BREEAM certification encourages the construction of sustainable buildings that consider both the environment and the well-being of building occupants. Through this article, learn more about this certification and its major role in an evolving sector.
Sustainability, a Fundamental Issue for Our Society
What does this concept encompass?
Defined in 1987 in the Brundtland Report and solidified in 1992 at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, the concept of sustainability highlights the close connection between economic, social, and environmental needs. Its goal is to preserve the health of our planet and ensure the well-being of current and future generations by promoting responsible, environmentally friendly practices that integrate biodiversity protection, efficient natural resource management, and the reduction of our ecological footprint.
Why is this concept so important?
Sustainability helps to tackle many global challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion, while ensuring harmonious and equitable economic and social development for all.
Since 2015, it has been the subject of a global call with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. These 17 goals aim to eradicate poverty, protect our planet, and ensure the well-being of all living beings by 2030. This is a critical issue for our society, requiring the participation of all sectors, including the building sector.
Sustainability as a Driver for Construction
In this context, sustainable construction or eco-construction is a responsible approach that aims to create buildings and infrastructures with a high environmental and societal performance. This approach is based on various principles, including:
- Resources preservation, by promoting the use of recyclable and/or recycled materials..
- Reducing energy consumption through the creation of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB).
- Reducing waste and other forms of pollution.
- Creating a comfortable and healthy habitat for its occupants.
BREEAM Certification: Definition and Evaluation Criteria
In this context, several tools evaluate the sustainable performance of buildings, including BREEAM certification.
What is BREEAM Certification?
BREEAM is an acronym for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It is the most widely used certification standard worldwide for the environmental and social performance of buildings.
Issued by BRE (Building Research Establishment), this certification takes into account the entire building creation process, from design to end-of-life. Each building type (residential, educational institutions, hospitals, courts, industries, offices, shopping centers, etc.) has its own evaluation reference.
How does the certification process work?
BREEAM certification focuses on various themes, including operation management, health and well-being, energy consumption, transport, water management, materials, waste, land use and ecology, pollution, and innovation. Each theme receives a certain number of points called credits, which are then reported on a scale of values and ranked.
| Theme | Nombre de crédits disponibles |
| Operations Management | 10 |
| Health & Well-being | 14 |
| Energy | 21 |
| Transport | 10 |
| Water | 6 |
| Materials | 12 |
| Waste | 7 |
| Land Use & Ecology | 10 |
| Pollution | 12 |
| Innovation | 10 |
| Total | 112 |
The credits are then weighted according to their importance and lead to the development of a result grid, which ranks the performance level of the certification (percentage score, ranging from unclassified to exceptional).
| BREEAM Certification Level | Unclassified | Passable | Good | Very good | Excellent | Exceptional |
| % score | <30 | ≥30 | ≥45 | ≥55 | ≥70 | ≥85 |
Focus on Biodiversity
Recognizing that every sector has a role to play in the preservation and restoration of biodiversity, BREEAM certification develops and integrates new standards for reconciling housing and nature. The “Land Use & Ecology” (LE) chapter, which relates to biodiversity, is subdivided into five parts:
1. Site Selection for Construction
This section encourages the use of previously occupied or contaminated land to avoid expanding into healthy and biodiversity-rich areas. It accounts for up to 3 credits out of the 10 dedicated to ecology, based on two main criteria:
-
- Up to 2 points for a project on previously occupied land, based on the ecological footprint gain (1 point for 75% gain, 2 points for 95%).
- 1 point for cleaning up significantly contaminated land.
2. Ecological Value of the Site and Protection of Ecological Features
This point encourages projects to develop on sites with limited fauna and flora presence and implement solutions to protect this biodiversity during construction. It can earn up to 2 credits:
-
- 1 point for the ecological value of the site, either because it’s listed as low ecological value by BREEAM or identified as such by a professional ecologist.
- 1 additional point for protecting the ecological features of the site.
3. Limiting the ecological impact on the existing site
This section is not applicable to BREEAM International New Construction 2016. It therefore does not correspond to any credit.
4. Ecological Improvement of the Site
The aim of this chapter point is to encourage the ecological improvement of the selected land. Up to 3 credits can be obtained, divided as follows:
-
- 1 point for creating an ecological report, with a requirement to consult an ecologist early in the design phase and implement at least 50% of the recommendations.
- Up to 2 additional credits for the percentage of ecological recommendations implemented (1 for 75%, 2 for 95%).
5. Long-Term Impact on Biodiversity
This last part controls the long-term impact of the project on site biodiversity. A landscape and habitat management plan must be created for at least five years following the completion of the work, and additional measures (refer to checklists) must be implemented to improve biodiversity over the long-term. You can earn 1 or 2 credits depending on the number of additional measures taken.
Building & Nature: What Solutions?
So, what practical solutions can be implemented to reconcile buildings with biodiversity? How can your project meet the BREEAM certification criteria for protecting and restoring flora and fauna? Several options are available:
Create greener cities designed for biodiversity
Greening our cities
Especially in cities, concrete is often the predominant material. However, there are several solutions for greening buildings and cities:
- Green roofs
- Living walls (or vegetated facades)
- Ecological green space development
- Creation of urban vegetable gardens or planters
- Flower meadows
- Urban Park development
- …
Favouring differentiated management of green spaces
When it comes to green spaces, and particularly urban parks, it’s also a good idea to implement what’s known as differentiated management. This ecological and sustainable approach aims to adapt maintenance and development methods for green spaces according to their specific characteristics and uses. It takes into account biodiversity, natural resources and user needs, in order to reduce environmental impact and optimize maintenance costs.
It consists in defining different zones with varying levels of intervention, ranging from intensive maintenance for heavily frequented areas, to more flexible, less interventionist management for ecologically sensitive or lightly frequented areas. Differentiated management thus helps to preserve local ecosystems, save resources (water, energy, raw materials) and improve the quality of life for residents.
Including facilities for living beings in our buildings
In the city, shelter and resting places for wildlife are limited. That’s why it’s essential to rethink our buildings to include shelters and nesting boxes that will encourage the return of many species (birds, insects, small mammals…).
- Rooftops: thanks to their height, rooftops offer a great deal of peace and quiet for animals. By creating nesting boxes for birds, bats, insects or even natural refuges (piles of branches, stones, etc.), you can take advantage of a space that is usually unused to welcome wildlife.
- Including artificial cavities directly in the structure of new or renovated buildings (e.g. in the facade or under the roof).
Minimizing threats to biodiversity
The urban environment presents numerous dangers for wildlife. We therefore need to rethink our buildings to reduce these risks as much as possible. Here are a few examples of actions to implement:
- Reasonable use of glass surfaces, as they are a source of collisions for birds, or reduce the reflectivity of glass façades.
- Limit the negative impact of lighting (public and private) on flora and fauna.
- Identify cavities that are dangerous for wildlife (e.g. air outlets, etc.), and incorporate grilles or escape routes.
- Manage the inconvenience of cohabitation between humans and animals (health risks, potential conflicts, etc.).
E-Biom, Your Biodiversity Partner
Would you like to obtain BREEAM certification for your project? E-BIOM will guide you in implementing the recommendations and criteria for certification under the Land Use and Ecology section. As ecologists, we assist with ecological site analysis, creating a comprehensive report, and supporting the implementation of actions necessary to preserve living diversity.
