Five actions teams should take to achieve BREEAM RFO V7 certification
BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out (RFO) has received its first major update since 2014 with the launch of BREEAM RFO Version 7, offering a robust framework for assessing sustainability performance throughout the design and delivery of non-residential refurbishment and fit out projects. Registrations for BREEAM RFO V7 open on 24th September, with BREEAM RFO 2014 closing three months later. To support this transition, we’ve outlined five key actions that can strengthen your chances of achieving certification and help you deliver high-performing assets.
Step One: define your assessment route before design starts
A key update in BREEAM RFO V7 is the split into two standards: BREEAM Refurbishment V7 and BREEAM Fit Out V7. Refurbishment and fit out projects can vary widely in scope and complexity, so it’s important to understand from the beginning what your project covers.
BREEAM Refurbishment V7 covers building upgrades where you need to make changes to the fabric, structure, core services and internal fit-out of an existing asset.
BREEAM Fit Out V7 focuses specifically on tenant-led, interior design projects, where you don’t need to significantly alter the building’s structure and core systems. Alterations, such as layouts, finishes, furnishings and localised services, are included under this route.
This distinction allows your project to be assessed against the criteria that’s most relevant to it, giving teams a clearer and more tailored route to achieving certification.
Step Two: prioritise carbon reduction from the beginning
BREEAM RFO V7 adopts a comprehensive lifecycle-based approach to building upgrades, aligning with industry objectives on decarbonisation and wider Net Zero ambitions.
A significant development is the inclusion of Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) systems and infrastructure in embodied carbon assessments. This means project teams must provide a more complete picture of a project’s total embodied carbon footprint and better understand an asset’s overall carbon impact.
Whole-life carbon assessment requirements have also been strengthened considerably. Refurbishment projects are now required to undertake a life cycle assessment (LCA) and embodied carbon reporting at multiple stages, including concept design, technical design and post-construction. In addition, V7 has expanded benchmarking and reporting requirements, covering both embodied carbon and predicted operational carbon performance. This encourages teams to develop a deeper understanding of how buildings are expected to perform in use.
What should project teams do? Establish carbon targets during concept design and carry out LCAs early enough to influence construction. Leaving carbon assessments until technical design may limit opportunities to reduce embodied and operational carbon and will result in lost credits. Specialist services such as whole-life carbon assessments, lifecycle analysis and sustainability consultancy can help identify additional opportunities for credits and improve overall project performance.
Step Three: focus on operational energy performance
One of the most significant changes in BREEAM RFO V7 is the introduction of operational energy performance requirements, reflecting the industry's growing focus on closing the gap between predicted and actual building performance. Operational energy played a minor role within previous versions, but now represents a quarter of the energy credits, signifying a shift in the wider industry.
A new approach to the prediction of operational energy and carbon promotes the development of clear energy strategies, enabling project teams to forecast energy consumption, benchmark anticipated performance and assess operational carbon emissions. The aim is to bridge the gap between design calculations and actual building performance.
This change is reflected in the credit structure: projects can earn three credits for modelling and measuring predicted in-use energy consumption, with up to seven further credits available for benchmarking operational energy performance against a comparable typical building.
The benefits of this performance-led approach can already be seen on projects such as 10 Brindley Place, where CPW's M&E design incorporated sustainable building services throughout, helping to achieve a 65% reduction in annual operational energy consumption compared to a typical office building of a similar size, alongside a BREEAM Excellent certification. The increasing importance of results such as these reflects the broader industry shift towards operational energy as a key measure of building performance.
What should project teams do? Consider operational performance from the outset of the project. Early collaboration between sustainability consultants and BREEAM assessors with the project team can help establish energy targets and identify opportunities to reduce energy demand before key design decisions are fixed.
Step Four: assess climate resilience early
A major change in BREEAM Refurbishment V7 is the introduction of a dedicated ‘Resilience’ category. For the first time, climate adaptation, flood risk, natural hazards, security, fire safety and operational continuity have been brought together within a single assessment approach.
The ability of buildings to respond to climate and environmental risks is becoming increasingly important. Ensuring buildings can withstand and adapt to physical climate risks, such as flooding, overheating and storms, is central to the updated standard.
V7 introduces a structured approach to resilience, moving from awareness of potential hazards towards practical design and operational responses. It’s designed to be proportionate, scaling the level of analysis and intervention based on the level of risk. Credits are available for climate resilience strategies, flood mitigation, fire safety, security and future adaptability.
What should project teams do? Carry out hazard screening and climate risk assessments during the early stages of refurbishment planning. Identifying risks early can help avoid costly redesigns later in the project. Beyond certification, resilience planning can help protect asset value and improve both occupant safety and long-term performance.
Step Five: focus on performance, not just achieving certification
V7 moves BREEAM towards measurable outcomes. Whether you’re considering operational energy, indoor air quality or carbon performance, the new framework increasingly rewards projects that can predict, measure and verify performance in use. This gives project teams the opportunity to think beyond achieving credits and optimise how a building will perform in operation.
What should project teams do? Consider how energy, carbon, water consumption and indoor environmental quality will be monitored after occupation. The earlier monitoring requirements are considered, the easier it becomes to demonstrate performance and identify opportunities for improvement, thereby increasing your chances of achieving certification. Early specialist input can also help project teams develop performance strategies, identify areas for improvement and embed BREEAM requirements throughout the project’s design and delivery. CPW's multidisciplinary sustainability and engineering teams support projects from concept through to certification, helping clients navigate the new requirements introduced in BREEAM RFO V7, optimise building performance and identify opportunities for additional credits where appropriate.
As sustainability expectations continue to rise in the built environment, improving existing buildings has never been more important. Pursuing certifications such as BREEAM RFO V7 not only demonstrates a commitment to sustainability, but provides a structured route for embedding it throughout all phases of a project. By addressing carbon, wellbeing, resilience and operational performance early, project teams can not only improve their chances of certification but also deliver assets that are sustainable and future ready.
CPW’s sustainability team is committed to helping you understand the ins and outs of BREEAM RFO V7 and are offering a free workshop to help you understand the key changes and what it means for your project. Please get in touch if you’re interested or would like to discuss the changes with our sustainability team.