citizenM Menlo Park Hotel Achieves First U.S. BREEAM In-Use Outstanding Certification at 2025 BREEAM Awards

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) celebrated significant achievements in the U.S. market at the 2025 BREEAM Awards, honoring leaders in sustainable building design, development, and management. The awards ceremony, held in London on June 5, gathered industry experts from around the globe to recognize outstanding contributions to the sustainability of the built environment. This event emphasized the pivotal role that sustainability plays in enhancing long-term value and resilience in real estate. Although none of the following U.S. nominees walked away with the top prize in their respective categories, being shortlisted for the BREEAM Awards is a noteworthy accomplishment that highlights their commitment to advancing sustainable practices. U.S. nominees were recognized in multiple categories, underscoring the growing influence of BREEAM as a scientific framework for enhancing performance, operational excellence, and value creation in American real estate. Breana Wheeler, U.S. Director of Operations at BRE, remarked, "In today’s economic climate, real estate owners, investors, and operators face increasing pressure to demonstrate the value and resilience of their assets. The projects and professionals honored at this year’s BREEAM Awards exemplify what can be achieved when sustainability goals are integrated into operational excellence. We are proud to celebrate these achievements." A notable milestone was marked this year with citizenM's Menlo Park Hotel becoming the first U.S. hotel to achieve a BREEAM In-Use Outstanding certification—the highest level of recognition within the BREEAM framework. Located adjacent to Meta’s campus in Menlo Park, California, the hotel was meticulously designed to meet stringent sustainability, well-being, and efficiency criteria. This project stands as a benchmark for sustainable hospitality in the U.S., demonstrating how early strategic planning, data-driven decisions, and aligned stakeholders can result in exceptional outcomes in operational buildings. These recognitions underscore BREEAM’s expanding presence in the U.S. and its growing reputation as a trusted methodology for evaluating and enhancing building performance across various asset classes and lifecycle stages. Over the past three decades, BREEAM has become the world’s leading sustainability assessment method, registering nearly 3 million buildings across 104 countries. In 2024 alone, BREEAM saw a 43% increase in the number of certified assets in North America. To continue driving progress in the commercial real estate sector, BRE is set to release Version 7 of BREEAM. This update will advance sustainability efforts by introducing expanded carbon benchmarking, full lifecycle coverage, and simplified data collection. Version 7 aims to make the latest built environment innovations more accessible, ensuring they are rooted in a robust, science-based approach. For more information on the 2025 BREEAM Awards, visit the official website. About BRE BRE is a global, multidisciplinary building science center dedicated to improving buildings and infrastructure through cutting-edge research and knowledge generation. BRE offers a wide array of products, services, standards, and qualifications that are widely adopted worldwide to foster positive change in the built environment. To learn more, visit www.bregroup.com. About BREEAM Developed by BRE, BREEAM is the world’s first and leading science-based suite of standards for assessing sustainability performance in the built environment. Since its inception in 1990, BREEAM's third-party certified standards have enhanced asset performance at every stage, from design and construction to use and refurbishment. Millions of buildings worldwide are registered to work towards BREEAM’s comprehensive approach to achieving environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, promoting health, and striving for Net Zero emissions. For more details about BREEAM in the U.S., visit https://breeam.com/breeam-usa.