BREEAM Assessment
Independent BREEAM Assessment Services
Independent BREEAM Assessment services to help you achieve your required BREEAM rating efficiently, while supporting the wider objectives of your development.
Achieving BREEAM certification is about more than meeting sustainability targets. It requires balancing environmental performance with practical project delivery, commercial objectives, planning requirements and long-term building performance.
Construction projects rarely stand still. Designs evolve, programmes change and new challenges arise throughout the development process. Our role is to work alongside developers, architects, contractors and the wider project team, helping to ensure the BREEAM assessment evolves with the project while keeping certification on track.
At WPS, our accredited BREEAM Assessors provide independent, transparent and practical assessment services from early feasibility and design through to post-construction certification. We help clients understand the requirements, identify responsibilities, coordinate evidence and navigate each stage of the assessment process with confidence.
Whether you are targeting a Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent or Outstanding rating, we provide clear, straightforward advice and practical support to help you achieve the best possible outcome for your project.
BREEAM Assessment at a Glance
Suitable for
- Commercial Developments
- Industrial Developments
- Residential Developments
- Mixed-Use Developments
Typical Project Stages
- Planning
- Design
- Construction
- Post-Construction Certification
Who We Work With
- Developers
- Architects
- Contractors
- Planning Consultants
- Building Owners
- Project Managers
Typical Project Types
- Commercial
- Industrial
- Residential
- Mixed Use
- Education
- Healthcare
Assessment Services
- Pre-Assessment & Design Review
- Design Stage Assessment
- Interim Assessment
- Post-Construction Assessment
- Existing Building Assessments
What is a BREEAM Assessment?
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the UK’s leading sustainability assessment methodology for buildings and infrastructure. It provides an internationally recognised framework for measuring and recognising the environmental performance of developments throughout their design, construction and, in some cases, operation.
A BREEAM Assessment evaluates how a development performs across a range of sustainability categories, helping project teams demonstrate compliance with recognised environmental standards while identifying opportunities to improve the overall environmental performance of the building.
Assessment categories include:
- Energy
- Water
- Materials
- Waste
- Transport
- Health & Wellbeing
- Pollution
- Ecology
- Management
Many Local Authorities, planning authorities, investors, developers, occupiers and funding organisations now require BREEAM certification as part of the planning or development process. In many cases, achieving a specified BREEAM rating is a condition of planning approval or forms part of wider sustainability and ESG commitments.
Appointing an accredited BREEAM Assessor early in the project helps ensure these requirements are understood from the outset, responsibilities are clearly identified and opportunities to achieve additional credits can be considered before key design decisions are finalised.
Why is BREEAM Certification Important?
BREEAM certification has become an increasingly important requirement for many commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments. Whether driven by planning conditions, investor expectations, funding requirements or wider sustainability objectives, achieving the appropriate BREEAM rating demonstrates that a development has been designed and delivered with recognised environmental standards in mind.
Beyond certification itself, BREEAM encourages project teams to consider how a building will perform throughout its lifecycle, helping create developments that are more efficient, sustainable and attractive to occupiers and investors.
Achieving BREEAM certification can help organisations to:
- Meet planning conditions and regulatory requirements.
- Satisfy investor, occupier and funding expectations.
- Demonstrate environmental responsibility and support ESG objectives.
- Improve the long-term environmental performance of a building.
- Enhance operational efficiency and reduce running costs.
- Increase the attractiveness and marketability of developments.
- Support corporate sustainability commitments.
- Strengthen environmental credentials for future developments.
Considering BREEAM requirements from the earliest stages of a project also helps identify potential design, programme and compliance challenges before they become costly to address. Early planning allows opportunities to be assessed, responsibilities to be clearly defined and sustainability objectives to be incorporated into the wider project strategy rather than introduced later as an additional requirement.
Every development is different, and the most appropriate route to achieving certification will depend on the project’s objectives, planning requirements, programme, budget and operational priorities. Taking a practical, considered approach from the outset helps create the best opportunity for a successful outcome.
Why Early Assessment Matters
One of the most effective ways to achieve a successful BREEAM outcome is to involve an accredited BREEAM Assessor as early as possible in the project.
Early engagement provides greater flexibility when considering available credits, allowing opportunities to be identified before key design decisions are finalised. It also helps ensure that sustainability requirements are considered alongside programme, budget and wider project objectives, rather than becoming an additional challenge later in the development.
Early involvement can help to:
- Establish realistic and achievable target ratings.
- Identify opportunities to maximise available BREEAM credits where they add genuine value to the project.
- Reduce the likelihood of costly redesign later in the programme.
- Clearly define evidence requirements and responsibilities from the outset.
- Improve collaboration between developers, architects, contractors and the wider project team.
- Identify potential compliance risks before they affect programme, budget or certification.
- Integrate sustainability objectives into the design process from the earliest stages.
- Support a smoother assessment process through to final certification.
Construction projects naturally evolve as they progress. Designs change, programmes adapt and priorities can shift throughout the development. Early involvement enables the BREEAM assessment to evolve alongside the project, helping to identify potential issues early, provide practical solutions and maintain progress towards the required BREEAM rating.
