BREEAM-NL guidelines: which version applies to your project?
The requirements of BREEAM-NL are set out in assessment guidelines, per scheme and per version. You can find the current guidelines at richtlijn.breeam.nl and on breeam.nl . The manager is the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) . For non-residential buildings (New construction and renovation, In-Use) and Area, v6.1.1 is the current version, as stated on the main BREEAM-NL page. Residential schemes and the In-Use schemes for Sustainable Accommodation and Operations use different version numbers. The key point is to use the right document and not an old PDF that is still online somewhere.
Which guideline belongs to which scheme?
Each scheme has its own guideline. The table below follows Instruction 111 (IN111, version 4.0, September 2025). Check the table in IN111 itself, because DGBC updates it.
| Scheme | Guideline (version) | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| New construction and renovation, non-residential | New Construction and Renovation Non-residential v6.1.1 | New non-residential buildings, extensions or large-scale renovation, see the scheme. Registration has been mandatory with this guideline since 13 April 2025 |
| New construction and renovation, residential | New Construction and Renovation Residential 2023 v1.01 | New homes or large-scale renovation of homes |
| In-Use, non-residential buildings | In-Use Non-residential v6.1.1 | Existing non-residential building (asset and management), see In-Use |
| In-Use, residential | In-Use Residential v6.1.1 | Existing homes |
| In-Use, operations | In-Use Sustainable Accommodation and Operations v2.0 | The use of an existing building and internal operations |
| Area | Area v6.1.1 | Area development instead of a single building |
Not sure which scheme fits your building? IN111, Scope of BREEAM-NL schemes can help. That instruction shows the scope, validity and transitional rules for each guideline. See also who BREEAM-NL is for. For projects that do not fit any guideline, a bespoke route (Bespoke) exists.
Which documents exist?
Besides the guideline itself, there are other documents. Each has its own purpose. An overview follows.
| Document | Purpose | When to consult |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment guideline | The requirements and credits per scheme | Always first |
| Interpretation document | Explanation of unclear requirements | When a requirement can be read in more than one way |
| Instruction 111 (IN111) | Which guideline applies to which project and until when you can register with it | When choosing the scheme |
| User guide (HL001) | How to work with the assessment tool | When registering and entering evidence |
Interpretation documents are published regularly. For example, there is an interpretation document for In-Use Non-residential v6.0.0 from July 2025. Always use the most recent edition that belongs to your version. An interpretation of an earlier version is not automatically valid for v6.1.1.
How to find the right guideline
Determine the scheme
New construction, In-Use or Area, and non-residential or residential. That determines the guideline.
Determine the version
Check that the version number matches IN111. For non-residential buildings, this is usually v6.1.1. The version number is shown on the title or cover page.
Open the guideline from the website
Use the official source, not a copy from another party. Keep the date on which you downloaded it.
Check the interpretation documents
Look for explanations of the requirements you find unclear, and use the most recent edition.
Check the transitional rules
When a version changes, transitional rules apply. These are set out per guideline in IN111, in the Validity column. More about timelines is on the costs and timeline page and in the frequently asked questions.
Recognising old PDFs
Old BREEAM documents are still online, including on third-party sites. They often look very similar to the current version. A year in the title tells you nothing, because the current residential guideline is also called “2023 v1.01”. So look at the combination of name and version. According to IN111, these guidelines are no longer the first choice:
| Old guideline | Status according to IN111 (September 2025) |
|---|---|
| New Construction 2020 v1.0 | Registration has not been possible since 13 April 2025. Existing registrations may still be certified while they remain valid |
| New Construction and Renovation 2014 v2.0 | Registration has not been possible since 13 April 2025 |
| Area 2018 v1.0 | Registration has not been possible since 13 April 2025 |
| In-Use Non-residential v6.0.0 | Registration was possible until 13 January 2026. It is no longer possible since then |
| In-Use 2016 v1.0 | The last unique registrations expired on 9 February 2023. Recertification with this guideline was possible until 9 February 2026 |
Also check the source. A copy on an external website may be out of date. Go to the official source to verify.
Using an old guideline is a risk when you prepare a project. You then build an evidence file on requirements that no longer apply. Always start by checking the version, before you collect anything.
Example: which documents do you need for an office project?
Suppose you are going to build a new office. Then you need the following documents, in this order:
- IN111, to confirm that an office falls under New construction and renovation, non-residential.
- The New Construction and Renovation Non-residential v6.1.1 guideline, as the guide for all requirements.
- The interpretation documents that belong to that version, for the credits you have questions about.
- The user guide for the assessment tool, as soon as you register the project.
For an existing office, replace point 2 with the In-Use Non-residential guideline. See office buildings for choosing the scheme.
Common mistakes
- Using an old PDF. Always check the version number.
- Taking over interpretations from another version. Each version has its own explanation.
- Using the wrong scheme. A residential guideline does not help for an office.
- Not checking again after you start. Interpretations are updated. Check at each phase that you are still using the current document.
Frequently asked question: who manages the guidelines?
The guidelines are managed by DGBC. They publish the official versions on breeam.nl and richtlijn.breeam.nl. Read more about the manager at what is BREEAM-NL. For questions about requirements, you can also turn to an Expert, who works with the guidelines every day.
Sources
- BREEAM-NL guideline (current assessment guidelines)
- BREEAM-NL (official site and documents)
- IN111 - Scope of BREEAM-NL schemes v4.0 (validity per guideline)
- DGBC - BREEAM-NL (manager)