What is the primary objective of **BREEAM**?

**The primary objective of BREEAM is to provide a science-based sustainability assessment and certification framework for the built environment, measuring performance across asset lifecycles.** Developed by BRE in 1990, it uses a category-based structure—**Management, Health & Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land Use & Ecology, Pollution, and Innovation**—with weighted credits converting to ratings from **Pass (≥30%)** to **Outstanding (≥85%)**. This enables comparable, third-party verified outcomes for buildings, infrastructure, and communities.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **BREEAM**?

**No organizations are legally required to comply with BREEAM, as it is a voluntary certification scheme.** Professionally, it applies to developers, owners, and operators of new construction, refurbishments, fit-outs, in-use assets, communities, and infrastructure seeking market differentiation, ESG credibility, or alignment with planning incentives. National Scheme Operators in **Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden** deliver adapted versions, while others use International schemes.

Does **BREEAM** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, BREEAM requires third-party certification through licensed BREEAM Assessors and BRE Global quality audits.** Assessors compile evidence against scheme technical manuals and submit for BRE verification, often including site visits. BRE Global, accredited to **ISO/IEC 17065**, issues ratings, ensuring impartiality via Knowledge Base Compliance Notes (KBCNs).

How often should an assessment for **BREEAM** be performed?

**BREEAM New Construction assessments occur at design and post-construction stages for one-time certification, while BREEAM In-Use requires reassessment every 3 years.** Operational schemes like In-Use encourage continuous improvement through post-occupancy evaluation (POE), with validity tied to verified performance.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **BREEAM**?

**Non-compliance with BREEAM results in denied credits, lower ratings, or failed certification, with no direct legal penalties as it is voluntary.** Consequences include lost market premiums (e.g., up to 25% rental uplift), forfeited ESG reporting credibility, planning delays, and higher operational costs from unoptimized energy or health features.

An **BREEAM** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**BREEAM is not explicitly mapped to other frameworks within its core requirements, but Version 7 aligns with EU Taxonomy for disclosures.** Its category structure and evidence rigor support integration with ESG reporting, while scheme adaptations ensure global applicability without formal equivalency mappings.

What is the first step to begin implementing **BREEAM**?

**The first step to implement BREEAM is to select the appropriate scheme (e.g., New Construction, In-Use) and appoint a licensed BREEAM Assessor early at project inception.** Conduct a pre-assessment using the technical manual to target ratings and integrate credits into design and procurement.

What is the primary objective of **AS9100**?

**AS9100's primary objective is to establish a quality management system (QMS) for aviation, space, and defense organizations that ensures product safety, configuration integrity, and supply chain reliability.** It builds on ISO 9001:2015 with over 100 aerospace-specific requirements in Clauses 4–10, emphasizing risk-based thinking (Clauses 6.1, 8.1.1), configuration management (8.1.2), product safety (8.1.3), and counterfeit parts prevention (8.1.4) to prevent catastrophic failures in high-consequence environments.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **AS9100**?

**AS9100 applies professionally to organizations designing, developing, manufacturing, or servicing aviation, space, and defense products.** Major OEMs and primes require certification as a supplier qualification condition, with visibility via IAQG's OASIS database; it covers manufacturers, material suppliers, design centers, and quality organizations, but not distributors (AS9120) or MRO (AS9110).

Does **AS9100** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, AS9100 requires third-party certification through accredited bodies via Stage 1 (readiness/documentation) and Stage 2 (implementation/effectiveness) audits.** Certification is maintained with annual surveillance audits and recertification every three years, using AS9101 audit criteria focused on process effectiveness.

How often should an assessment for **AS9100** be performed?

**AS9100 requires internal audits at planned intervals per Clause 9.2, typically risk-based (e.g., quarterly for high-risk processes), plus annual external surveillance audits and full recertification every three years.** Management reviews occur periodically (e.g., quarterly) to evaluate performance, risks, and improvements.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **AS9100**?

**Non-compliance with AS9100 risks certification suspension/revocation, loss of supplier approval, and exclusion from OEM contracts via OASIS.** It leads to major nonconformities requiring 60–90 day corrective actions, potential supply chain disqualification, increased escapes, rework, and safety incidents in Clause 8-controlled areas.

Can **AS9100** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, AS9100D aligns with Annex SL's 10-clause structure, enabling mapping to compatible management systems.** Its ISO 9001 base facilitates integration with standards sharing this framework, focusing shared elements like risk (Clause 6), support (Clause 7), and performance evaluation (Clause 9).

What is the first step to begin implementing **AS9100**?

**The first step is conducting a gap analysis against AS9100D clauses to assess current processes versus requirements.** This cross-functional review identifies gaps in scope (Clause 4), leadership (Clause 5), risks (Clause 6), and aerospace additions like configuration and product safety, producing a prioritized implementation plan.

BREEAM vs AS9100

Standards Comparison

BREEAM

Voluntary

1990

World's leading sustainability certification for built environment

AS9100

Mandatory

2016

International standard for aerospace quality management systems.

