The BREEAM Awards 2026 winners
Recognising excellence in sustainable building design, development and management, this year’s winners demonstrate the innovation, commitment and leadership driving positive change across the built environment.
Selected from an exceptionally strong field of entries, their achievements highlight the important role of sustainability in shaping a better built environment for the future.
New Construction Project of the Year:
Quatuor, Brussels, Belgium
Transforming a contaminated site in Brussels into four independently BREEAM Outstanding certified office towers, Quatuor sets a high standard for sustainable urban development. Spanning 60,000 m², the project achieved 100% scores in Energy, Transport and Water, with primary energy demand 25% below benchmark. Through passive design, seasonal geothermal storage and biodiversity enhancements, the development has also recorded zero flooding incidents, demonstrating a commitment to environmental performance and climate resilience.
Infrastructure Project of the Year:
The Upgrade of Majorstuen Station, Oslo, NCC Infrastructure Norway
NCC’s £27 million upgrade of Majorstuen station in Oslo achieved BREEAM Infrastructure Excellent with a score of 86.70%. Delivered within a critical 25-day closure period, the project achieved 99% waste sorting, carbon emissions 41% below budget and over 110% net biodiversity value. Using 100% renewable electricity and emission-free site operations, the scheme was completed on time with zero environmental incidents, demonstrating sustainable infrastructure delivery in a complex urban setting.
Refurbishment and Fit Out Excellence:
Lambeth Palace, London, United Kingdom
Balancing heritage conservation with ambitious sustainability goals, the £40 million refurbishment of Lambeth Palace achieved BREEAM Excellent with a score of 74%. The Grade I listed building recorded a 77% reduction in primary energy use, improving its EPC rating from G to A while preserving 800 years of architectural heritage. The installation of air source heat pumps, 160 double-glazed windows and photovoltaic panels demonstrates how historic buildings can contribute to the Church of England’s 2030 net-zero ambitions.
In-Use Performance:
Vesteda Investment Management B.V., Netherlands
Across a residential portfolio of approximately 28,000 homes, Vesteda Investment Management is driving measurable improvements in sustainability performance through BREEAM NL In-Use certification. Between 2022 and 2025, energy intensity decreased from 101.9 to 90.1 kWh/m², water consumption fell from 0.84 to 0.70 m³/m², and location-based carbon emissions reduced from 23.1 to 19.5 kg CO₂/m². These results reflect a systematic approach to sustainable asset management and continuous improvement at scale.
Portfolio ESG Impact:
Iron Mountain Data Centres
As the first North American data centre provider to achieve BREEAM design certification in 2022, Iron Mountain Data Centers is advancing sustainability across the global data centre sector. With 10 certifications covering 12 facilities across the USA, UK, Spain and the Netherlands, and a further 8 sites in development, the organisation has embedded BREEAM across its international portfolio. This commitment supports consistent environmental performance, measurable sustainability outcomes and customers’ carbon reduction ambitions.
Lifecycle Impact Commitment:
Paradise SE11, London
The transformation of a former Costa Coffee Roastery in London into a modern workplace showcases the potential of mass-timber hybrid construction. Achieving BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 Excellent and operational certification in June 2025, Paradise 11 delivered embodied carbon performance 35% below RIBA 2030 targets. Selected as a pilot for the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, the project combines whole-life carbon assessment, real-time monitoring and adaptable design to support long-term sustainability.
Climate Resilience Excellence:
Wonderwoods, Utrecht
Bringing nature into the heart of Utrecht, Wonderwoods integrates 360 trees and 9,700 plants across two mixed-use towers. The development achieved BREEAM Outstanding for offices and Excellent for residential units, combining biodiversity-led design with innovative rainwater harvesting and sensor-driven irrigation. Supported by a 25-year maintenance partnership, the project demonstrates how nature-based solutions can enhance urban biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience and create sustainable places for the future.
Responsible Occupier Award:
GSK HQ – Project Emerald, London
GSK’s London headquarters, Project Emerald, sets a high standard for sustainable workplace occupancy, achieving BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum certifications. Featuring Europe’s largest corporate vertical farm, producing 20,000 organic plants annually using 90% less water, the project also incorporates a closed-loop Washbox system saving 63,000 litres of water. Through circular economy principles, innovative resource management and research-led workplace design, Project Emerald demonstrates a commitment to environmental performance and employee health and wellbeing.
