Building Rating System Reaches Canada

The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) developed in the U.K. is now available in Canada. BREEAM is a voluntary rating system that assesses the energy and environmental performance of commercial buildings. The program has been available since 1993 in the U.K. and since then has become available in several countries in the Asian Pacific. Building owners and managers use the ratings to help their buildings stand out in the marketplace. BREEAM was officially adopted by the Canadian Standards Association on December 6, 1996 as CSA Publication Plus #3211 and is administered in Canada by the environmental consulting firm ECD Energy and Environment Canada.

The first BREEAM Canada certificates were awarded to Enterprise Property Group for three properties, and to Oxford Development Group and Nexacor Realty Management Inc. for one property each. In addition, CANMET and Ian Cook Construction received the certificate for Green on the Grand, the first building produced to Canada’s C-2000 specifications.