BRE Announces Winners Of BREEAM Awards 2026

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06 October 2026

BRE has revealed the winners of its annual BREEAM Awards 2026 - a celebration of the projects, organisations and people leading the way in sustainable building design, development and management. This year’s awards recognised significant feats of sustainable innovation across historic landmarks, complex residential buildings and entire urban redevelopments.

BREEAM has been the world-leading sustainability assessment method for planning projects, infrastructure and buildings for over 30 years, with over 3 million BREEAM-registered buildings across 108 countries.

A record 350+ entries were submitted to this year’s awards, reflecting a growing focus on how buildings perform in practice, respond to climate risks and deliver wider benefits for the people and communities that use them. Eight new categories were introduced in recognition of these trends and evolving applications of the BREEAM standard, including climate resilience, digital sustainability, social value and sustainable cities.

Lambeth Palace, a Grade I listed building in London dating back to the 12^th century, won the Refurbishment and Fit Out Excellence Award. Following its most extensive refurbishment in 70 years, the building improved its EPC rating from G to A and achieved a 77% reduction in modelled primary energy use.

The project introduced three air-source heat pumps and 160 double-glazed windows, while more than 39 tonnes of timber were recycled. A digital twin helped model heat loss across the historic campus and facilitate new low-carbon systems while protecting its historic character.

Other standout projects included:

Vesteda, Netherlands:
Awarded the In-Use Performance Award for its approach to improving sustainability across a residential portfolio of around 28,000 homes. The company developed a portfolio-wide comparison dataset to identity underperforming assets and reduce total energy intensity from 101.9 to 90.1 kWh/m² from 2022 to 2025.

Quatuor, Belgium:
Won New Construction Project of the Year. The 60,000 m² mixed-use building complex comprises four towers, which each independently achieved BREEAM Outstanding as part of an overall 92.8%. BREEAM score. The development uses a geothermal seasonal energy system to store summer heat underground for use in winter, alongside a 417m³ rainwater buffer that diverts 63% of rainfall from the public sewer.

Iron Mountain Data Centers:
Won the Portfolio ESG Impact Award for its growing use of BREEAM across its global data centre portfolio. Twelve data centres across ten sites have now achieved BREEAM certification, with a further ten data centres across eight sites progressing towards certification, following the company's decision to adopt BREEAM for new colocation developments.

Birmingham, United Kingdom:
Received the award for the new Sustainable City category. Through the Birmingham Development Plan, the city council has integrated sustainability standards to shape development scale. Birmingham now has 87 buildings rated BREEAM Excellent or above, including five rated Outstanding, while its planning policy has required non-residential developments over 1,000 sqm to target BREEAM Excellent since 2017.

Ian Shapiro, CEO of BRE, said: “The places we create today will shape people’s lives for decades to come. That matters more than ever as communities respond to a changing climate, growing populations and increasing urbanisation.”

Shapiro continued: “At BRE, our purpose is to help create a world where everyone, everywhere, in every building can thrive - and BREEAM is one of the ways we help turn that ambition into practical action. The projects recognised this year show what is possible when people make thoughtful, long-term decisions about the places we all depend on, and we are proud to celebrate that through the BREEAM Awards.”

2026 BREEAM Award Winners

The BREEAM Awards 2026 took place at The Peninsula London, which is BREEAM certified, placing it in the top 10 per cent of sustainably managed buildings, with energy and water efficient fittings, and a 70 per cent electric fleet of cars.

New Construction Project of the Year:
Quatuor, Brussels, Belgium

Infrastructure Project of the Year:
The Upgrade of Majorstuen Station, Oslo, NCC Infrastructure Norway

Refurbishment and Fit Out Excellence:
Lambeth Palace, London, United Kingdom

In-Use Performance:
Vesteda Investment Management B.V., Netherlands

Portfolio ESG Impact:
Iron Mountain Data Centers

Lifecycle Impact Commitment:
Paradise SE11, London

Climate Resilience Excellence:
Wonderwoods, Utrecht

Responsible Occupier Award:
GSK HQ – Project Emerald, London

Sustainable City Award:
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Multi-Certification Leadership - People's Choice:
Aviva Investors Portfolio

Small Project, Big Impact - People's Choice:
CERC Boldesti-Scaeni, Romania

Future Sustainability Advocate:
Ghena Zakhour, Rider Levett Bucknall, United Kingdom

Communities and Social Value Leadership:
CERC Boldesti-Scaeni, Romania

Digital Sustainability Innovation:
Sustainabot

Sustainability Champion:
Pantelis Levantis, Ecoveritas, Greece

Assessor Organisation of the Year:
Bopro, Belgium

Picture: A group image of all 2026 BREEAM Award Winners

Article written by Dave Mapps | Published 06 October 2026

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