This Technical Specification is a framework document that provides the general principles and requirements for development of the methodologies, expressed through a suite of standards, for the assessment of aspects of sustainability of buildings in terms of environmental performance, health and comfort performance and life cycle cost performance taking into account the technical description and functionality of a building.
The framework applies to all types of buildings, both new and existing, and it is relevant for the assessment of the performance of new buildings over their entire life cycle, and of existing buildings undergoing refurbishment, renewal or extension, to the end of their life.
The framework defines the boundaries for the assessment, provides the assessment categories and describes how the assessment results are to be treated and communicated.
The environmental dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of environmental impacts of a building on local, regional and global environment on the basis of Life Cycle Assessment expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes the environmental risk assessment of a building on the local environment and it excludes environmental aspects of a building relating to the built environment that extend beyond the area of the building site, e.g. environmental impacts of construction of local infrastructure or environmental impacts resulting from transportation of the users of the building. Other means for measurement of environmental performance of buildings, which are not based on the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, are not considered within this framework.
The social dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of health and comfort impacts of a building to its occupants and other users expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes health and safety aspects related to construction workers. It also excludes the social aspects of a building relating to the built environment, e.g. social impacts of a building on cultural heritage or on social structure.
The economic dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of life cycle costs of a building expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes the economic risk assessment of a building and return on investment calculations. It also excludes economic aspects of a building relating to the built environment beyond the area of the building site, e.g. such as economic impacts of construction of local infrastructure or economic impacts resulting from transportation of the users of the building or economic impacts of a construction project on local community.
NOTE 1 In the future, the assessment methodologies within this framework standard should be part of an overall assessment of integrated building performance. The assessment methodologies may also be extended to an assessment of the neighbourhoods and the built environment.
The standards developed under this framework do not set the rules for how the different assessment methodologies may provide valuation methods nor do they prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks for measuring performance.
NOTE 2 Valuation methods, levels, classes or benchmarks may be prescribed in the requirements for building performance and functionality in the client’s brief, building regulations, national standards, national codes of practice etc.
The standards do not set the rules for assessment of technical performance and functionality, serviceability or the architectural quality of buildings. The rules for assessment of sustainability aspects of organizations are not included within this framework. However, the results of the management processes, i.e. impacts relating to the object of assessment, are taken into account.
Registration number (WIID)
26539
Scope
This Technical Specification is a framework document that provides the general principles and requirements for development of the methodologies, expressed through a suite of standards, for the assessment of aspects of sustainability of buildings in terms of environmental performance, health and comfort performance and life cycle cost performance taking into account the technical description and functionality of a building.
The framework applies to all types of buildings, both new and existing, and it is relevant for the assessment of the performance of new buildings over their entire life cycle, and of existing buildings undergoing refurbishment, renewal or extension, to the end of their life.
The framework defines the boundaries for the assessment, provides the assessment categories and describes how the assessment results are to be treated and communicated.
The environmental dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of environmental impacts of a building on local, regional and global environment on the basis of Life Cycle Assessment expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes the environmental risk assessment of a building on the local environment and it excludes environmental aspects of a building relating to the built environment that extend beyond the area of the building site, e.g. environmental impacts of construction of local infrastructure or environmental impacts resulting from transportation of the users of the building. Other means for measurement of environmental performance of buildings, which are not based on the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, are not considered within this framework.
The social dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of health and comfort impacts of a building to its occupants and other users expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes health and safety aspects related to construction workers. It also excludes the social aspects of a building relating to the built environment, e.g. social impacts of a building on cultural heritage or on social structure.
The economic dimension of sustainability is limited to the assessment of life cycle costs of a building expressed with the quantitative assessment categories. It excludes the economic risk assessment of a building and return on investment calculations. It also excludes economic aspects of a building relating to the built environment beyond the area of the building site, e.g. such as economic impacts of construction of local infrastructure or economic impacts resulting from transportation of the users of the building or economic impacts of a construction project on local community.
NOTE 1 In the future, the assessment methodologies within this framework standard should be part of an overall assessment of integrated building performance. The assessment methodologies may also be extended to an assessment of the neighbourhoods and the built environment.
The standards developed under this framework do not set the rules for how the different assessment methodologies may provide valuation methods nor do they prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks for measuring performance.
NOTE 2 Valuation methods, levels, classes or benchmarks may be prescribed in the requirements for building performance and functionality in the client’s brief, building regulations, national standards, national codes of practice etc.
The standards do not set the rules for assessment of technical performance and functionality, serviceability or the architectural quality of buildings. The rules for assessment of sustainability aspects of organizations are not included within this framework. However, the results of the management processes, i.e. impacts relating to the object of assessment, are taken into account.
