BREEAM, the world’s first-ever suite of sustainability validation and certification systems for the built environment, today announced that it has teamed up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program as an Association partner. Through this latest partnership, BREEAM will work to encourage energy efficiency and fight climate change in the built environment to drive the commercial real estate industry towards a net zero carbon economy.

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, BREEAM will:

• Recognize and reward assets that measure and track an asset’s energy performance where possible by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR.
• Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency across the real estate industry to our clients, colleagues and community through the publication of resources, including those that highlight ENERGY STAR where appropriate in our standards.
• Highlight sustainable achievements that facilitate conversations around efficiency and promote action, with recognition offered through ENERGY STAR.

ENERGY STAR® is the US government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations—including nearly 40% of the Fortune 500®—partner with EPA to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions that protect the climate while improving air quality and protecting public health. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners have helped American families and businesses save 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, avoid more than $450 billion in energy costs, and achieve 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions.

For more information about the ENERGY STAR program for commercial buildings: www.energystar.gov/buildings

About BRE & BREEAM

BRE is a world leading, multi-disciplinary, building science centre with a mission to improve buildings and infrastructure, through cutting-edge research and knowledge generation. BRE maintains a range of products, services, standards and qualifications that are used around the world to bring about positive change in the built environment. Learn more at www.bregroup.com.

BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment methodology for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. It recognizes and reflects the value in higher performing assets across the built environment lifecycle, from new construction, through performance in operation, to refurbishment. BREEAM, an Energy Star Partner, does this through third party certification of the assessment of an asset’s environmental, social and economic sustainability performance, using standards developed by BRE. This means BREEAM rated developments are more sustainable environments that enhance the well-being of the people who live and work in them, help protect natural resources and make for more attractive property investments. Learn more at www.breeam.com.