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BREEAM-NLWhat is BREEAM-NL?

What is BREEAM-NL?

BREEAM-NL is the Dutch certificate that makes the sustainability of a building or area measurable. It is managed by the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) . A building receives a score as a percentage, which converts into a rating from Pass to Outstanding. It is not a law and not an ISO standard. It is a voluntary certificate that tenants, investors and banks increasingly ask for. With a good level, you can also claim tax benefits through the MIA and Vamil.

BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. The method originates from the United Kingdom and has been adapted for the Netherlands to match Dutch legislation and regulations. A building is assessed across nine categories, from energy to materials. You can read how the scoring works in detail further on. The official guidelines are on breeam.nl  and in the BREEAM-NL guideline .

Version v6.1.1 of 13 January 2025 is the current guideline for New Construction and Renovation non-residential, In-Use (non-residential and housing) and Area. For new housing, Housing 2023 v1.01 applies. Older registrations continue to run for as long as they are valid. See guidelines and versions.

BREEAM-NL at a glance

What is it?A certificate that measures the sustainability of buildings and areas
AdministratorDutch Green Building Council (DGBC) 
Who is it for?Property owners, developers, investors and builders
Mandatory?No, it is voluntary. Often requested by tenants and financiers
SchemesNew construction, In-Use and Area
RatingsPass, Good, Very Good, Excellent, Outstanding
Versionv6.1.1 for non-residential and Area (published January 2025)
ValidityIn-Use 3 years; a new build certificate belongs to the completed building
TaxPossibly MIA and Vamil via the Milieulijst

Why BREEAM-NL?

The main reason is value. A sustainable building with a BREEAM-NL certificate is easier to let, easier to finance and worth more when sold. Large tenants and investors increasingly ask for it explicitly. An office building without a certificate may become harder to let over time.

A good rating also helps with tax benefits. A sustainable building with a BREEAM certificate is on the Milieulijst of RVO  (the Dutch Environmental List of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency). This means you can deduct part of your investment through the MIA (Environmental Investment Allowance) and depreciate it faster through the Vamil (Accelerated Depreciation of Environmental Investments).

You also build a healthier building. BREEAM looks at daylight, air quality, energy use and material use. This fits with environmental management such as ISO 14001 and with CO2 reduction through the CO2 Performance Ladder.

How does it work?

Your building is assessed on nine categories: management, health, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and pollution. You earn credits per category. These are weighted and added up to a final score as a percentage. That score determines your rating and the number of stars. The full explanation is on how it works.

The assessment is carried out by an independent Assessor, based on evidence collected by a BREEAM-NL Expert. The whole process from registration to certificate is set out in the step-by-step plan.

Get started

Nine categories, credits and the role of the Expert and Assessor.

How does it work?

From Pass to Outstanding: which score belongs to which star rating?

Scores and levels

The scheme for new and renovated buildings.

New construction and renovation

Certify existing buildings in two parts: Asset and Management.

In-Use

From registration to certificate, step by step.

Step-by-step plan

What does certification cost and how long does it take?

Costs and timeline

MIA and Vamil for a sustainable building.

Subsidies and tax benefits

Which certificate suits your project?

BREEAM vs LEED

Owners, developers, investors and builders.

Who is it for?

Credits, minimum standards and what an assessor wants to see as evidence.

BREEAM-NL requirements

What the adviser does in each phase and how to follow the training path.

BREEAM-NL Expert

Which document applies to your scheme and how to recognise old PDFs.

Guidelines and versions

Which scheme suits an office, and which information you need.

Office buildings

Which scheme applies to a school and which questions to ask in advance.

School buildings

All the practical answers in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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