How BREEAM Infrastructure works - BREEAM
How BREEAM Infrastructure works
BREEAM Infrastructure (formerly CEEQUAL) is the sustainability assessment scheme for infrastructure, civil engineering, landscaping and public realm works, providing independent verification of your project’s performance.
BREEAM Infrastructure is a self-assessment process, carried out by a trained BREEAM Infrastructure assessor. Using a manual and an online assessment platform, the assessor records the scores and evidence. It’s then externally verified by a BREEAM Infrastructure-appointed verifier. The result is a ratified BREEAM Infrastructure score and rating, and the certificate is awarded to all project partners.
When to apply
Start your BREEAM Infrastructure sustainability assessment at the beginning of your project. Early application paves the way for ingraining sustainable practices right from the start, and simplifies the process of collecting evidence as the project progresses.
If your project has already started, it’s not too late to start your assessment. You can undertake a BREEAM assessment at any time during the project’s lifespan. In these cases, we’ll evaluate any criteria met prior to the assessment registration retrospectively. The farther your project has progressed before registering, the more challenging it may be to get optimal scores.
Using BREEAM Infrastructure early steers your project towards superior sustainability and resilience and also maximises your credits. BREEAM Infrastructure puts your project in a favourable light in competitive landscape.
The BREEAM Infrastructure assessment process
Step 2: upload project
The BREEAM Infrastructure team assigns a relevant verifier to the project. The assessor and verifier have a scoping meeting and the project is uploaded to the assessment platform.
Step 3: determine assessment scope
The assessor reviews the project and indicates which criteria are not relevant. The assessor and verifier agree on the scope of the project and record this on the online platform.
Step 4: gather supporting evidence
The assessor works through the criteria in the manual and gathers the necessary supporting evidence and allocating credits. The credits and supporting evidence are recorded on the online platform.
Step 5: notify the verifier
The assessor submits the assessment for verification, notifies the verifier that the project is ready for verification, and arranges a date for the verification meeting.
Step 6: await verification
The verifier reviews the credits and evidence, verifying these in accordance with the BREEAM Infrastructure procedures. This step takes a minimum of four weeks to complete.
Step 7: provide any missing evidence
The assessor may provide the verifier with any missing evidence to support their case.
Step 8: verifier submits assessment
The verifier completes their review by entering their comments and credits on the online platform and submitting the assessment for ratification.
Step 9: await ratification
The ratifier checks that the assessment is defendable and does a consistency check on the verifier. This step takes approximately three weeks.
Step 10: receive certificate
Once ratified, the relevant teams receive their BREEAM Infrastructure Award certificates.
The roles
The assessor
Trained BREEAM Infrastructure assessors are required to complete BREEAM Infrastructure assessments. They are usually part of the project team and encourage the team to consider sustainability issues at appropriate times, as well as assessing the final outcome.
The verifier
BREEAM Infrastructure verifiers are independent from the project team. It is their job to help guide the assessor and verify the final assessment. BREEAM Infrastructure verifiers have a deeper understanding of BREEAM Infrastructure and are chosen from a pool of assessors who have completed at least one assessment.
The BREEAM Infrastructure technical schemes
BREEAM Infrastructure’s technical schemes consist of eight categories, each relating to a different area of sustainability, against which the performance of a project is assessed. Projects are awarded a score for each of the eight categories, which are combined to give the overall sustainability assessment score and the final rating.
Fee scale
To discuss fee scales for specific assessment types, please contact us.
BREEAM Infrastructure fees could depend on several factors:
Contract value of the project or contracted works
Client’s or engineer’s estimate
Type of assessment
Fees include:
The cost of the BREEAM Infrastructure-appointed verifier
BREEAM Infrastructure’s project administration costs
The cost of the certificate presentation at the end of the assessment
The progressive development of the BREEAM Infrastructure scheme
Online assessment platforms
BREEAM Infrastructure uses online assessment platforms to record the whole BREEAM Infrastructure assessment process, including evidence to support scores given, reasons for scoping-out questions, scores awarded by the assessor, and the verifier’s comments and amendments.
On previous versions of BREEAM Infrastructure (Version 4 and Version 5), the Online Assessment Tool was used. This is still active for ongoing projects using earlier versions of BREEAM Infrastructure.
As of BREEAM Infrastructure Version 6, this has been replaced by the BREEAM Projects platform, as part of process of aligning the BREEAM Infrastructure and BREEAM standards.
Assessors are given log-in details upon completion of an assessor training course.