Training · Professional requirements
Do you need a qualified ecologist for BREEAM biodiversity?
Yes. BREEAM requires a Suitably Qualified Ecologist, that is, a degree-qualified ecologist with at least three years of relevant experience in the last five. A short course does not confer that status, and we do not claim it does; it gives the project team what they need to work with the ecologist and understand what they produce.
BREEAM's biodiversity credits rest on the involvement of a Suitably Qualified Ecologist, or SQE. The scheme sets the conditions: a degree in ecology, at least three years of relevant experience in the last five, adherence to a professional code of conduct, and, for the UK only, peer review.
What the text says
SQE status is recognised notably through membership of a professional body: CIWEM, CIEEM, IEMA, Landscape Institute, IES or the Royal Society of Biology. Outside the UK, equivalence is assessed case by case by BRE, on technical request. No short course confers that status, and we do not imply it does.
What the training changes is the quality of dialogue between the project team and the ecologist. A client or project manager who understands what an ecological survey, an avoid-reduce-offset sequence or a habitat is, commissions better, reviews better, and loses less time.
BREEAM, GN13 V1.1, April 2016; KBCN0743, updated 24 May 2024; KBCN1266. Accessed 10 August 2026.
The correspondence, point by point
| What the scheme requires | Source | What the training provides |
|---|---|---|
| A Suitably Qualified Ecologist: ecology degree, 3 years of experience in 5, code of conduct | BREEAM GN13 V1.1; KBCN0743 | Level 1, ENV34P: a project team able to work with the ecologist and review their outputs |
| Membership of a recognised body (CIWEM, CIEEM, IEMA, Landscape Institute, IES, RSB) | BREEAM KBCN1266 | Shared technical grounding on surveys, habitats and the avoid-reduce-offset sequence |
This correspondence analysis is prepared by IRICE from the documents published by the bodies cited, on the date indicated. It has not been submitted to these bodies and confers neither recognition, approval, nor partnership. Each body remains the sole judge of whether a training course is admissible under its own requirements. It is the candidate's responsibility to check with the body concerned. Any rectification request may be sent to hello@irice-certification.com and will be processed within 15 days.
What the training provides
The Level 1 training does not make you a Suitably Qualified Ecologist, and does not claim to. It is for the project team, client, architect, project manager, working with an SQE without being one. It gives the bearings: what an ecological survey is, how to read an ecologist's report, what habitats and the avoid-reduce-offset sequence cover.
The benefit is concrete: better scoping the ecologist's brief, reviewing their outputs with judgement, and carrying BREEAM biodiversity credits knowingly. A French certificate never stands as equivalence to SQE status; the certificate documents the team's technical grounding, nothing more.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Suitably Qualified Ecologist?
A degree-qualified ecologist with at least three years of relevant experience in the last five, abiding by a professional code of conduct. In the UK, peer review is added. The status is recognised through membership of a body such as CIEEM or CIWEM.
Does a short course confer that status?
No, and we do not claim it does. SQE status rests on a degree and experience. The training is for the project team working with the ecologist.
What is the training for on a BREEAM project?
For working with the ecologist, scoping their brief, reviewing their outputs, and carrying the biodiversity credits knowingly. Seven hours, no prerequisite, with a certificate.
How is an SQE recognised outside the UK?
Equivalence is assessed case by case by BRE, on technical request. No national membership counts as automatic recognition; BRE decides.
Can the training be funded?
The training is delivered with QUALITEL Formation, a Qualiopi-certified body, and may be funded by a French skills operator (OPCO). The steps are set out on the funding page.
Sources
- BREEAM, Guidance Note GN13 V1.1, April 2016. Accessed 10 August 2026.
- BREEAM, KBCN0743, updated 24 May 2024; KBCN1266. Accessed 10 August 2026.