BREEAM-NL In-Use: certifying existing buildings
BREEAM-NL In-Use is the scheme for buildings that are already in use. It measures how sustainable an existing building is and how it is managed. There are two versions: one for non-residential buildings (offices, shops, logistics) and one for housing. The official guideline is at richtlijn.breeam.nl , managed by the Dutch Green Building Council . In-Use uses its own scorecard, which differs slightly from the New Construction scheme. You can read about this in scores and levels.
In-Use is not intended for buildings you have just handed over or substantially renovated. For those, use the new construction and renovation scheme. In-Use is for the phase after that: daily use and management over a longer period.
The two parts of In-Use
BREEAM-NL In-Use Non-residential v6.1.1 has two parts. You can certify them together or separately.
| Part | Name | What is assessed? |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Asset | The building and site components, such as the building fabric and installations, including energy performance |
| Part 2 | Management | How the management of the building is organised and carried out, such as maintenance |
An example makes the difference clear. Part 1 checks whether a building has good ventilation systems. Part 2 checks whether there is a maintenance plan for those systems and whether it is carried out. You receive a separate score for each part on the certificate.
The use of the building by the organisation itself is no longer part of this guideline. It used to be part of the older In-Use 2016 scheme as the Use section. There is now a separate guideline for this: In-Use Sustainable Accommodation and Operations (Duurzame huisvesting en Bedrijfsvoering) v2.0. In the Netherlands, you can combine that guideline with In-Use Non-residential.
Different scores for In-Use
The scorecard of In-Use v6.1.1 differs from the New Construction scheme at the lower end. Pass starts at 15% instead of 25%.
| Rating | Score |
|---|---|
| Outstanding | 85% or higher |
| Excellent | 70% to 85% |
| Very Good | 55% to 70% |
| Good | 40% to 55% |
| Pass | 15% to 40% |
| Unclassified | below 15% |
The difference is practical. Existing buildings have limitations that you can no longer design out. The lower entry point recognises that, without diluting the higher ratings. Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding use the same percentages as New Construction.
Validity and recertification
An In-Use certificate is valid for a maximum of three years as standard. With a portfolio approach, a different term may apply. The certificate shows the date of certification and the date until which it is valid. After three years, you need to recertify to keep insight into current performance.
A registration is valid for one year. If you do not obtain a certificate within that year, you register again against the version valid at that time.
In between, you can update the performance through the interim certification cycle, after 1 and/or 2 years. For example, you can do this if you add Part 2 Management to a certificate for Part 1 Asset after a year. If the score changes by more than 10%, a visit from an Assessor is needed. For a smaller change, a desk check is enough. The validity of the certificate stays the same.
Recertification is also an opportunity. You measure again, updated data counts, and you can reach a higher rating if management has improved.
Who is In-Use for?
In-Use is mainly of interest to owners and investors with an existing portfolio of buildings. It shows how sustainable your property is and how well it is managed. This is relevant for ESG reporting, financing and tenant expectations.
A facility manager of an office building can use Part 2 to show that energy management is professional. You can read which scheme suits an office on the office buildings page. An investor with ten office properties can have the whole portfolio assessed structurally and compared.
Not sure whether In-Use or New Construction fits your situation? First read who BREEAM-NL is for and look at the step-by-step plan.
Next steps
For buildings you are still constructing or substantially renovating.
New construction and renovationFees for In-Use and the process duration.
Costs and timelineMIA and Vamil also apply to existing buildings.
Subsidies and tax benefitsOwners, investors and facility managers.
Who is it for?Sources
- BREEAM-NL guideline - In-Use scheme (official requirements and scorecard)
- DGBC - BREEAM-NL (administrator and version history)
- BREEAM-NL fees for In-Use (certification costs 2026)