Certifying under BREEAM-NL New construction and renovation
BREEAM-NL New construction and renovation is the scheme for new non-residential buildings and major renovations. It is managed by the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC) and assesses a building on nine sustainability categories, from design to handover. From version v6.1.1, renovation is fully included in this scheme again, alongside new construction. The full guideline is available at richtlijn.breeam.nl . Good preparation starts with the BREEAM-NL hub and the scores and levels.
New construction is the most widely used scheme in the Dutch market for commercial and non-residential buildings. Think of offices, logistics centres, shops and healthcare buildings. A certificate shows that the building was designed and built sustainably, and it opens the door to tax benefits through MIA (Environmental Investment Allowance) and Vamil (flexible depreciation of environmental investments).
Which projects is this scheme for?
The New construction and renovation scheme suits two situations. The first is new construction: a completely new building that you build from the ground up. The second is a major renovation: an existing building that is changed so thoroughly that it is essentially new.
An example of new construction: a new distribution centre of 25,000 m2 gross floor area (GFA) in the Randstad. An example of renovation: an office building from the 1980s that is stripped down to the load-bearing structure and completely rebuilt on the inside.
Is it an existing building that you manage or that is already in use? Then use the In-Use scheme. That scheme is structured differently. A school can also fall under this scheme; see school buildings.
The two assessment moments
With BREEAM-NL New construction, a building is assessed at two moments. That gives you guidance during the process.
The design certificate you receive during the design phase. It shows which sustainable choices you plan to make. This certificate is not final proof, but it records your ambition. It also gives certainty to clients, financiers and any tenants.
The handover certificate you receive after construction is complete. It proves that the plans were actually carried out. This is the certificate that counts for tax benefits and that is recognised in the market.
Start in the design phase. Many credits can only be earned if you make choices early: in material selection, building services or location. Adding credits later is expensive or impossible. The sooner a BREEAM-NL Expert is involved, the more room you have.
The nine categories in the new construction scheme
The building is assessed on the same nine categories that apply to the other schemes. You can read about how the scoring works in detail on the page about how BREEAM-NL works.
| Category | In short |
|---|---|
| Management | How the building process is organised and managed |
| Health | Daylight, air quality, thermal comfort |
| Energy | Consumption, insulation, renewable generation |
| Transport | Accessibility, bicycle storage, charging points |
| Water | Water consumption and reuse |
| Materials | Origin and environmental impact of building materials |
| Waste | Separating and minimising construction waste |
| Land use and ecology | Soil, greenery and biodiversity |
| Pollution | Emissions, light nuisance and rainwater runoff |
Energy usually carries the most weight. If you invest in good insulation and sustainable installations, you quickly have the basis for a high score. The exact weightings per building type are set out in the BREEAM-NL guideline .
Which level is achievable?
The scores and levels of the New construction scheme range from Pass (25%) to Outstanding (85%). In practice, Very Good (55%) is the most common level for solid new construction. Excellent (70%) is required by institutional investors and large tenants.
| Rating | Minimum score | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Pass | 25% | Basic quality |
| Good | 40% | Standard new construction |
| Very Good | 55% | Well-designed project |
| Excellent | 70% | Investors, large tenants |
| Outstanding | 85% | Frontrunners, less than 1% of the building stock |
Outstanding is achievable, but it requires an intensive process with demonstrably pioneering solutions. Less than 1% of the building stock reaches this level.
Next steps
From registration to certificate, step by step.
Step-by-step planWhat certification costs and how long it takes.
Costs and timelineFor existing buildings that are already in use.
In-UseMIA and Vamil for sustainable buildings.
Subsidies and tax benefitsSources
- BREEAM-NL guideline - New construction and renovation scheme (official requirements v6.1.1)
- DGBC - BREEAM-NL (manager and version history)
- BREEAM-NL rates (certification costs 2026)