BREEAM Refurbishment V7: What You Need to Know About the New Scheme

BRE officially published the BREEAM Refurbishment V7 manuals. Based on an initial review, the new version is not merely a minor update, but includes significant revisions across several areas compared to the previous BREEAM International Refurbishment and Fit Out 2015 (RFO) scheme.

Key changes:

• Scheme Split: The previous BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out (RFO) scheme has split into two separate certification schemes:

  
  

  • BREEAM Refurbishment V7 – for full or major building refurbishments;

    
    

  • BREEAM Fit Out V7 – exclusively for interior design and tenant fit-out projects.

    
    

• Scope & Structure: The Refurbishment manual continues to follow the familiar Part 1–4 structure (Fabric & Structure, Core Services, Local Services, Interior Design), whereas Fit Out primarily covers the scope of the former Part 3 and Part 4.

  
  

• Resilience: A new Resilience category has been introduced, placing greater emphasis on long-term building resilience, climate change adaptation, and managing climate risks.

  
  

• Whole Life Carbon: Whole Life Carbon (LCA) requirements have been significantly expanded. V7 places far greater emphasis on evaluating whole-life carbon emissions, as well as assessing the carbon footprint of building structures and materials.

  
  

• Energy: The Energy category has been revised, putting more weight on energy efficiency, reducing operational energy use, and verifying the building's actual energy performance.

  
  

• Health & Wellbeing: Health & Wellbeing requirements have become more stringent, particularly regarding Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, lighting, and occupant comfort. Several credits require more detailed evidence and stricter compliance criteria.

  
  

• Ecology: The Ecology category has also undergone major revisions, with an increased focus on preserving and enhancing biodiversity, as well as promoting a nature-positive approach.

  
  

• EU Taxonomy Alignment: The scheme aligns with EU Taxonomy requirements in several areas, making it expectedly easier to use for projects targeting sustainability or ESG compliance.

  
  

• BREEAM Platform: Instead of the former Excel-based calculators, the BREEAM Platform plays an increasingly central role, with more calculations and data management carried out directly within the system.

  
  

• Credit System & Minimum Standards: The credit system continues to use a combination of binary and performance-based assessments; however, compliance levels and evidence requirements have changed for several credits. The Minimum Standards framework remains in place, meaning that alongside achieving the required score, mandatory requirements must also be met to reach a given certification rating (Very Good, Excellent, Outstanding).

  
  

Overall, our initial impression is that V7 is significantly more stringent, detailed, and documentation-intensive than the previous RFO 2015. Early design coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a carbon-, resilience-, and health-focused approach are expected to play a larger role.

Transition Period:

The release of V7 does not mean the immediate phase-out of the previous scheme.

• Following the launch of V7 project registration, new projects can still be registered under the BREEAM International RFO 2015 scheme for 3 months.

• Projects registered during this window can still be certified under the old scheme for up to 5 years.

• This can be particularly relevant for refurbishment projects with long execution timelines; therefore, when launching any new project, it is worth carefully weighing whether applying the old or the new scheme is more advantageous.