BREEAM

Term from Green Building industry explained for recruiters

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is like a report card for how environmentally friendly buildings are. It's widely used worldwide to check how "green" a building is, just like a health inspection for restaurants, but for environmental features. When someone says they have BREEAM experience, it means they know how to help design, build, or assess buildings to meet these environmental standards. The system looks at things like energy use, water efficiency, and the health of people using the building. Other similar systems include LEED (mostly used in America) and Green Star (used in Australia).

Examples in Resumes

Managed BREEAM certification process for office building project achieving 'Excellent' rating

Led sustainability team in achieving BREEAM 'Outstanding' certification for residential development

Conducted BREEAM assessments for 10+ commercial properties

Typical job title: "BREEAM Assessors"

Also try searching for:

Sustainability Consultant Environmental Assessment Specialist Green Building Consultant BREEAM Assessor Sustainable Design Consultant Environmental Building Specialist

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you manage a challenging BREEAM certification project where the client has a limited budget?

Expected Answer: A senior assessor should discuss prioritizing cost-effective measures, identifying quick wins, balancing different credit categories, and negotiating with stakeholders to achieve the best possible rating within budget constraints.

Q: How do you stay current with BREEAM standard updates and how do you implement changes in ongoing projects?

Expected Answer: Should explain their approach to continuous learning, professional development, and practical methods for adapting ongoing projects to new requirements while maintaining client relationships.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What are the main differences between BREEAM and other certification systems like LEED?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain key differences in assessment criteria, scoring methods, and regional adaptations in plain language, demonstrating practical experience with different systems.

Q: Can you explain the BREEAM assessment process from start to finish?

Expected Answer: Should outline the key stages including pre-assessment, evidence collection, interim certification, and final certification, with examples from real projects.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the main categories assessed in BREEAM?

Expected Answer: Should list and briefly explain the main categories like energy, water, health & wellbeing, transport, materials, waste, and pollution in simple terms.

Q: What's the difference between BREEAM ratings (Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent, Outstanding)?

Expected Answer: Should explain the basic scoring system and what typical buildings might achieve at each level.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of BREEAM assessment categories
  • Ability to collect and organize evidence
  • Knowledge of green building principles
  • Basic report writing skills

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Full BREEAM assessments management
  • Stakeholder communication
  • Technical knowledge of building systems
  • Project coordination experience

Senior (5+ years)

  • Strategic sustainability planning
  • Multiple certification system expertise
  • Team leadership and mentoring
  • Complex project management

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No formal BREEAM training or qualifications
  • Lack of practical assessment experience
  • Poor understanding of building construction basics
  • Limited knowledge of sustainability principles

Related Terms