BREEAM certification for offices: aim right, recoup fast
The In-Use V6 standard actually offers 5 performance levels, Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding, and only one truly pays off.
The framework is demanding: the SD221 V6.0.0 standard (2020), alignment with CSRD (EU 2022/2464) and a regulatory trajectory requiring a reduction in energy consumption of 40% in 2030, 50% in 2040 and 60% in 2050 relative to the baseline of the 2010 decade. We have it fully under control.
The framework
The In-Use standard delivers a certification valid for 3 years, unlike new-build and renovation labels such as BBCA (Bâtiment Bas Carbone) which follow a different logic. It distributes certification across 6 tiers, calculated from 10 technical categories.
| Level | Required score | Typical profile |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptable | >=10% | Initial audit, management baseline |
| Pass | >=25% | Basic regulatory compliance |
| Good | >=40% | Recent building, light adjustments |
| Very Good | >=55% | The most common tier in France |
| Excellent | >=70% | Premium asset, strong ESG requirements |
| Outstanding | >=85% | ESG showcase, heavy LCAs |
The regulatory context tightens the timeline. The CSRD directive (EU 2022/2464) has applied since 2024 to large companies, then to mid-cap companies with more than 250 employees from 2026. In parallel, decree no. 2019-771 of 23 July 2019 applies to tertiary-use buildings with a floor area greater than or equal to 1000 m² and requires -40% consumption by 2030 and -60% by 2050 (COSTIC). On the SFDR side (EU 2019/2088), article 8 and 9 funds now require environmental certification on more than 75% of their assets within 5 years.
Market conventional wisdom pushes towards Excellent or Outstanding to signal a premium approach. In practice, the Very Good level captures most of the prime rent differential for a significantly smaller fraction of the cost of Outstanding, which makes it the most relevant balance point for the majority of tertiary operations. The valuation delta between Very Good and Excellent does not exceed 1.5 points, rarely recoupable over an 8-year holding period.
Asset Manager perspective
Four metrics that speak in an investment committee
The performance of a certified asset is not measured in kWh or in score points: it is measured in yield, in asset value and in LP requirements. Four indicators stand out as actionable.
Prime yield differential. Assets certified Very Good or higher generally show a higher prime rent, according to trends observed on the French tertiary market. On a 2000 m² floor leased at 450 EUR/m²/year, the effect translates into significant additional annual revenue and a compression of the cap rate at disposal.
Valuation at resale or refinancing. The feedback observed on our recent portfolio confirms a significant positive effect on the market value of certified assets, noted both at disposal and at refinancing. The gross gain generally covers the retrofit budget committed several times over.
Stranded asset risk. SFDR article 8 and 9 funds are capturing a growing share of significant office transactions. An asset not certified by 2027-2028 risks being mechanically excluded from the buyer scope of these funds.
Industrialised CSRD reporting. The BREEAM In-Use V6 certification grid facilitates the automatic completion of 6 ESRS E1 (climate) indicators and 3 ESRS S1 (workforce) indicators, based on the ESRS mappings in force. For an Asset Manager managing several dozen assets, extra-financial consolidation is markedly streamlined.
Your gains
Four quantified benefits observed across our recent operations
Across the in-operation projects delivered over recent years, four gains recur consistently.
- Energy: a noticeable reduction in consumption (kWh/m²/year) translates into measurable savings on running costs, consistent with the regulatory obligations to reduce the consumption of the tertiary stock (tertiary decree).
- Property valuation: certified assets show a premium at resale or refinancing, documented by recent market transactions.
- CSRD reporting: 6 ESRS E1 (climate) indicators and 3 ESRS S1 (workforce) indicators are automatically completed via the operational tracking grid (reference ESRS mapping, 2023 version).
- HR attractiveness: sites where air quality (VOC<500 µg/m³), acoustics (physical indicators measured according to NF S31-199: reverberation time, spatial decay, ambient noise level, temporal fluctuation, CIDB) and the daylight factor (>2%) are controlled record an improvement in retention and a reduction in absenteeism.
When to forgo it
Three configurations in which this certification is not the right answer
We advise against In-Use certification in three specific cases, because the ROI cannot be built.
Floors below 400 m². The fixed registration cost cannot be recouped and the ROI stretches beyond a reasonable holding horizon. Alternative: a targeted energy audit alone, which covers regulatory compliance without the certification surcharge.
Structurally degraded buildings. When the structure requires partial demolition, the In-Use standard resets all the counters mid-operation. It is better to switch to the New Construction standard, whose grid incorporates the life cycle assessment (LCA) of new builds.
Residual tenant lease below 4 years. The triennial renewal cycle cannot be recouped over this period. The rational decision is to wait for the lease renewal to relaunch the process with a secured occupation horizon.
In these three cases, Kytom steers towards the solution that serves the asset, not the solution that fills our order book. This upstream judgement is part of the free pre-audit.
Method
- Free pre-audit
Within 48 hours, Kytom scores the asset across the 10 categories of the In-Use V6 standard and estimates the achievable tier without works. Deliverable: a gain matrix that cross-references points obtained, marginal cost and valuation impact. This step commits the team to a go/no-go decision before any detailed costing. - Full technical audit
Over 3 weeks, our engineers carry out energy surveys, acoustic measurements under normalised field conditions, air quality analysis (VOC, CO2, formaldehyde) following a standardised protocol and documentary verification. The report identifies each mobilisable certification point and its unit cost. - Retrofit programming
A BRE Global licensed assessor arbitrates with us the cost/points trade-off to reach the target tier. The costing is delivered to within plus or minus 8% as early as the schematic design stage (average deviation observed across 47 operations). The CFO has a firm budget before any site commitment. - Site management
Kytom coordinates 8 to 15 trades. Weekly reporting to the CFO and the Asset Manager, real-time tracking of environmental performance indicators, maintenance of comfort temperature (21 to 24 °C) from the HVAC study onwards. - BRE Global submission
The file is submitted to BRE Global after acceptance of the works. The certificate is issued within 6 to 10 weeks (excluding additions requested by the assessor). Kytom handles all exchanges with the certification body and delivers to the client the final certificate as well as the pre-completed ESRS grid for CSRD reporting.
Frequently asked questions
Which environmental certification tier should you aim for on a tertiary office in France?
Very Good (≥55%) offers an excellent asset value / certification cost ratio for the majority of tertiary assets. Excellent or Outstanding are only recoupable over holding horizons exceeding 8-12 years, or for ESG showcase assets whose marketing value takes precedence over strict ROI.
What is the In-Use V6 retrofit budget per m²?
Between 15 and 45 EUR/m² depending on the tier targeted. The lower end of the range corresponds to the Good and Very Good tiers on recent buildings. The upper end concerns Excellent or Outstanding on 1980s-1990s buildings requiring significant HVAC and envelope reinforcement. The free Kytom pre-audit positions the asset within the range as early as the first week.
