What is BREEAM and why is it important?

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the most widely used sustainability certification for buildings in Europe. It evaluates real estate on topics such as energy, water, waste, health, mobility and management. But BREEAM looks beyond merely technical performance. User satisfaction also plays a crucial role.

BREEAM guidelines for user satisfaction surveys

A BREEAM certificate is not just proof of sustainability. It is a strategic tool for real estate investors, managers and developers who want to make their buildings future-proof. It increases property value, lowers operating costs and contributes to a healthier working environment.

Within BREEAM, there are clear guidelines for conducting a user satisfaction survey. These are essential for earning points within the certification process. The three core obligations:

• Repeatability: The survey must be conducted at least annually, so that trends and improvements can be monitored.
• Representativeness: The results must be based on enough responses from different user groups. Only then is the picture reliable.
• Transparency: The outcomes must be fed back to users and followed up with a concrete improvement plan.

Which themes yield points in BREEAM?

A good user satisfaction survey addresses multiple BREEAM-related themes. The questionnaire can be structured around topics such as:

• Management: How is the building managed? Is there sufficient communication and follow-up?
• Health: Think about air quality, temperature, light, noise and general health.
• Waste: How is waste separated and disposed of? Is awareness sufficient?
• Mobility: How do users experience accessibility, bike parking, vehicle parking?
• Maintenance & communication: Are service requests handled well? Is communication transparent?

At Customeyes, we tailor the questionnaire to the specific context of the building and the certification goals. That way, the survey not only meets BREEAM requirements, but also contributes to improved building utilization and higher satisfaction.

How can you earn extra points for BREEAM?

In addition, extra BREEAM points can be earned when the user satisfaction survey is not only conducted annually, but is also continuous, smartly designed, and objectively managed. That means: not waiting for an annual report, but offering real-time insight into how users are experiencing the building.

How do you do that?

• Use dashboards that show live data about user satisfaction, comfort and utilization.
• Link the survey to building management systems (BMS), so feedback is directly tied to technical metrics such as temperature, air quality or occupancy.
• Deploy apps and digital interfaces so users can give feedback at any moment — easily and in real time.
• Set automatic alerts in case satisfaction scores drop, so facility managers can intervene immediately.
• Integrate with sensors and IoT solutions that relate user experience to physical data like CO₂ levels, light intensity or sound levels.

This approach aligns with the trend of continuous customer (user) research, where organizations no longer rely on snapshots in time, but choose an ongoing dialogue with their users. The result? Faster insights, greater engagement, and a building that truly adapts to the needs of its occupants.

How Customeyes helps you with BREEAM

Customeyes is an expert in tenant/user research in real estate. Every year, we survey over 100,000 tenants in offices, retail and residential real estate. We work with investors, property managers and agencies — and we know BREEAM guidelines inside and out.

Our approach aligns seamlessly with BREEAM requirements:

• Repeatability: We support annual or ongoing measurements with trend analyses.
• Representativeness: We ensure high response rates and good representation of users.
• Transparency: We deliver clear reports, visual dashboards and help in crafting improvement plans.
• Smart systems: We integrate with other information systems and offer real-time dashboards for immediate follow-up.
• Theme integration: We build questionnaires around relevant BREEAM themes and deliver measurable insights.

We think alongside you throughout the entire process: from crafting the questionnaire to translating insights into concrete actions. Curious what we can do for your BREEAM certification? Feel free to contact us through our form.