Are You Ready for BREEAM v7?
A new version of the UK’s leading sustainability standard is launching soon, and it’s set to shape the future of how we design, deliver, and operate buildings. BREEAM v7 brings a stronger focus on real-world energy use, whole-life carbon, and clearer evidence requirements, raising the bar for achieving top ratings like Excellent or Outstanding.
We’ve pulled together the key updates you need to know, what they mean in practice, and how you can get ahead early in your project planning. Whether you're an architect, engineer, developer or consultant, now’s the time to get familiar with what’s changing.
BREEAM v7: Smarter, Greener Building Standards
A new chapter in sustainable building standards is on the horizon, and it’s one that will impact how we design, deliver and operate the spaces we create.
BREEAM v7, the latest version of the UK’s leading sustainability assessment method, is due to launch later this year. While its structure remains broadly familiar, the changes it introduces signal a more performance-driven, evidence-based future for green buildings.
At Mainer Associates, we’re passionate about supporting project teams to navigate these evolving requirements with confidence. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) presentation to walk you through what’s changing in BREEAM v7, and more importantly, what it means for your projects in real terms.
This article offers a taster of that session: a high-level overview designed to help you understand the key differences from Version 6, prepare for what's ahead and make informed decisions at the earliest stages of project planning.
A Quick Refresher: What is BREEAM?
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) has been setting the standard for sustainable buildings for over three decades. It provides a framework for assessing the environmental, social and economic performance of new builds and major refurbishments across the UK and globally.
Covering everything from energy use and health and wellbeing to materials, water and ecology, BREEAM influences how buildings are designed, constructed and operated. Whether you’re targeting certification for planning approval, ESG targets, or to meet occupier expectations, staying aligned with BREEAM is a key marker of quality, compliance and responsibility.
What’s Different in BREEAM v7?
BREEAM v7 isn’t a radical overhaul, but it does represent a noticeable evolution, especially for those targeting top-level ratings like Excellent or Outstanding. Several categories have seen refinement, greater alignment with external methodologies, and stronger emphasis on evidence and verification. Here are the standout changes:
Whole-Life Carbon Becomes Central
The focus on whole-life carbon performance is now front and centre. BREEAM v7 seeks alignment with RICS methodologies and tools such as NABERS, reflecting a wider industry move toward lifecycle thinking. Projects will be rewarded not just for low operational energy use, but also for reducing embodied carbon through design and specification. This means architects and engineers will need to collaborate more closely from the early stages to embed low-carbon strategies into the fabric of the project.
Operational Energy and Performance Modelling
There’s a clear shift toward designing buildings based on real-world performance, not just compliance on paper. BREEAM v7 rewards teams that accurately model, predict and plan for operational energy and water use, with more stringent requirements than before. A project following NABERS protocols will generally meet these new credits, an indication of where the sector is heading.
Clearer Evidence Requirements and Schedules
One of the more welcome changes is the introduction of Schedules of Evidence across all credit areas. These are aimed at reducing ambiguity and interpretation gaps by clearly stating what documentation is required to achieve each credit. This is particularly helpful in categories like Pollution (POL03) and Land Use & Ecology, where compliance routes have historically been tricky to navigate.
No More “Accidental Outstanding”
BRE has explicitly stated that BREEAM Outstanding is no longer something a well-intentioned project can achieve by default. Projects must now proactively plan and deliver against higher benchmarks, particularly in the areas of energy modelling, controls, and performance in-use. Even achieving Excellent will now demand a higher level of diligence, particularly from M&E consultants and sustainability leads.
What’s in BREEAM v7? A Section-by-Section Overview
Our CPD presentation provides an in-depth walkthrough of each category, with a practical focus on what’s changed and what hasn’t. Here are some key highlights:
Management
Most criteria under Management remain familiar, though v7 introduces a new exemplar credit for Zero Carbon Transition Planning. This encourages teams to develop a realistic pathway to operational net-zero carbon by 2050, particularly for projects still reliant on fossil fuels. It's a forward-thinking addition, reflecting the industry’s commitment to longer-term accountability.
Health & Wellbeing
There’s more flexibility in how daylight and views-out are assessed, with new compliant methodologies such as BS EN 17037. A new minimum standard has also been introduced: for any project to be rated Outstanding, key elements of the VIEW OUT criteria must now be achieved. Other updates include new credits for glare control design, melanopic lighting (which supports circadian health), and adaptive lighting controls, providing greater emphasis on occupant wellbeing.
Energy
Energy is the category seeing the most change. The split between design intent and in-use performance is clearer than ever, with credits now awarded based on how closely a building’s predicted energy performance matches its operational use.
The new Passive Design and LZC credit encourages deeper collaboration between design teams early on, particularly focusing on fabric-first strategies. Notably, heat pumps are no longer automatically counted as low or zero-carbon technologies unless paired with on-site renewables.
Water
While many water-related credits remain familiar, greater emphasis is placed on operational efficiency. There’s a new credit for predicting and targeting water consumption in use, mirroring the growing trend seen in the energy category. Projects are encouraged to disclose in-use water performance targets and commit to post-occupancy monitoring, introducing greater transparency and responsibility over time.
Land Use & Ecology
Though the assessment methods haven’t changed significantly, new Guidance Notes and Schedules of Evidence will make compliance simpler and more transparent. Projects are now required to embed ecological outcomes more deeply in the design stages and to provide a clear chain of responsibility, from ecologist appointment through to contractor delivery and landscape management.
Materials, Waste, and Pollution
The key change under Materials is that Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is now a minimum standard for projects seeking Excellent or Outstanding. Waste and Pollution categories are largely unchanged, although one Pollution credit now mandates compliance with BS EN 378 regarding refrigerants, of particular note for projects with air-conditioning or cooling systems.
How Mainer Associates Can Help
We understand that sustainability frameworks like BREEAM can feel complex and ever-shifting. That’s why our team at Mainer Associates is here to make them practical, accessible, and aligned with your project’s goals.
From pre-planning assessments and early-stage strategy through to evidence collation, modelling, and post-construction support, we offer full lifecycle support to help you achieve your target rating, without compromise or delay.
As sustainability consultants with a deep understanding of both the technical detail and the real-world delivery of BREEAM, we’re uniquely placed to help clients navigate the new requirements of v7.
Let’s Talk - Book Your CPD Today
Our new BREEAM v7 CPD presentation gives you and your team a clear, practical overview of what’s coming, and how to respond. Whether you’re a developer, architect, engineer or project manager, this session will help you identify key early actions, avoid common pitfalls, and stay one step ahead.
Interested? Get in touch to book a session or find out more.
Get in touch to arrange your BREEAM v7 CPD.
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