How the CO₂ Performance Ladder Complements Leading Building Sustainability Standards 

Reducing carbon emissions in the built environment is a priority for both policymakers and industry. As sustainability standards like BREEAM, LEED, and Level(s) help improve the environmental performance of buildings, the CO₂ Performance Ladder plays a unique and complementary role: focusing not just on buildings, but on the organisations and supply chains behind them. 

Understanding how the Ladder fits alongside asset-based certifications can help organisations take a more integrated approach to decarbonisation.

What is the CO₂ Performance Ladder (the Ladder)?

The CO₂ Performance Ladder is both a procurement instrument and a certifiable CO₂ management system designed to help organisations reduce their carbon footprint. It operates at the organisational and project level, encouraging structured CO₂ and energy management practices across operations and supply chains. 

Organisations can be certified at one of five levels. Lower levels focus on reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions (like energy use and fuel consumption), while higher levels include Scope 3 emissions and broader supply chain engagement. Certification is conducted by accredited independent assessors. Costs vary by organisation size and include: 

• Internal effort to implement systems and measures 

• Certification and audit fees 

• A contribution to the Ladder scheme’s management, based on turnover 

How It Compares to Building Sustainability Standards  

While the CO₂ Performance Ladder focuses on organisational carbon management, tools like BREEAM, LEED, and Level(s) are asset-based frameworks aimed at improving the performance of individual buildings across their lifecycle. 

BREEAM 

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a multi-level certification for sustainable buildings and infrastructure. It rates assets from “Pass” to “Outstanding” based on a broad environmental performance assessment. Certification is carried out by third-party assessors and verified by BRE Global Ltd. Costs depend on project size, as fees are typically calculated per square metre.  

LEED 

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, covers building design, construction, operations, and neighbourhood development. Projects earn points to achieve one of four levels, from Certified to Platinum. Certification is third-party verified and pricing varies by size and complexity. 

Level(s) 

Level(s) is a European Union framework for improving the environmental performance of buildings. Rather than certification, it offers indicators and methods to guide sustainable design, construction, and operation. 

It has three levels: design strategies (Level 1), performance tracking (Level 2), and post-occupancy evaluation (Level 3). It will become mandatory for large new buildings in 2027, and all new buildings from 2030 under the revised EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Level(s) guidance is freely available online. 

Similarities and Overlaps  

All four systems aim to improve environmental performance and reduce emissions in the built environment. Shared characteristics include: 

• Structured frameworks with defined ambition levels 

• Third-party assessment (except Level(s), which is guidance-based) 

• Use in procurement or project planning 

• Focus on life-cycle impacts 

Key Differences

Criteria	Building Standards (BREEAM, LEED, Level(s))	CO2 Performance Ladder
Scope	Environmental performance of buildings and infrastructure	Organisation and project-level CO₂ and energy reduction
Focus	Broader sustainability: materials, water, public health, waste	Carbon and energy management
Application	Used to design and evaluate individual assets	Used in procurement to reward low-carbon performance
Accreditation	Third-party verifiers (not formally accredited)	Independent certifiers, nationally accredited

Complementary Approaches for Stronger Results

The CO₂ Performance Ladder and building standards like BREEAM, LEED, and Level(s) serve different purposes — but used together, they offer a more complete path to decarbonisation. 

While the Ladder helps organisations cut emissions across their operations and supply chains, building standards focus on improving individual assets. Together, they enable climate action at both the organisational and project level.

To learn more about how your organisation can integrate the Ladder into your decarbonisation journey, contact us today.