BREEAM Assessor (New Construction) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

BREEAM New Construction rating thresholds

Overall percentage scores map to Pass at 30 or above, Good at 45, Very Good at 55, Excellent at 70 and Outstanding at 85.

Category weighting

Each environmental category's percentage score is multiplied by a weighting that varies by building type and scheme version, then combined into the overall score.

Minimum standards

Mandatory credits that must be achieved for a given rating level; failing any mandatory credit prevents that rating regardless of overall score.

Innovation credits

Additional credits awarded for exemplary performance beyond standard requirements, capped as a proportion of total available score and added to the overall percentage.

Energy category weighting

Energy carries the largest weighting of any New Construction category, reflecting its dominant contribution to the overall BREEAM score.

Scheme version lock-in

The manual version registered at project registration governs the credits, weightings, thresholds and evidence requirements used throughout that project's assessment.

Scope of New Construction

The scheme covers new non-domestic buildings and major refurbishments; fit-out-only projects fall under separate BREEAM schemes with different credit sets.

Mandatory Energy credit

A prerequisite credit within the Energy category that must be achieved for any rated outcome; it cannot be offset by strong performance elsewhere.

Certification route sequence

Registration, assessor appointment, evidence gathering, internal QA, submission to BRE, query resolution and final certification by BRE Global.

Registration timing

Registration must occur before design is complete and before the target rating is fixed, locking the scheme version and building type.

Design-stage assessment

An assessment performed after registration using design evidence; it indicates likely performance but is superseded by the final as-built assessment.

Interim certification

An optional formal design-stage certificate issued by BRE indicating the rating likely to be achieved, replaced by the final post-construction certificate.

Final certificate issuer

BRE Global issues the BREEAM certificate; the assessor compiles and submits evidence but cannot certify or issue certificates.

BRE technical queries

Questions raised by BRE during review of a submission; they require evidence or clarification, and unresolved queries can reduce the final rating.

Post-construction evidence

Evidence generated after construction, such as commissioning records and as-built drawings, required for credits that depend on actual installed performance.

Certificate validity scope

A certificate applies to the building as assessed; changes of use, major alterations or new scheme versions may require a fresh assessment.

Evidence acceptance criteria

Evidence must be current, project-specific, dated, traceable to the credit and demonstrate achievement in practice rather than only specification intent.

Acceptable evidence types

Drawings, specifications, manufacturer declarations, commissioning records, invoices, photographs, calculations and signed statements are acceptable; generic marketing material is not.

As-built versus specified

Post-construction credits require evidence of what was actually installed and commissioned, not design-stage specifications or intentions.

Evidence referencing

The assessor records each piece of evidence in the online tool against the relevant credit and retains a copy for audit.

Handling missing evidence

Where evidence is absent or ambiguous, the credit is not claimed or further evidence is requested; assessors must not infer or fabricate evidence.

Internal QA review

The assessor's organisation checks credit claims, calculations and evidence trails before submission to BRE, and retains records of that review.

Evidence retention

Assessment records and evidence must be kept for the period required by the licensing scheme and produced for audit on request.

Traceability requirement

Every claimed credit must link to specific dated project documents that a third-party reviewer can locate and verify independently.

Licensed scope

An assessor may only practise for scheme versions and building types covered by a current licence; acting outside that scope breaches the licence.

Assessor core duties

Advise on scheme and target rating, register the project, compile and validate evidence, submit the assessment and answer BRE queries.

Independence and integrity

Assessors must declare conflicts of interest and must not misrepresent project performance or imply that certification is guaranteed.

Confidentiality obligation

Client and project information may only be shared with BRE and authorised parties for assessment and audit purposes.

Licence renewal and CPD

Assessors must complete continuing professional development and renew their licence; a lapsed licence bars assessor activity until reinstated.

Online assessment tool record

The tool holds the project record, credit evidence references, assessor declarations and submission status, and is the authoritative submission to BRE.

No self-certification rule

Assessors cannot certify projects or state that certification has been granted; only BRE Global issues certificates, and client misunderstandings must be corrected.

Audit-ready record-keeping

Entries in the online tool must reflect evidence actually held, and any retrospective edits must be justified and traceable.