With 65% of office stock at risk of stranding by 2030, greens certifications can also underpin asset future-proofing.

“These updated frameworks define sustainability beyond building regulations and help mitigate climate risk and the need for future, costlier retrofits,” says Ramsey.

For example, all BREEAM v7 levels include new benchmarks to demonstrate net gain in biodiversity, beyond the UK’s mandatory biodiversity legislation passed in 2024.

Reporting obligations can help shape strategies for which credits to pursue. “Companies need to consider what data is required by the standards they report against, and ensure it aligns with their credit strategies for certification,” says Ramsey.

The building performance data required by BREEAM v7 and LEED v5 also aligns with planning applications that increasingly consider environmental impact, and supports direct reporting to global sustainability standards such as EU Taxonomy, TCFD and GRI. This can provide a useful template for multinationals that face varying regulatory requirements across markets, Ramsey adds. 

Achieving green certifications of any level requires early and frequent engagement between leadership, asset stakeholders, and project teams, including design teams for construction projects and on-site operational teams for existing buildings.

Business-wide alignment is essential. “While leadership sets organizational sustainability goals, it is crucial they communicate to facilities teams and project managers how these goals should be supported by commercial real estate projects and operations – and ideally provide the financial support to realize them,” says Dum.

Wider collaboration between landlords and tenants on co-funding certification-aligned upgrades can also help both parties progress towards decarbonization goals as well as lower operational costs, Dum adds.

As corporate carbon commitments increase demand for sustainable buildings amid lacking supply, tougher green certification standards can provide a clearer pathway for decarbonization and realizing the benefits of energy efficient, socially inclusive and climate resilient real estate.

“Ultimately, best-in-class certifications such as LEED and BREEAM provide a reliable roadmap for creating high-performing, healthy buildings, and can help organizations to progress on their decarbonization journeys. That’s why green certifications should be considered across all industries and asset types,” says Dum.