BREEAM V7 Key Changes

Summary

BREEAM Version 7 (released in July 2025) is the next update of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), one of the world’s leading sustainability assessment frameworks for buildings. BREEAM Version 7 represents a significant evolution in the way buildings are evaluated for their environmental performance, aiming to reflect the growing urgency of addressing climate change, resource depletion, and social equity in the built environment.

The focus of Ene 01 has transitioned from demand-based metrics to performance outcomes, providing greater flexibility in compliance approaches. New reporting outputs and evidence requirements have been introduced to support alignment with the EU Taxonomy. The new addition of ‘Ene 02 Prediction of Operational Energy and Carbon’, highlights the importance of predicting a building’s operational energy use and carbon emissions, with credits available for third-party verification of energy models. The scoring system now aligns with the methodology used in BREEAM In-Use and NABERS UK DfP.

There is a stronger focus on whole-life carbon assessments, taking into account not only operational energy consumption but also the carbon footprint of materials, construction processes, and building demolition or end-of-life phases. The LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) criteria has been thoroughly revised to emphasise the calculation and reporting of embodied carbon across various stages of a building’s lifecycle. New credits have been introduced, now requiring LCA assessments at the concept design, technical design, and as-built stages. Credits are awarded based on performance relative to embodied carbon benchmarks. To achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, LCA and embodied carbon reporting will be mandatory, while the ‘Outstanding’ rating will require a minimum of five credits related to embodied carbon performance.

BREEAM Version 7 introduces a more comprehensive and progressive framework for sustainable building practices, making it more challenging to comply with than Version 6. The stricter requirements for carbon reduction, whole-life carbon assessments, EU Taxonomy alignment, and other sustainability criteria will necessitate more detailed planning, advanced technical solutions, and extensive documentation. As a result, projects targeting high BREEAM ratings will need to allocate more time and resources to meet these updated standards.

Introduction

Version 7 (V7) is the latest update to the BREEAM standards, designed to ensure the schemes remain current and aligned with the latest scientific developments and industry practices. BREEAM V7 streamlines the path to net zero by supporting buildings in transitioning away from fossil fuels. This version represents the first modular update across multiple BREEAM schemes, focusing on refining energy and carbon science. The initial updates apply to BREEAM International New Construction and BREEAM UK New Construction. This newsletter outlines the modifications introduced in BREEAM New Construction Version 7, emphasising alignment with industry decarbonisation goals by addressing operational, embodied, refrigerant, and transportation emissions, thus covering whole-life carbon throughout the building lifecycle.

Version 7 will supersede BREEAM 2018 and V6. All assessments from a certain point will have to be registered under V7.

Removal of Simple Building Assessment Type (UK Only)

To simplify the assessment of simple building projects, the BRE have removed the simple building methodology and definitions. However, it will still be possible to assess less complex buildings or those with limited services/features using a more flexible, issue-specific approach guided by filtering questions.

Introduction of New Minimum Standards