Quick Verdict

BREEAM assesses sustainability in buildings and infrastructure via credits and ratings, while AS9100 ensures quality management in aerospace via risk controls and audits. Companies adopt BREEAM for ESG value uplift; AS9100 for OEM contracts and safety.

Building Sustainability

BREEAM

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

Cost

€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Third-party audited certification by BRE Global
Category-weighted credit scoring to ratings
10 core sustainability assessment categories
Full asset lifecycle schemes coverage
Continuous KBCN compliance updates

Quality Management

AS9100

AS9100D: Quality Management Systems for Aerospace

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Configuration management for design integrity
Product safety controls across lifecycle
Counterfeit parts prevention and detection
Operational risk management processes
Enhanced supplier controls and traceability

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

BREEAM Details

What It Is

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a science-led sustainability certification framework for the built environment. Developed by BRE in 1990, it assesses environmental, health, and resilience performance across buildings, infrastructure, and communities. Its credit-based methodology awards points for compliance with criteria, weighted by category impact, yielding ratings from Pass to Outstanding.

Key Components

10 core categories: Management, Health & Wellbeing, Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Waste, Land Use & Ecology, Pollution, Innovation.
Evidence-driven credits with prerequisites, supported by technical manuals and KBCNs.
Schemes for lifecycles: New Construction, In-Use, Refurbishment, Infrastructure.
Third-party certification via licensed assessors and BRE audits.

Why Organizations Use It

Drives ESG compliance, net-zero alignment, asset value uplift (up to 30%), energy savings (22-33%). Mitigates regulatory risks, enhances market differentiation, builds stakeholder trust through verified performance.

Implementation Overview

Early assessor appointment, phased pre-assessment to certification. Applies globally with local adaptations; suits all sizes via tailored schemes. Involves evidence management, training, and In-Use recertification every 3 years. (178 words)

AS9100 Details

What It Is

AS9100D (AS9100:2016) is the global quality management system (QMS) standard for aviation, space, and defense organizations. It extends ISO 9001:2015 with 100+ aerospace-specific requirements, emphasizing risk-based thinking, product safety, and supply chain controls via a process-based approach.

Key Components

10-clause Annex SL structure (Clauses 4–10 core)
Aerospace additions: configuration management (8.1.2), product safety (8.1.3), counterfeit prevention (8.1.4), operational risks (8.1.1)
Dual risk layers: enterprise (6.1) and operational
Third-party certification with Stage 1/2 audits, annual surveillance

Why Organizations Use It

OEM/contractual mandates for market access via OASIS
Reduces defects, rework, delivery delays; improves ROI
Mitigates safety risks, counterfeit threats
Builds stakeholder trust, enhances competitiveness

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, process design, training, internal audits, certification. Applies to ASD firms globally; 6–18 months typical for mid-sized orgs.

Key Differences

Aspect	BREEAM	AS9100
Scope	Sustainability across buildings, infrastructure, lifecycle stages	Quality management for aerospace design, production, safety
Industry	Built environment, global with regional adaptations	Aviation, space, defense supply chains worldwide
Nature	Voluntary third-party certification framework	Voluntary certification with OEM contractual requirements
Testing	Assessor-led audits, BRE quality assurance, staged certification	Stage 1/2 audits, annual surveillance, recertification every 3 years
Penalties	Loss of certification, no legal penalties	Loss of certification, contract disqualification by OEMs

Scope

BREEAM

Sustainability across buildings, infrastructure, lifecycle stages

AS9100

Quality management for aerospace design, production, safety

Industry

BREEAM

Built environment, global with regional adaptations

AS9100

Aviation, space, defense supply chains worldwide

Nature

BREEAM

Voluntary third-party certification framework

AS9100

Voluntary certification with OEM contractual requirements

Testing

BREEAM

Assessor-led audits, BRE quality assurance, staged certification

AS9100

Stage 1/2 audits, annual surveillance, recertification every 3 years

Penalties

BREEAM

Loss of certification, no legal penalties

AS9100

Loss of certification, contract disqualification by OEMs

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about BREEAM and AS9100

BREEAM FAQ

AS9100 FAQ

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BREEAM

AS9100

Quick Verdict

BREEAM

Key Features

AS9100

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

BREEAM Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

AS9100 Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

BREEAM FAQ

What is the primary objective of BREEAM?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with BREEAM?

Does BREEAM require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for BREEAM be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with BREEAM?

An BREEAM be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing BREEAM?

AS9100 FAQ

What is the primary objective of AS9100?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with AS9100?

Does AS9100 require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for AS9100 be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with AS9100?

Can AS9100 be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing AS9100?

You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

The Tool Landscape for Reaching and Maintaining ISO 27701 Compliance

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide to ISO 27701: Building a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) on Your ISO 27001 Foundation

How to Implement CIS Controls v8.1 as a ‘Control Backbone’ for NIS2 & DORA (Step-by-Step Implementation Guide)

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

IEC 62443 vs ISO 27018

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