Do Living Walls Help You Get BREEAM Certified? Where They Count (and Where They Don’t)
BREEAM is one of the world’s most widely used sustainability certification systems for buildings. In Spain, projects are assessed through BREEAM ES, the version specifically adapted to Spanish regulations and construction practices.
So, do living walls help with BREEAM certification?
Potentially. A living wall can support certain sustainability objectives within a BREEAM assessment, but it does not automatically earn credits or make a project BREEAM certified. Whether it contributes depends on the BREEAM scheme, the credit being targeted, the design of the living wall and the evidence accepted by the project’s BREEAM assessor.
How BREEAM Works in Spain
BREEAM evaluates the sustainability performance of buildings across areas including energy, water, materials, health and wellbeing, waste, pollution, land use and ecology, and innovation.
For projects in Spain, the relevant methodology is BREEAM ES. BREEAM España adapts the certification system to Spanish legislation, environmental conditions and construction practices.
This is important when considering living walls and BREEAM credits. A green wall may support a project’s wider sustainability strategy, but its contribution has to be assessed against the specific requirements of the applicable BREEAM ES scheme.
Can Living Walls Count Towards BREEAM Ecology Credits?
Potentially, but not simply because a living wall has been installed.
BREEAM has recognised green walls as potentially contributing to ecological enhancement under certain assessment schemes. Official BREEAM guidance states that where a specific green wall system and plant species mix are supported by a suitably qualified ecologist, and a comprehensive ongoing maintenance strategy is in place, the ecological value of the wall can be recognised within the relevant assessment.
However, that guidance comes from a BREEAM UK scheme. For a project in Spain, it should therefore be treated as evidence of how BREEAM can recognise green walls rather than as an automatic BREEAM ES credit.
The practical approach is to discuss the proposed living wall with the project’s BREEAM assessor and, where relevant, the ecologist during the design stage.
Where Living Walls Don’t Automatically Count
A common misconception is that adding vegetation to a building automatically improves its BREEAM score.
It does not.
A living wall should not be treated as a replacement for existing habitat or ground-based ecological value simply because it adds plants to a project. BREEAM’s own green-wall guidance distinguishes between ecological enhancement and compensating for the loss of existing site ecology.
The same principle applies more broadly: the presence of a living wall alone is not evidence that a BREEAM requirement has been achieved.
Do Living Walls Help With Health and Wellbeing Credits?
Living walls are often associated with biophilic design, visual experience, wellbeing, acoustics and more nature-connected interiors.
These benefits can be valuable to the overall design, but they should not be confused with automatically satisfying BREEAM Health and Wellbeing credits.
Areas such as indoor air quality, visual comfort and acoustic performance have their own technical criteria and evidence requirements. A living wall may form part of the wider architectural or environmental strategy, but its presence alone does not demonstrate compliance.
For architects and design teams, the better approach is to identify the BREEAM requirements being targeted first and then determine whether the proposed living wall or Vertical Greenery System (VGS) can support those objectives.
When Should a Living Wall Be Considered in a BREEAM Project?
If BREEAM certification is part of the project brief, a living wall should ideally be considered during the design and specification stage rather than added after the sustainability strategy has already been established.
Early coordination allows the architect, BREEAM assessor, ecologist and living wall specialist to consider:
the type of living wall system
the proposed plant species
biodiversity objectives
irrigation and water requirements
access for ongoing maintenance
the long-term maintenance strategy
any documentation required for the assessment
This is particularly important for integrated living walls and larger Vertical Greenery Systems, where planting, irrigation, drainage, structural requirements and maintenance access all form part of the architectural specification.
At Flora Frame, we work with architects and design teams to select and specify living wall systems according to the requirements of the individual project.
So, Do Living Walls Help With BREEAM Certification?
Yes, potentially, but their contribution needs to be assessed as part of the wider project strategy.
A living wall does not automatically generate BREEAM credits. Its value depends on the project, the applicable BREEAM ES requirements, how the system is specified and what supporting evidence is required.
The most important step is to consider the living wall and BREEAM strategy together from the beginning. That gives the project team the best opportunity to understand where the system can genuinely contribute and avoids making assumptions after it has already been specified or installed.
FAQ
Do green walls count toward BREEAM ecology credits?
Potentially, but not automatically. BREEAM has recognised green walls within certain ecology assessments where the system and plant species are supported by appropriate ecological recommendations and an ongoing maintenance strategy. For projects in Spain, the specific contribution should be confirmed under BREEAM ES with the project’s assessor.
Can a living wall improve a BREEAM Health and Wellbeing score?
A living wall may support a wider biophilic or wellbeing strategy, but its presence alone does not satisfy BREEAM Health and Wellbeing requirements. Areas such as indoor air quality, visual comfort and acoustics have their own technical criteria and evidence requirements.
Do I need an ecologist for a living wall to contribute to BREEAM?
It depends on the credit and assessment scheme. BREEAM guidance for certain ecology assessments requires input from a suitably qualified ecologist. For a project in Spain, the requirements should be confirmed with the BREEAM ES assessor during the design stage.
Does BREEAM ES apply to projects on the Costa del Sol?
Yes. Buildings in Spain are assessed through BREEAM ES, which adapts the BREEAM methodology to Spanish regulations and construction practices.
Specifying a Living Wall for a BREEAM Project?
Tell us which credits you’re targeting and we’ll help you specify a wall that fits the brief.
Comments