Sustainability excellence at UCL Institute of Education's headquarters

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is one of the UK’s leading measures of building sustainability. 

The Excellent rating places the refurbished IOE building among the country’s top-performing sustainable buildings and marks the culmination of a refurbishment programme that began in 2016. 

The rating reflects improvements across a number of areas, including:

1. Health and wellbeing – with enhanced natural daylight, improved air quality, thermal comfort measures and better acoustics creating a more comfortable environment for learning and working.
2. Energy performance – through more efficient lighting, equipment and building systems, alongside measures to monitor and manage energy use more effectively.
3. Waste and resource use – including responsible materials management during the refurbishment and the diversion of 95% of project-related waste from landfill.

Professor Li Wei, Executive Dean of IOE, said: “The refurbishment has transformed our spaces into a more comfortable and sustainable environment for our community. This achievement demonstrates how our operational decisions can support our broader mission to address global environmental challenges.”

The achievement highlights how long-term investment and sustainable design can enhance the experience of staff, students and visitors while supporting wider environmental goals.