Taking a proactive approach from the outset is almost always more efficient than attempting to address BREEAM requirements once key design decisions have already been made.
Our BREEAM Assessment Services
We tailor our approach to the specific requirements of every development. Whether you’re at the earliest planning stage or nearing completion of construction, WPS provides practical advice, independent assessment services and ongoing support throughout the BREEAM process.
Pre-Assessment & Design Review
Early engagement provides the greatest opportunity to influence the eventual BREEAM outcome.
During the pre-assessment stage, we review your project objectives, planning requirements, proposed development and sustainability aspirations to establish the most appropriate route to your target rating. This early review helps identify achievable opportunities, highlight potential risks and ensure BREEAM requirements are considered before key design decisions become fixed.
We also help define evidence requirements, identify responsibilities across the project team and provide practical advice to help integrate sustainability objectives into the wider project strategy from the outset.
Design Stage Assessment
As your design develops, we assess the project against the relevant BREEAM criteria, reviewing drawings, specifications and supporting information to determine compliance with the required credits.
Working alongside developers, architects and the wider design team, we help identify evidence requirements, answer technical queries and highlight opportunities to strengthen the assessment where appropriate.
As projects evolve, we continue to monitor progress, helping ensure the assessment remains aligned with the agreed target rating while identifying potential issues before they affect programme or certification.
Interim Assessment
The Interim Assessment provides an important milestone during project delivery, demonstrating that the design is progressing towards its intended BREEAM rating.
We coordinate, review and verify the required design-stage evidence before preparing and submitting the Interim Assessment. Throughout this stage, we work closely with the project team to identify any outstanding actions, resolve evidence gaps and provide practical advice to support the ongoing assessment process.
This proactive approach provides confidence that the project remains on track before construction progresses further.
Post-Construction Assessment
Once construction has been completed, we undertake the Post-Construction Assessment by reviewing completed works and verifying that the required evidence has been gathered to demonstrate compliance with the relevant BREEAM criteria.
Working closely with contractors, developers and project stakeholders, we coordinate the final evidence submission, helping ensure all documentation has been collected, reviewed and prepared for certification.
Our role is to make the final stages of the assessment process as straightforward as possible while helping maintain progress towards successful BREEAM certification.
Existing Building Assessments
BREEAM is not limited to new developments.
Existing buildings can also benefit from recognised environmental assessment, helping organisations demonstrate sustainability performance, identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen their environmental credentials.
Whether you’re looking to improve operational performance, meet corporate sustainability objectives or achieve recognised certification for an existing building, WPS can provide practical advice and independent assessment services tailored to your specific requirements.
Common Reasons Clients Contact WPS
Clients approach WPS for BREEAM support at many different stages of a project. Some require an accredited assessor to satisfy planning conditions, while others are looking for practical advice before key design decisions are made.
We regularly help clients who need to:
- Understand whether BREEAM applies to their development.
- Identify the most appropriate target rating.
- Respond to planning conditions.
- Appoint an accredited BREEAM Assessor.
- Review a project that is already underway.
- Coordinate evidence across multiple organisations.
- Keep projects on track following design changes.
- Progress towards successful certification.
Every project is different, which is why we tailor our advice to the specific objectives, programme and requirements of each development.
Why Work With WPS?
Choosing the right BREEAM Assessor is about more than selecting an organisation with the appropriate accreditation. It is about working with consultants who understand the realities of delivering construction projects and can provide practical advice throughout the assessment process.
Successful BREEAM assessments rely on effective communication, early planning and close collaboration between developers, architects, contractors and the wider project team. They also require an understanding of how sustainability objectives interact with planning conditions, programme pressures, commercial considerations and wider environmental compliance obligations.
At WPS, we combine accredited BREEAM Assessment services with extensive environmental consultancy expertise, allowing us to take a broader view of each project. Rather than considering BREEAM in isolation, we understand how it fits within the wider environmental, operational and regulatory requirements of a development.
Every project is different, which is why our advice is tailored to the specific objectives, constraints and priorities of each development rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. Our role is to provide clear guidance that helps project teams make informed decisions, resolve challenges as they arise and maintain progress towards successful certification.
Our assessors work collaboratively with developers, architects, contractors, planning consultants and wider design teams throughout the project lifecycle. Whether reviewing design proposals, identifying evidence requirements, attending project meetings or helping resolve technical queries, we aim to make what can often feel like a complex assessment process straightforward and manageable.
Our experience extends across a wide range of development sectors, including:
- Commercial developments
- Industrial developments
- Residential developments
- Mixed-use developments
Alongside our BREEAM Assessment services, WPS also provides expertise in:
- Environmental Compliance
- Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
- Environmental Permitting
- Waste Management
- Planning Documentation
- Construction Environmental Management
- Circular Economy Requirements
This wider environmental consultancy experience enables us to provide advice that is both technically robust and commercially practical, helping clients successfully deliver compliant, sustainable developments.
To learn more about our experience and the projects we have supported, explore our Case Studies, where you’ll find examples of our work across a wide range of environmental and construction projects.
