SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BREEAM, the globally recognized leader for sustainable building assessment and certification developed by BRE Global (‘BRE’), today announced robust growth of BREEAM-certified assets in the United States in 2022, reporting a nearly 160 percent increase in total certifications issued year over year. Launched in 1990, BREEAM is the world’s most comprehensive and only science-backed standard for the sustainable commercial real estate sector, which has in turn led to rapid adoption amongst national development and property management leaders as it continues its U.S. expansion.
Of the hundreds of new assets certified by BREEAM this year, several marked milestone achievements. Five states and one district — Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Ohio, Oregon and Washington, D.C. — welcomed their first-ever BREEAM certified asset, extending BREEAM’s U.S. footprint to a total of 27 states. Further, 113 new communities saw the addition of a BREEAM certified asset in 2022.
“Entering into the new year, the business case for using a science-backed standard to measure and improve sustainability performance at the asset level is stronger than ever before, garnering ever-increasing support from all stakeholders. BREEAM offers invaluable tools and resources as we aid owners and operators’ ESG and business risk management efforts, and we’re proud to share that we have had a truly banner year in the U.S.,” said Breana Wheeler, U.S. Director of Operations at BRE.
Over the course of the year, BREEAM continued to provide its sustainable benchmarking and certification to assets across the real estate spectrum. This includes office, industrial, retail, and multifamily facilities, as well as a number of new asset types which achieved certification in 2022 such as the first-ever BREEAM-certified hotel and data center in the U.S.
“BRE pioneered the first green building certification with BREEAM over three decades ago and we’re delighted to see it growing so fast in so many markets around the world. There is increasing evidence that BREEAM certification increases the value and rental yield of a building, with investors, tenants and regulators all demanding higher sustainability standards. The US is a vital growth market for BREEAM and I’m delighted to see so many communities and companies benefiting from healthier and greener buildings this year,” said Jane Goddard, Director of Corporate Affairs at BRE.
Looking at the 2023 year ahead, BREEAM is eager to build on the previous year’s successes and momentum, working hand-in-hand with respected industry partners to advance ESG and sustainability efforts across the U.S. real estate sector.
About BRE & BREEAM
BRE is a world leading, multi-disciplinary, building science center with a mission to improve buildings and infrastructure, through cutting-edge research and knowledge generation. BRE maintains a range of products, services, standards and qualifications that are used around the world to bring about positive change in the built environment. Learn more at www.bregroup.com.
BREEAM is the world’s leading science-based suite of validation and certification systems for the sustainable built environment. Since 1990, its third-party certified standards have helped improve asset performance at every stage, from design through construction, to use and refurbishment. Millions of buildings across the world are registered to work towards BREEAM’s holistic approach to achieve ESG, health and Net Zero goals. It is owned by BRE - a profit-for-purpose organization with over 100 years of building science and research background. Learn more about BREEAM in the US at www.bregroup.com/breeamusa.
