The role of a BREEAM Sustainability Champion in your project

BREEAM (the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) remains the most recognised sustainability certification in the world, setting the standard for environmentally responsible building design, construction, and operation. A BREEAM Sustainability Champion ensures that the standards for certification are embedded into every stage of your project – helping you enhance your development’s environmental performance and strengthen your overall BREEAM rating.

In today’s blog, we’ll explore what a BREEAM Sustainability Champion does, why their role is essential for developers, and how our Sustainability Champions can support your project’s success.

The role of a Sustainability Champion (SC) is to ensure that sustainability principles are fully integrated throughout the entire lifecycle of your project – from concept design through to post-construction. Acting as both strategist and facilitator, the BREEAM SC ensures your team are all working towards the same goals and identifies key credit opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. 

In practical terms, the Sustainability Champion helps to bridge the gap between aspiration and delivery. They ensure that design intent translates into measurable sustainability outcomes, helping you achieve the best possible BREEAM rating in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

The BREEAM Champion’s duties go far beyond just tracking credits. Here are some of their core responsibilities:

• Setting a sustainability strategy early. The SC works with your design team to identify achievable BREEAM credits, set environmental targets, and establish clear sustainability priorities. This helps you to avoid costly redesigns later down the line.
• Coordinating your BREEAM team. The SC acts as a key link between your architects, engineers, contractors, and BREEAM Assessor to ensure that everyone understands their role in achieving certification. This ensures your project stays on schedule and within budget.
• Tracking your performance against targets. The SC monitors progress throughout the design and construction stages, ensuring that BREEAM measures are properly implemented and documented throughout. This reduces the risk of non-compliance or lost credits at the final stage.
• Driving continuous improvement. As well as helping you meet the standards for certification, the SC encourages innovation throughout your project. For example, they can help identify smarter design solutions, lower-impact materials, or more efficient energy systems that enhance both sustainability and asset value.

As Glenn Miles, our Company Director, explains: “Engaging a BREEAM Sustainability Champion (SC) is crucial for unlocking the full sustainability potential of your project. From initial concept to final delivery, the BREEAM SC offers expert guidance to ensure your development aligns with best practices and achieves optimal environmental performance.”

Some of the key advantages of appointing a SC include:

• Avoid costly delays and rework. By embedding sustainability considerations early on in your project, the SC helps to prevent any late design changes that can disrupt your project schedule and inflate costs. 
• Reduce risks. The Champion ensures that you comply with all environmental legislation and planning conditions, protecting your investment from potential legal or reputational issues.
• Maximise your BREEAM score. A SC helps to identify achievable credits and pathways to obtaining higher BREEAM ratings such as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Outstanding’.
• Enhance your asset’s value. Achieving a higher BREEAM rating will help you attract premium tenants, lower operational costs, and demonstrate long-term resilience. These are all major selling points for investors.

At Encon Associates, we offer a wide range of expert BREEAM assessment services to help you achieve your sustainability goals. Our team of qualified BREEAM Assessors and Sustainability Champions will act as a true extension of your current design team, identifying valuable opportunities for refinement and enabling you to obtain those all-important additional RIBA stage credits. From the initial pre-assessment through to the final certification, we’ll work closely with you to ensure your project achieves its sustainability targets efficiently and effectively.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help you integrate sustainability into your upcoming development.