The construction industry has had to become increasingly aware of the growing importance of sustainability practices when it comes to building structures. Green building certifications are now very sought after in a lot of circumstances due to this rise of sustainability within the industry with two of the main certifications being BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) in the UK and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in the US.
Both BREEAM and LEED are rating frameworks that have been developed by private organisations and are not government regulations like commercial EPC ratings and ESOS audits in the UK, or New York Local Law 87 in the US. This means that they are not required but rather recommended for green building construction companies as they can push the envelope when it comes to including more sustainable practices.
We delve into the key differences between these certifications throughout this article, so make sure to continue reading to gather a clearer understanding to make more informed decisions about your commercial property.
What is BREEAM?
BREEAM is an environmental assessment system for buildings that evaluates the sustainability performance of new and existing buildings. It was developed in the UK by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and it takes into account several categories to complete its evaluation. It looks at energy, water, health and pollution as the main categories and works with a points system for each of them to see what certification level a building achieves. These certification levels range from Pass to Outstanding.
It has become the benchmark for sustainable building practices in the UK and Europe with BREEAM being adaptable to suit specific countries.
What is LEED?
The US doesn’t use BREEAM but rather LEED for their green building certification. It was developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and it provides a framework for assessing how sustainable a building is. It has slightly different categories from BREEAM, as it focuses on sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, innovative design and materials and resources including plant hire machinery usage.
While the US has been the main user of LEED, it has increased in popularity since its inception and is now used in Europe, Canada and Asia.
BREEAM and LEED Differences
Geographic Score
Due to each certification being created in different countries, UK and USA, it has had to be adapted to each of their laws. Since BREEAM works under a British certificate, it has taken into account the British and European construction laws and what it believes to be the best practices. Whereas, LEED is catered towards US architecture and takes cues from the American ASHRAE standards.
Certification Process
The process of obtaining these certifications is different. Licensed assessors are used by BREEAM, as they examine the building’s evidence against the credit criteria and report it to BRE for further assessment. LEED doesn’t use licensed assessors for this process, as applicants must gather relevant information and submit it to the USGBC. This evidence is then examined and the certification can then be issued upon passing the demands.
Assessment Categories
BREEAM and LEED use different categories when figuring out what ranking a project achieves. Here’s an overview of the categories for each certification:
BREEM uses 10 categories:
- Energy emissions
- Water
- Materials
- Transport
- Health and well-being
- Pollution
- Management
- Waste
- Land use and ecology
- Innovation
LEED uses 8 categories:
- Sustainable sites
- Water efficiency
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality
- Innovative design
- Regional priority
- Localisation and transport
Scoring System
To achieve a good sustainability score, a building must pass the scoring systems put in place by BREEAM or LEED. They are different in how they score, as BREEAM uses a weighted scoring system and LEED uses a point-based system. For LEED, projects must achieve a minimum number of points to quality for the certification. Whereas, the UK equivalent will qualify projects if their sustainability issues carry enough weight.
Certification Levels
BREEAM certification levels use a scale ranging from Pass to Outstanding and use percentages to work out the achieved level:
- Outstanding: 85%
- Excellent: ≥ 70%
- Very Good: ≥ 55%
- Good: ≥ 45%
- Pass: < 30%
LEED has a different way of ranking certification levels, as it goes based on points with Platinum being the highest and Certified being the lowest:
- LEED Platinum: 80+ points
- LEED Gold: 60 to 79 points
- LEED Silver: 50 to 59 points
- LEED Certified: 40 to 49 points
Which Green Building Certification Is Better?
While they both have differences, BREEAM and LEED offer valuable frameworks for commercial property owners seeking to enhance sustainability and increase the performance of their green projects. It is difficult to determine which one is better, as they both appeal to two different countries’ laws and both have the same primary aim. Since they are both highly respected environmental certifications, we could recommend either of them for your needs.
Since BREEAM was created to comply with current laws and regulations of the UK and Europe, it might be the obvious choice if you’re in those locations. For similar reasons, LEED might be more suitable if you’re in the US. The type of process you’re looking for is another crucial factor. In contrast to BREEAM, where the qualified assessor does the majority of the heavy lifting, LEED places a higher weight on the applicant to submit documentation and evidence. So, aside from location, it all comes down to how much personal control you want on proceedings.
No matter which certification you are under, they both are looking to create a more sustainable and resilient future for commercial properties.
Which Green Building Certification Is More Popular?
While LEED has the potential for a much larger audience due to the population size of the US, BREEAM has been popular for longer in the UK and Europe which means it has been able to make notable strides in garnering a higher popularity. There are over 600,000 buildings under BREEAM certifications in 93 countries worldwide, whereas LEED has around 100,000 throughout 180 countries. Eventually, we expect these to even out and have a similar certification number.
Final Thoughts
Both BREEAM and LEED provide robust frameworks for assessing and improving the sustainability of buildings. While they differ in their specific criteria and certification processes, they share a common goal to promote environmentally responsible construction practices.
The choice between BREEAM and LEED ultimately depends on various factors, including geographic location, project type and organisational priorities. By understanding the key differences between these two certifications, building owners and developers can make informed decisions to achieve their sustainability goals and contribute to a greener future.