Building environmental assessment can do more than assess buildings. It can also provide motivation to improve their performance. BREEAM, the most widely used international environmental assessment methodology, has been applied to over a thousand buildings in Europe, Asia, and America. Its success is largely due to a benchmarking approach; comprehensive coverage of issues related to energy, environmental impact, and health and productivity; and the identification of realistic opportunities for improvement as well as potential additional financial rewards. Using BREEAM Canada as an example, three case studies illustrate how the BREEAM assessment process can contribute to environmental improvement over a wide range of building types, such as a medium-sized older, retrofitted building, a large, relatively new building, and a small, new, state-of-the-art building.

Units: Dual