How will BREEAM align with Science Based Targets Initiative guidance?

The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) recently launched the Science-Based Target-Setting Guidance and Tool. This initiative aims to support all sectors (apart from oil and gas) on their journey to net zero carbon by limiting warming to 1.5°C, whilst practically implementing ESG and climate strategy along the way. The urgent need to address the climate crisis has put a spotlight on the built environment, which contributes around 38% to global emissions.

The tool is the world’s first science-based decarbonisation framework for companies and financial institutions in the buildings sector to set 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction targets.

In this article, we discuss the pilot guidelines for the building sector from SBTi which BRE has contributed towards, how this works with Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) and the value added through SBTi alignment in the upcoming BREEAM version 7 (V7).

Christine Pout, BRE’s Principal Net Zero Consultant, supported the development of the Science-Based Target-Setting Guidance and Tool, through the SBTi technical advisory group. BRE’s commitments to collaborate, co-create and utilise standards on this key issue show the depth of BRE and BREEAM’s engagement in driving meaningful change within the built environment.

BREEAM certification acts as a gateway to achieving a number of key sustainability solutions. It aligns with CRREM and SBTi, provides GRESB credits, supports EU Taxonomy alignment and is often a requirement of a funder or local government.

In BREEAM’s V7 update, assessment will shift towards emphasising the importance of Energy Use Intensity, carbon intensity, performance reporting and embodied carbon benchmarks. It is a guide to comprehensive sustainability in the built environment, from the initial stages of transparency and reporting, to certifying some of the most sustainable building projects in the world.

In November 2023, 367 corporations and financial institutions, collectively valued at $33 trillion, pledged commitments to SBTi – representing 86% growth within a year. The new guidelines could have a big effect, due to the increasing impact of the built environment. Key points about the proposed guidance include:

• It’s related to organisations, not specific buildings
• Intended users include manufacturing and production, construction, owners/managers, occupants and deconstruction organisations
• It should be followed if at least 20% or 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions (category 1-14) are buildings-related, or if the organisation’s real estate portfolio exceeds 100,000 square metres
• The targets relate to the end point – i.e.: 2040 or 2050
• Like BREEAM, it covers operational and embodied carbon
• It includes upfront carbon benchmarks, a key stepping stone to the full embodied carbon benchmarks anticipated in BREEAM v7
• For operational energy it uses CRREM, the same carbon budget reporting that we will use in BREEAM v7, and
• A key area of innovation is the upfront carbon targets aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Science-Based Targets and SBTi

SBTi’s pilot target-setting guidance and tool introduces upfront carbon benchmarks. As the sector develops and our ability to reduce operational carbon increases, the carbon used to manufacture building materials becomes even more critical. Due to the short timeframes to decarbonise, upfront carbon is a critical consideration if we are to meet 2050 targets. While full carbon accounts may be over 60 years or more, the critical period is this decade, meaning upfront carbon must be considered immediately. Consideration of upfront carbon during the design stage can lead to a substantial reduction when implemented early enough.

The link between BREEAM, SBTi, and CRREM

BREEAM, SBTi, and CRREM work together to reinforce sustainable building practices. Firstly, the alignment of CRREM with BREEAM’s V7 update offers several benefits. It enables accurate evaluation and benchmarking, allowing stakeholders to assess whether existing assets are on track to achieve net zero carbon goals. CRREM also helps to identify properties at high risk of devaluation or becoming economically unviable due to the transition to a low-carbon economy. This could include buildings or portfolios with high energy consumption, inefficient design, or a reliance on carbon-intensive energy sources.

BREEAM now has a natural, and fundamental alignment with CRREM (and therefore SBTI) through shared metrics on Energy Use Intensity and Carbon intensity. This interconnected ecosystem supports BREEAM in offering an integrated approach that strengthens science-based targets whilst considering overall environmental performance.

Find out more about how BREEAM, CRREM and SBTi  work towards net zero carbon sustainability initiatives.