United Kingdom-based Building Research Establishment unveiled Version 7 of its BREEAM New Construction framework, or NC V7, on Tuesday, expanding its flagship sustainability standard to include stronger carbon, biodiversity and climate-resilience criteria for new buildings.
BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, and NC V7 introduces science-based benchmarks for whole-life carbon, measuring emissions from design through demolition.
It enables developers, designers and sustainability professionals to track both operational and embodied carbon, identifying where reductions are achievable.
BRE said the update comes amid rising climate pressures. In 2024, weather-related disasters caused $368 billion in global economic losses. Property analysts estimate that higher insurance premiums and shifting consumer demand could wipe out $1.47 trillion in asset value if buildings fail to adapt.
Biodiversity and Resilience at the Core
The revised framework also embeds biodiversity and resilience as key assessment factors. It requires projects to plan for extreme weather and demonstrate positive contributions to local ecosystems.
Jane Goddard, deputy CEO and managing director of building performance services at BRE, said the new version reflects the evolution of sustainability goals.
“BREEAM NC V7 comes at a time when sustainability is no longer just about compliance, but about the need to protect and enhance long-term portfolio value,” said Goddard.
She added: “By strengthening BREEAM’s focus on whole-life carbon, NC V7 provides a clearer understanding of an asset’s true carbon impact.”
Alignment With Global Energy Standards
Customers using NC V7 can align with the EU Taxonomy and the EU Zero Energy Building definition, ensuring compliance with emerging European regulations.
The framework also supports the UK’s forthcoming Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, giving clients a single methodology to measure carbon neutrality.
BRE said these updates help investors and asset managers future-proof their portfolios while demonstrating measurable performance against international sustainability benchmarks.
Alongside the new framework, BRE introduced a digital platform for managing BREEAM certifications. The tool consolidates asset data, simplifies reporting and allows users to benchmark performance across portfolios.
By combining certification and data analytics, BRE aims to make sustainability tracking more transparent and consistent across markets.
The organization stated that the improvements in BREEAM NC V7 align with its broader mission to accelerate the transition to low- and zero-energy buildings.
Currently, there are over 2.9 million BREEAM-registered buildings and 1 million BREEAM-certified buildings across 104 countries.
As investors increasingly prioritize resilient, low-carbon portfolios, BRE said the NC V7 framework offers a practical route for developers to design buildings that are energy-efficient, environmentally restorative and future-ready.
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