Our BREEAM Assessment Process
Every development follows its own programme, but the BREEAM assessment process generally follows the same key stages. Throughout each stage, WPS works closely with the project team, providing practical advice, coordinating evidence and helping ensure the assessment remains aligned with your project’s objectives.
Step 1
Understanding Your Project
Every successful assessment begins with understanding the development.
We review your project, planning requirements, sustainability objectives and the most appropriate BREEAM assessment scheme before discussing your target rating, programme and any project-specific considerations.
This allows us to identify potential opportunities and challenges from the outset and establish a clear strategy for the assessment.
Step 2
Reviewing Available Credits
Once the project requirements have been established, we assess the available BREEAM credits to determine the most appropriate and achievable route towards your target rating.
Rather than simply identifying every possible credit, we help the project team understand which opportunities are realistic, where evidence will be required and any potential risks or dependencies that may influence the assessment later in the project.
Step 3
Working With the Project Team
Successful BREEAM assessments rely on effective collaboration.
Throughout the project we work alongside developers, architects, contractors, planning consultants and the wider design team to clarify responsibilities, answer technical queries, coordinate evidence collection and help ensure everyone understands their role within the assessment process.
As projects evolve, we continue supporting the team by providing practical advice and helping resolve issues as they arise.
Step 4
Preparing & Submitting the Assessment
As evidence becomes available, we review, verify and organise the required documentation before preparing the appropriate BREEAM submissions, including Interim Assessments where applicable.
Our role is to ensure the assessment is supported by accurate, well-organised evidence, helping reduce delays and minimise the risk of issues during certification.
Step 5
Achieving Certification
Following completion of the assessment and final verification of the evidence, we prepare the submission required for BREEAM certification.
Even after submission, we’re available to answer questions, provide clarification where required and support the project team through to successful certification.
Our aim throughout the process is to make BREEAM as straightforward and well-managed as possible, allowing clients to focus on delivering successful developments while we guide them through the assessment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BREEAM required by planning?
Many Local Authorities now require developments to achieve a specified BREEAM rating as part of planning approval. Requirements vary depending on the Local Authority, the type of development and the conditions attached to the planning consent. We can help you understand the requirements for your specific project and advise on the most appropriate route to achieving compliance.
When should a BREEAM Assessor be appointed?
Ideally, a BREEAM Assessor should be appointed as early as possible in the project. Early involvement allows opportunities to be identified before key design decisions are made, helping reduce redesign, simplify evidence collection and improve the overall efficiency of the assessment process.
What information will you need from us?
The information required will vary depending on the stage of the project, but typically includes planning information, drawings, specifications and other relevant project documentation. As the assessment progresses, we will clearly explain what evidence is required, who is responsible for providing it and when it will be needed.
Can you assess different types of development?
Yes. We support commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use developments across a wide range of sectors. Every project is different, and our approach is tailored to the specific requirements of each development.
What happens if our design changes during the project?
Design changes are common during construction projects. Where changes affect the BREEAM Assessment, we work with the project team to review the impact, update the assessment where necessary and advise on the most appropriate course of action to help maintain progress towards the required rating.
What BREEAM rating should we target?
The appropriate rating will depend on planning requirements, project objectives, budget, commercial priorities and any investor or occupier expectations. During the early stages of your project, we can advise on realistic target ratings and the most practical approach to achieving them.
Can a BREEAM Assessment be started once a project is already underway?
Yes. While earlier involvement is always preferable, WPS can become involved at various stages of a project. We will review the current status of the development, identify any opportunities that remain available and advise on the most appropriate way forward.
Will you work with our existing design team?
Absolutely. We regularly work alongside developers, architects, contractors, planning consultants and wider project teams. Our role is to support the assessment process, provide practical advice and help coordinate the information required for certification while fitting into the existing project team.
How long does a BREEAM Assessment take?
The timescale will depend on the size, complexity and programme of the development. Because the assessment runs alongside the project rather than as a standalone exercise, it is typically completed in stages as the design, construction and evidence collection progress.
Why choose WPS as your BREEAM Assessor?
WPS combines accredited BREEAM Assessment services with extensive environmental consultancy expertise. Our practical, collaborative approach helps clients balance sustainability objectives with planning requirements, commercial priorities and successful project delivery, providing clear advice and support throughout every stage of the assessment process.
Speak to Our BREEAM Assessment Team
Whether you’re planning a new development, responding to planning requirements, progressing through the design stage or looking to certify an existing building, WPS can provide the practical advice, independent assessment services and ongoing support needed to help you achieve your required BREEAM rating.
Every project is different, and we’ll take the time to understand your development, discuss your objectives and explain the most appropriate approach for your specific circumstances. Whether you’re at the very beginning of the process or your project is already underway, we’re happy to provide straightforward advice and answer any questions you may have.
If you’re unsure when a BREEAM Assessor should become involved, what rating your project requires or how the assessment process works, we’re here to help.
To discuss your project or arrange an initial conversation with one of our accredited BREEAM Assessors, please get in touch.
Telephone: 01604 859961
Email: [email protected]
or complete the contact form below.