The BREEAM pre-assessment estimators you referred to are dangerous. Because they do not provide the detail of the credit criteria, in the wrong hands they can give a false impression of the score that might be achieved. This is why it is a good thing they are only available via assessors under the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The inclusion of innovation credits and the new outstanding category (or A star as you put it) would seem to me to be a catch up with LEED and Greenstar respectively.

BRE need to do something, because in places like Dubai and Central Europe, our clients prefer to use LEED, not only because it is easier, but more importantly because it is easier to get into (ie you can get hold of the method and understand it).

We have had clients enquire about using BREEAM in central europe, but they have been put off, by the additional cost of having to get the BRE to develop bespoke criteria. Also we find some use LEED because their parent company is American and it is what they know).

Your point about the assessors is well made. I’m wanting to employ some Code assessors soon, but how do I know where the staff are that might do this in relation to my project?!

Also I suspect some organisations have more junior staff do the work which is then signed off by the licenced assessor. Maybe this will be harder to dodge under the proposed changes to the QA scheme?