing the environmental concerns of their customers and other business stakeholders.
The BREEAM portfolio remains the only standard environmental assessment process for buildings, operating anywhere in the world. The paper will give a background development and content of BREEAM and explore the benefits which it provides to all the participants.
