The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is now inviting entries for its 2026 BREEAM Awards – a celebration of the projects, people and organisations leading the way in sustainable building design, development, operation and management.

This year’s awards introduce eight new categories, reflecting BREEAM’s commitment to recognising forward-thinking approaches to sustainability – from resilience and digital innovation to social value and sustainable cities.

The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday 30 September at the BREEAM-certified Peninsula London hotel, bringing together industry leaders and innovators from across the globe to celebrate the transformative power of buildings in shaping a sustainable future.

BREEAM has been the world-leading sustainability assessment method for planning projects, infrastructure and buildings for over 30 years, with over 2.9 million buildings now BREEAM-registered.

This year’s award categories are:

• Assessor Organisation of the Year
• Climate Resilience Excellence [new]
• Communities and Social Value Leadership [new]
• Digital Sustainability Innovation [new]
• Future Sustainability Advocate [new]
• In-Use Performance
• Lifecycle Impact Commitment
• Multi-Certification Leadership [new]
• New Construction Project of the Year
• Portfolio ESG Impact
• Refurbishment and Fit Out Excellence
• Responsible Occupier Award [new]
• Small Project, Big Impact [new]
• Sustainability Champion
• Sustainable City Award [new]

The 2026 awards will be the first to incorporate BREEAM New Construction Version 7, which introduces an updated framework integrating whole-life carbon, resilience, and biodiversity metrics in line with growing market demand.

Industry practitioners across the globe are invited to submit nominations for projects, organisations and individuals that push the boundaries of sustainability and accelerate the transition to net zero. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2026.

Tom Wilson, Director of Building Performance Services at BRE, said:

“The 2026 BREEAM Awards introduce new categories that recognise leadership in areas such as climate resilience, digital sustainability, social value, and sustainable cities — where data, technology and community impact are central to delivering measurable outcomes.

“By showcasing projects setting new benchmarks in these areas, the awards reaffirm BREEAM’s role in driving innovation across the built environment.

“We look forward to seeing entries that demonstrate how organisations are shaping a more sustainable future.”

Travel accreditation company ActiveScore will mark its third year as headline sponsor of the awards, with sustainability consultants JWA and agradblue sponsoring the In-Use Performance and Climate Resilience Excellence categories respectively. Further sponsorship opportunities are available.

Entries to the BREEAM Awards 2026 can now be made here.

Full descriptions of the BREEAM Awards categories are as follows:

• Assessor Organisation of the Year: Recognises assessor organisations that have demonstrated exceptional quality, innovation, and client support in delivering BREEAM assessments.

• Climate Resilience Excellence [new]: Honours projects that proactively address climate risks such as overheating, flooding and biodiversity loss through resilient design and planning.

• Communities and Social Value Leadership [new]: Celebrates projects and organisations that deliver exceptional social value and foster thriving, inclusive communities through BREEAM Residential and Communities, going beyond environmental performance to create meaningful social impact.

• Digital Sustainability Innovation [new]: Showcases projects that harness digital technologies and PropTech to transform sustainability in the built environment, enhancing building performance and streamlining certification.

• Future Sustainability Advocate [new]: Celebrates individuals who proactively pursue CPD and sustainability learning, embracing innovative practices to drive positive outcomes in the built environment. 

• In-Use Performance: Recognises operational buildings that demonstrate continuous improvement in sustainability performance through BREEAM In-Use, with strong ESG alignment.

• Lifecycle Impact Commitment: Honours projects or portfolios that have achieved or are actively pursuing verified net zero carbon performance, setting a benchmark for climate leadership.

• Multi-Certification Leadership [new]: Recognising organisations that showcase exceptional commitment to sustainability by achieving and integrating multiple certifications, setting a benchmark for holistic ESG performance through resilience, transparency and continuous improvement. This will be a People’s Choice award.

• New Construction Project of the Year: Celebrates outstanding sustainability performance in new builds certified under BREEAM – New Construction, Infrastructure and Communities.

• Portfolio ESG Impact: Recognises asset managers and owners who achieve outstanding ESG performance across portfolios through the strategic application of BREEAM, demonstrating how future-focused investment strategies deliver measurable impact and long-term value.

• Refurbishment and Fit Out Excellence: Commends projects that have transformed existing buildings through sustainable refurbishment or fit out, demonstrating measurable improvements and creative use of BREEAM.

• Responsible Occupier Award [new]:  Recognises occupiers who actively drive sustainability by mandating or prioritising sustainable building standards within their tenancy agreements, influencing the market toward greener practices.

• Small Project, Big Impact [new]: For projects under 5,000 m² that demonstrate exceptional sustainability, innovation, or community benefit, proving that scale is no barrier to impact. This will be a People’s Choice award.

• Sustainability Champion: Highlights an individual who has driven transformative change in the built environment through sustainability leadership, advocacy, and innovation. 

• Sustainable City Award [new]: Highlights cities shaping the built environment of tomorrow through sustainability mandates and widespread BREEAM certification, attracting investment and setting global benchmarks for resilient, future-ready urban development.

For further information about the BREEAM Awards 2026, please see here.

All BREEAM certifications can enter the awards, including Infrastructure, Communities and New Construction V7. Where relevant, projects must have been certified between 1 January 2025 and 31 March 2026 for a valid entry.

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