The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is now inviting entries for its 2026 BREEAM Awards, with eight new categories recognising innovations and achievements in sustainable building design, development, operation and management
The BREEAM Awards 2026 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.
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.
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]
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 be made here.
