BuildingWise, San Francisco, a US-based Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification consultancy, and Building Research Establishment (BRE), Watford, U.K., have announced a new partnership. The collaboration allows BuildingWise and BRE to bring the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM)—a sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings—to the United States.
BREEAM USA will focus on the BREEAM In-Use standard to address the 5.6 million existing commercial buildings in the U.S. that are not currently benchmarking their sustainability efforts using a scientifically based green building certification.
BuildingWise CEO Barry Giles says, “We are so excited to finally bring BREEAM to the U.S. to open up the option for many of the existing buildings in this country that don’t currently use a building certification program because the available systems are seen as cumbersome, expensive and require prerequisites that many buildings find impossible to achieve.”
Designed by BRE, the BREEAM rating system has a 25-year track record of driving efficiency improvements in new and existing buildings around the world, the company says. BREEAM In-Use is an independent, science-based and inclusive assessment that is designed to give building managers and owners a framework for improving the operational sustainability of their asset, reducing energy costs and consequently carbon footprints.
During the assessment process, each category is sub-divided into a range of issues, which promotes the use of new benchmarks, aims and targets. When a target is reached, credits are awarded. Once a building has been fully assessed, depending upon the total number of credits awarded, a final performance rating is achieved.
One of the first properties to undertake BREEAM In-Use is The Bloc in downtown Los Angeles. Currently, The Bloc is in the final stage of a transformation into an open-air urban destination which will offer Angelenos to go to retails and restaurant, a new office building and the renovated 496-room Sheraton Grand Los Angeles.