Inspiring BREEAM-Certified Buildings Around the World

Lysgården Office Building

Trondheim, Norway

Part of the Sluppen district, or the "New Trondheim", the Lysgården BREEAM "Excellent" office building has an energy consumption of around 40 kWh per square metre per year. Its large, open atrium allows for abundant daylight, and 6 000 acoustic baffles help control the light diffusion. Employees and staff rely on a state-of-the-art Siemens app for all building functions, making it one of the world's smartest buildings.

Edward Street Quarter

Brighton, England

The 30 000m² Edward Street Quarter is the biggest office development to open in Brighton in decades. According to the engineering consultancy Buro Happold – who conducted a range of energy modelling and analyses – the BREEAM building achieves a 20 percent carbon emissions reduction that is in line with Brighton and Hove City council planning standards. The BREEAM "Excellent" office building also has an Energy Performance Certificate A rating and is WELL Building Standard-enable.

La Samaritaine Department Store

Paris, France

27 percent of the LVMH-owned department store's energy needs are covered by renewable energy, mainly through heating solutions that range from geothermal energy to solar thermal hot water in combination with natural ventilation in a approach. Besides BREEAM "Excellent" certification, La Samaritaine was additionally awarded LEED "Gold" and HQE green building certification.

Jakoba Mulderhuis

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Designed in collaboration between Powerhouse Company, Marc Koehler Architects, and de Architekten Cie, the BREEAM "Excellent" building at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences comprises a 13-storey tower and a low-rise 6-storey section across 25 000m². The project achieved a 77 percent BREEAM score – with a whopping 100 percent across both the Waste and Transport categories. The BREEAM-certified building also uses 40 percent less energy than legally required in the Netherlands.

LOOM Glòries Coworking

Barcelona, Spain

The three-floor coworking office space, managed by Merlin Properties, is located inside the landmark that is Torre Glòries, a cylindrical skyscraper designed by the renowned French architect Jean Nouvel. Besides BREEAM "Excellent" certification, the building also received LEED Gold.

Samsung KX

London, England

With a 'London loft' design aesthetic, Samsung's experiential showroom in King's Cross, London – Samsung KX – received a 72 percent "Excellent" score from BREEAM. This achievement is attributed to efforts such as the prefabrication of certain elements to reduce project waste and the standardisation of materials. The BREEAM building has also been awarded Planet Mark Certification for reporting a reduction in its carbon footprint and actively engaging its stakeholders.

Lincoln University Medical School

Lincoln, England

This 5500-square-metre, five storey medical school encompasses lecture theatre, laboratories, pro-section anatomy suites, and is equipped with cutting-edge diagnostic tools. "The scheme has been modelled to create the optimal sustainable environment through informed decisions on site layout, massing, orientation, building fabric, elevational treatment, and integrated renewable energy systems. To further enhance student mental health and well-being, it uses biophilic design principles, including natural lighting and ventilation, visual links to natural landscape features, and natural materials", said HLM Architects, who are behind the design of the BREEAM "Excellent" building.

Caldicot School

Monmouthshire, England

Delivered under the 21st Century Schools Programme, the 13 000-square-metre Caldicot School in Monmouthshire, South Wales, was designed to optimise both cost efficiency and future adaptability. According to the architecture firm BDP, the BREEAM-certified building has a simple and compact footprint, reducing wasted circulation and minimising heat loss. The central atrium library and the courtyard are utilised for natural ventilation and daylighting, and serve as a framework for cooling.

Southmead Hospital

Bristol, England

The Southmead Hospital stands out as one of the most environmentally-friendly buildings of its size in the United Kingdom, earning BREEAM 'Excellent' certification upon completion. Other awards the architects received for the BREEAM-certified building include the European Healthcare Design Award 2017, the RIBA South West Award 2018, and the RIBA South West Client of the Year for North Bristol NHS Trust 2018.

Landmark Arnhem Office Building

Arnhem, the Netherlands

Originally built in 1996, the Landmark Arnhem office building in the Netherlands was completely revolutionised into a modern, sustainable workplace by Fokkema & Partners to include all sorts of facilities, including meeting rooms, a bar, and a restaurant. The building has received BREEAM In-Use certification and an A++ label and is also WELL-ready.

Trondheim Office Building

Trondheim, Norway

At the 9500-square-metre BREEAM-certified office building in the Tyholt neighbourhood of Trondheim, all heating and cooling energy is sourced from a heat pump system utilising 28 wells drilled into the rock.

Moray Council HQ

Elgin, Scotland

In Scotland, the Moray Council relocated to modern new headquarters after converting a former supermarket on Elgin's high street. The BREEAM "Excellent" building features skylights that provide natural lighting to all working areas, and directional air vents from the roof offer natural ventilation. The Energy Performance Certificate was also improved from G to B.

Contribution to BREEAM with Rockfon solutions

The developers and owners of BREEAM-certified buildings from around the world – including the examples featured in the list above – have relied on Rockfon wall and ceiling acoustic solutions to contribute across five categories: Management, Materials, Health & Well-Being, Waste, and Innovation.

Learn more in the full guide to BREEAM certification.