text: BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), first published by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990, is the worlds longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings.  More than 550,000 buildings have been BREEAM-certified' and over two million are registered for certification in more than 50 countries worldwide. BREEAM also has a tool which focuses on neighbourhood development.