The Rijksmuseum has become the first museum in the world to receive the “outstanding” five-star sustainability rating for its management and preservation of an existing historic building. 

The Rijksmuseum: A prime example of sustainable management

The Amsterdam museum was awarded a BREEAM-NL In-Use sustainability certificate, achieving the maximum five-star rating. Four years ago, the Rijksmuseum building, which dates back to 1885, became the first in the world to achieve a four-star rating for the management of an existing building, and in 2021 becomes the first in the world to achieve the highest possible score in this category. 

The iconic museum achieved such an excellent score thanks to the high ratings it received in the water, energy, and waste management areas. Taco Dibbits, director of the Rijksmuseum, said “It’s great that the Rijksmuseum has received this recognition, but for us, it doesn’t stop there – we are committed to contributing to a sustainable world in the coming years.” The museum has announced plans to further reduce energy consumption and be completely gas-free by 2030.

The BREEAM sustainability certificate

BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, and is an international certification method for sustainability in planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings across over 80 countries. It measures sustainability across 10 categories, including land use, pollution, transport, and waste. Each category is then split into various issues, each with its own or target or benchmark.