Sustainable City Award:
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Birmingham City Council has placed sustainability at the centre of urban development, requiring BREEAM Excellent for non-residential buildings over 1,000 m² since 2017. This approach has contributed to 87 buildings achieving BREEAM Excellent or above, including five Outstanding ratings, with notable projects such as the BBC’s Tea Factory and the Library of Birmingham. Through strong planning policies and strategic partnerships, the city has attracted significant investment and achieved a CDP A rating for three consecutive years, demonstrating leadership in sustainable urban development.
Multi-Certification Leadership - People's Choice:
Aviva Investors Portfolio
Aviva Investors has embedded sustainability across its diverse European real estate portfolio, spanning offices, retail and logistics, through a consistent approach to BREEAM and complementary certifications. Achieving portfolio-wide BREEAM In-Use certifications in 2025, alongside schemes including WELL, DGNB and ModeScore, the strategy strengthens operational performance and ESG transparency. With a 72-point increase in GRESB performance across seven funds, the approach demonstrates how independently verified certification can support resilient asset management and continuous improvement at scale.
Small Project, Big Impact - People's Choice:
CERC Boldesti-Scaeni, Romania
CERC Boldești-Scăeni in Romania demonstrates how sustainable buildings can deliver lasting social and environmental value within a compact 220 m² footprint. Certified under BREEAM In-Use, the community hub supports education, vocational training and disadvantaged groups, reaching hundreds annually. With negative embodied carbon, photovoltaic energy and closed-loop water systems, the building combines resource efficiency with meaningful community impact, supporting educational progression and long-term social outcomes over ten years.
Future Sustainability Advocate:
Ghena Zakhour, Rider Levett Bucknall, United Kingdom
Ghena Zakhour, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Rider Levett Bucknall, is advancing sustainable construction across the UK through expertise and innovation. As a BREEAM Advisory Professional, she has contributed to projects achieving BREEAM Excellent with innovation credits and delivered a 5% reduction in embodied carbon through life cycle assessments. Working across multiple sectors, she also champions knowledge-sharing and graduate mentoring to embed sustainability into everyday practice.
Communities and Social Value Leadership:
CERC Boldesti-Scaeni, Romania
For 10 years, CERC Boldești-Scăeni in Romania has supported around 80 children and 60 families annually through education, training and counselling. All after-school participants have progressed to upper secondary education, with 2–3 reaching university each year. Built with negative embodied carbon, the centre uses local materials, photovoltaic systems meeting annual electricity demand and closed-loop water systems, demonstrating how sustainable design can deliver lasting community impact.
Digital Sustainability Innovation:
Sustainabot
Developed by Sustainabot Technologies Kft. and Greenbors Consulting Kft., Sustainabot uses AI to streamline BREEAM documentation reviews, reducing review time by approximately 70%. Deployed across logistics, retail and office projects in Hungary, the platform improves efficiency, consistency and traceability. By reducing repetitive tasks, it enables assessors to focus on environmental decision-making, demonstrating the value of digital innovation in sustainability certification.
Sustainability Champion:
Pantelis Levantis, Ecoveritas, Greece
Pantelis Levantis has played a pioneering role in establishing BREEAM in Greece, delivering over 561,000 m² of certified space across 31 projects spanning multiple sectors. As founder of Ecoveritas and former President of the Sustainable Building Council of Greece, he has helped secure sustainability certification incentives in national building regulations and trained over 78 delegates. His leadership has strengthened industry expertise and advanced sustainable construction practices across Greece.
Assessor Organisation of the Year:
Bopro, Belgium
With more than 2,500 BREEAM assessments delivered over 18 years, Bopro has played a leading role in advancing sustainable real estate across Belgium. Its portfolio includes 161 Outstanding and 644 Excellent certifications, alongside landmark projects such as Tivoli Green City, which achieved a BREEAM Communities score of 95.2%. Combining technical expertise with an integrated approach to assessment, Bopro demonstrates how BREEAM can deliver measurable sustainability outcomes and long-term business value.