What is BREEAM In-Use?
BREEAM In-Use is the BREEAM certification scheme from BRE for existing, operational buildings. It helps owners and occupiers assess and improve the sustainability performance of an asset in use, covering energy, water, health and well-being, resilience, materials, pollution and land use.
What it is
BREEAM In-Use is designed for buildings that are already operating, unlike BREEAM New Construction. It assesses the asset and how it is managed. Assessments are carried out by licensed assessors and certified by BRE.
The scheme is widely used for commercial property portfolios because it gives a consistent rating across many buildings and supports improvement plans. It is reviewed periodically, so check the current version for scope and credits.
For portfolio owners, the value is consistency. The same questions are asked of every building, so weak assets stand out and improvement budgets can be aimed where they matter. Measured energy and water data makes the answers comparable across sites, rather than dependent on how each site estimated its use.
Who it applies to / where it is used
BREEAM In-Use is used by commercial property owners, investment managers, occupiers and public estates, particularly in the UK and Europe, and in other regions where BREEAM is common.
How it is measured / what evidence it needs
Energy and water credits are stronger when based on measured consumption rather than estimates.
- Metered energy consumption
- Metered water consumption and leak detection provisions
- Indoor environment information
- Management policies and procedures
- Assessor-verified documentation
How Aqueduct helps
Aqueduct uses the same operational evidence approach as LEED O+M, supplying measured data to the licensed assessor.
- Metered and sub-metered energy through aQ EnergySmart
- Water monitoring and leak detection through aQ WaterGuard
- Indoor air and comfort data through aQ AirSafe
- Portfolio exports through aQ Assurance for assessors