Hea 08 and the security credits.

Where security sits in New Construction V7.1

BREEAM UK New Construction V7.1 (Technical Manual 7.1.0, SD6074, published 26 August 2026) addresses security within the issue Hea 08, in the Health and Wellbeing category. The standard security credit is criteria 1 to 3, with an exemplary security credit at criterion 4. The equivalent issue under BREEAM Refurbishment V7 is Rsl 04, where the security credit is criteria 5 to 7 and the exemplary credit is criterion 8; that issue is covered in our Rsl 04 guide.

The security credit: criteria 1 to 3

The standard security credit is awarded where a site-specific Security Needs Assessment (SNA) has been carried out by a Suitably Qualified Security Specialist (SQSS) and the recommendations incorporated into the design. The manual's methodology sets out what the assessment must contain (M1.1), the position where the specialist is consulted late (M1.2), and the scope the recommendations may consider (M1.3), being design and layout, physical security, and technological security including the ability of building and security systems to resist cyber attack. A compliance note (CN1) deals with stakeholders who do not respond when consulted, requiring the specialist to evidence reasonable attempts and to draw on alternative sources such as published crime data. What an SNA involves in practice is set out in our SNA guide.

Who counts as a Suitably Qualified Security Specialist

The manual defines the competency standard for the specialist through three criteria, all of which must be satisfied: relevant security experience, being at least three years in a security profession within the last five and demonstrating practical understanding of security in construction and the built environment at the project's type and scale; a degree or equivalent qualification relevant to security; and full membership of a relevant professional body, institute or certification scheme with a code of conduct. Designing Out Crime Officers and Secured by Design Licensed Consultants currently satisfy the third criterion, subject to the conditions Secured by Design publishes; only consultants holding a full Secured by Design licence qualify. One practical caution for London projects: the manual records that the Metropolitan Police has indicated it will not provide services solely to meet the BREEAM Security Needs Assessment.

New Construction V7.1 also provides a register route that satisfies the standard on its own. An individual registered with a BREEAM Pre-Approved Professional Register is treated as suitably qualified by that registration: currently the Chartered Security Professionals register (CSyP), and the Register of Security Engineers and Specialists (RSES) at General Security Advisor grade. Rsl 04 under Refurbishment V7 has no equivalent provision, so on a Refurbishment project each of the three criteria must be evidenced individually. In both cases the manual asks in addition that the specialist's expertise and experience suit the project's security risk level and complexity.

The register route is worth knowing about early. Where a project has set the security credit aside because no qualified specialist was identified, confirming competency through a Pre-Approved Professional Register is usually the quickest way to reopen it.

The exemplary credit: criterion 4

The exemplary security credit is awarded where the security risk management process behind the development has been independently validated against a recognised security rating scheme. BREEAM awards it as an innovation credit. The recognised schemes are named in the manual's methodology, section M2; the New Construction V7.1 manual names Proctor and SABRE. How the credit works in practice is covered in the exemplary security credit, explained.

The deemed-met route

Where a project adopts a compliant risk-based security rating scheme, the manual provides that criteria 1 to 3 are deemed met, so the standard and exemplary credits are earned together from one submission. The provision carries a timing condition: the scheme process must have commenced during Concept Design (RIBA Stage 2) or earlier. Where it commences later, both credits remain available, and the standard credit is assessed by the BREEAM Assessor in the usual way.

Under New Construction V7.1 the design stage certificate confirms the date the scheme process was initiated, which is what SD6074 asks for where the scheme is relied on as the route to the standard credit. One practical consequence for the BREEAM Assessor: where the deemed-met route applies, they are not required to confirm the SNA Author's SQSS competency separately, because the scheme confirms it and the confirmation is independently validated before a certificate is issued. The detail for assessors is on the BREEAM Assessors page.

Timing

Criterion 1 requires the SNA to be carried out during or before Concept Design (RIBA Stage 2). Where the SQSS is consulted after that point, M1.2 keeps the credit achievable, provided the SQSS confirms that nothing which could have been recommended has been restricted, impaired or made impossible by their later involvement. Proctor's own cut-off for the SNA is the end of RIBA Stage 3. The deemed-met route carries its own condition, above: the scheme process must commence during Concept Design or earlier. The practical advice is the same in every case: raise the security credits at Stage 1 or 2, while every route is still open.

Where to read the full text

This guide is a plain-English summary written by Toren Consulting Ltd, the Scheme Administrator for Proctor. The authoritative text is the BREEAM UK New Construction V7.1 Technical Manual (SD6074), available from BRE. If you are unsure how the criteria apply to a particular project, tell us about it and we will confirm the credit position.

Related guides

The BREEAM exemplary security credit, explained

Rsl 04 and the security credits

What a Security Needs Assessment involves