What are the typical additional costs associated with achieving higher BREEAM ratings?

Achieving higher BREEAM ratings—like “Excellent” or “Outstanding”—does come with additional costs, although the exact figure can vary quite a bit.

Typically, costs may increase by 1% to 5% of overall construction value, depending on how ambitious the target is and how early it’s planned for. These costs might include enhanced building materials, more efficient systems, specialist consultancy, and additional testing.

However, if sustainability is integrated early, these costs can often be reduced or offset through smarter design choices rather than bolt-on solutions.

So yes, there is an uplift—but it’s not always as significant as people expect.