21 June 2023
Longevity Partners recently supported British Land in obtaining a landmark portfolio BREEAM In-Use certification, with all assets being awarded Very Good ratings or higher. This is a significant achievement. It reflects a best-in-class strategy for Green Building Certifications, the industry’s baseline for benchmarking asset ESG performance within the real estate sector.
Green Building Certifications are factually linked to the furtherance of net-zero goals. Engagement can create new sources of enduring value and a sustainable future. Of the leading Green Building Certifications, BREEAM In-Use, the operational asset standard produced by the BRE, has the largest presence of any Green Building Certification in the European market.
As one of the largest property development and investment companies in the United Kingdom, as well as an FTSE 100 Property Company, British Land has committed to achieving a net zero carbon portfolio by 2030 [1]. British Land’s strategy is underscored by a target of reducing operational carbon intensity by 75% by 2030. Implementation is a priority, as evidenced in their 2022 GRESB average: 85%, versus the peer average of 74% [3]. Their ambition of a high GRESB Rating and Net Zero Carbon Portfolio by 2030 are supported through their Financial Year 2023 BREEAM In-Use rollout.
The Project in Key Figures:
- 100% of assets received a Very Good or Higher
- 50% of assets received an Excellent
- 100% of assets passed the BRE’s third-party audit on the first application
- ~230,000 m2 of commercial real estate certified
- All Part 1 Assets scored 70% or higher on ENERGY
- All Part 1 Assets scored 90% or higher on RESILIENCE
- All Part 2 Assets scored 100% for Land Use and Ecology
The Project:
Longevity Partners formed a close partnership with British Land to deliver their Financial Year 2023 BREEAM In-Use certificates, leveraging our expertise as the world’s largest BREEAM assessor to provide a full support service, including score optimisation advisory. The assets certified included high-quality office space in central London as well as large retail space totalling approximately 230,000m2 in GIA.
Following the kick-off of the project in September 2022, British Land’s aim was to have all certificates in hand by March 31, 2023. Longevity completed all site visits in Q4 2022 and followed a rigorous evidence collection and review process. The aim was to frontload the delivery, enabling a low-risk strategy outcome-driven approach towards GRESB alignment. The process involved collaboration between the British Land on-site teams and tenants to gather data on energy consumption, on-site facilities, and asset occupants.
After the assessments were submitted to the BRE, Longevity provided Score Optimisation Reports for each of the assets. The optimisation services included a framework tailored to uplifting the ratings, providing targeted recommendations with a view towards cost and timeline.
Outcome and Benefits:
The assets received certification in March 2023 with zero quality assurance checks from the BRE – parallel to the workflow, Longevity Partners delivered the Score Optimisation Reports, empowering the client to pursue a proactive asset management strategy in alignment with BREEAM aims, this being parallel to BREEAM In-Use’s three-year recertification cycle.
All assets certified received a Very Good (4-star) rating or higher with 50% receiving an Excellent (5-star) rating. As the average BiU certification rating being a Good (3-Star), British Land excelled past the average with high margins.
By scoring Very Good and Excellent ratings, British Land showed exemplary performance in occupant health and wellbeing, energy efficiency, climate resilience, and ecology. All BiU Part 1 Assets certified received 70% of all possible credits available. This achievement is a testament to British Land’s Net Zero Carbon ambitions. As well as excelling in energy efficiency, all BiU Part 1 Certified Assets proved to be climate resilient by achieving 90% of all available resilience credits.
Unlocking Sustainable Value
Longevity Partners aspires to be the real estate sector’s preeminent ESG advisor. We work with our clients to lead the innovation and economic change that will ultimately safeguard our planet through the advancement of sustainability.
With projects completed in more than 45 countries, Longevity Partners is a leading catalyst for global decarbonization. Through certifying over $215bn AUM to-date, we are committed to enabling the real estate sector to transform to reach net zero by 2050, balanced with other sustainability goals and tailored to regional contexts. We achieve this by leveraging our thought leadership, innovative solutions, top talent, and a vibrant ecosystem of industry associations and knowledge platforms.
To achieve BREEAM In-Use Certification, whether at portfolio level or asset level, please reach out to Longevity Partners’ Business Unit Lead for Existing Building Certifications, Peter Howle, Associate Director: ph@longevity.co.uk,
[1] https://www.britishland.com/sustainability/environment
[3] https://www.britishland.com/sustainability/performance/esg-benchmarks