Reducing BREEAM Project Delays During the December Rush

In this blog, we explore how the holiday season can cause delays to BREEAM assessments and how our team of experienced consultants, following the updated BREEAM V7, can help you stay on track of project timelines.

Towards the end of the year, BRE hits one of its busiest periods, meaning December delays are all too common. This can be due to several reasons, however, the main factors impacting BREEAM assessments during this period include:

• Increased review and response times, leading to processing bottlenecks
• BRE operating on a reduced Holiday schedule, meaning fewer available staff to process assessments
• Processing bottlenecks, leading to delayed certifications

With the busy period fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get ahead. Preparing your BREEAM evidence and submission early can mean securing review slots with BRE before the busy period hits. At Encon Associates, our expert consultants provide tailored BREEAM solutions, offering an extensive range of BREEAM assessment schemes and ensuring you gain the right certification for your development.

At Encon associates, we can help you get your project over the line, even during the busy December period. Our team of experienced BREEAM consultants can:

• Prepare and submit documentation before the rush hits
• Coordinate evidence to meet BRE’s requirements
• Strengthen your BREEAM rating by identifying cost-effective credits
• Manage communication with quick responses to BRE queries

The BREEAM assessment standards have recently been updated. Launched in September 2025, BREEAM V7 has meant several changes to the assessment have come into effect. The changes have impacted several areas of the BREEAM assessment. With a more focused emphasis on reducing whole-life carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency, BREEAM V7 aims to further enhance the sustainability and environmental performance of buildings. 

Updates to BREEAM V7 include:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Whole Life Carbon
• New Energy credit structure
• Refreshed Health and Wellbeing category
• Ecology, refrigerants, and pollution
• Updated minimum standards
• Revised rating boundaries
• Rebalanced weighting system

Find out more about the new updates in BREEAM V7

With the new BREEAM assessment update, and the December rush fast-approaching, it is now more important than ever to engage with a qualified BREEAM assessor – the earlier on in the process, the better. By getting in touch with our team, sooner rather than later, you can beat the Holiday rush and reach project deadlines.

BREEAM UK New Construction assessments evaluate environmental performance of new buildings. From the initial design consultation through to the first year of occupation, these assessments ensure new build properties are meeting the highest environmental standards at each stage of the process.

All new construction needing BREEAM assessments must now meet the new standards and comply with the updated version. Encon Associates offers a wide array of specialist services, from Traffic  and Acoustic Reports  to Daylight Calculations and Thermal Modelling, all of which can boost your project’s overall sustainability rating and meet the updated BREEAM standards.