BREEAM Buildings Technical Standard is a sustainability assessment method for the building sector with individual standards for (1) New Constructions, (2) In-Use Buildings and (3) Refurbishments. The tool assesses the environmental, social and economic sustainability performance of buildings, with the aim to enhance buildings’ economic and social value whilst mitigating environmental impacts and enhancing user satisfaction. After the assessment, an independent third-party verification takes place and successful projects receive certification. A pre-approval version for planning processes is available.

BEAM Plus Buildings supports the reduction of environmental impacts of new buildings of any type (residential, commercial and industrial), while at the same time improving environmental quality and user satisfaction. The assessment can also be used when planning for a major refurbishment or alteration, including wholesale or partial conversion. The performance of buildings is rated with a point scoring that can result in a certification. A provisional assessment version and a version for existing building (BEAM Plus Existing Buildings V2.0), including a comprehensive and a selective scheme option for individual adjustments, are available.

The Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) for Cities helps to understand sustainability conditions of cities across environmental, social and economic aspects. It measures the sustainability of cities according to quality criteria against the environmental load of the city defined as CO2 emissions per capita per year. The resulting sustainability qualification supports cities in the development of effective sustainability measures. The CASBEE for Urban Development (CASBEE-UD) tool is a standalone version developed for the assessment of partial or whole groups of buildings on a smaller scale than CASBEE for Cities.

True is a rating system that assesses how well physical facilities and their operations perform in minimizing their non-hazardous, solid wastes and maximizing their efficiency in the use of resources. Furthermore, the tool supports facilities in defining, pursuing, and achieving their zero waste goals, cutting their carbon footprint, and supporting public health. To be certified, facilities must meet the seven minimum requirements and earn at least 31 out of 81 credits. Pre-certification and re-certification options are available.

The Urban Adaptation Support Tool (UAST) assist cities, towns and other local authorities in developing, implementing and monitoring climate change adaptation plans. The UAST was developed as a practical guidance for urban areas, in recognition of their importance in the European economy. The tool outlines six steps needed to develop and implement an adaptation strategy and makes references to valuable guidance materials and tools:

1. Preparing the ground for adaptation
2. Assessing climate change risks and vulnerabilities
3. Identifying adaptation options
4. Assessing and selecting adaptation options
5. Implementing adaptation
6. Monitoring and evaluating adaptation

Steps are divided into sub-steps with detailed guidance available. The UAST is not intended to produce a tailor-made climate adaptation strategy but rather intends to highlight key issues to be considered when adaptation strategies are developed.

The Vermont Transportation Resilience Planning Tool (TRPT) is a web-based application that helps integrate climate risk and transportation resiliency into Vermont’s Transportation System’s (VTrans) planning process. The TRPT combines river science, hydraulics and transportation planning methods to help VTrans understand the vulnerability of their transportation systems to impacts of climate change and extreme weather and identify and prioritize mitigation strategies for the impacts of future damages in the most critical, highest risk locations. Key features of the tool include a mapping service for viewing spatial datasets, graphical data for summary analyses, and tabular display of mitigation alternatives for at-risk transportation assets.

Greenroads is a rating system developed to measure and manage the sustainability of transportation projects. The rating system assesses sustainability across five core areas and twelve additional requirements for projects that want to be certified. This way, the tool aims to encourage the reduction of environmental impact and resource use of transportation projects as well as improvements in safety, mobility and access. There is a project checklist available that serves as a self-assessment to better understand green potentials of transportation projects.

The Sustainable Infrastructure Guidelines for Chinese International Contractors (SIG) are a voluntary guidance document developed by the China International Contractors Associations for Chinese enterprises engaged in infrastructure projects overseas to enhance sustainability performance across economic, social, environmental and governance aspects. The guidelines propose a broad set of sustainability indicators covering the entire life cycle from funding, planning, design, building, operation and maintenance to closure. The SIG may also serve as a tool for evaluation of sustainability on completed projects.

SITES is a sustainability-focused framework that ushers landscape architects, engineers and others toward practices that protect ecosystems and enhance the mosaic of benefits they continuously provide to communities, such as climate regulation, carbon storage and flood mitigation. By providing performance measures rather than prescribing practices, SITES supports the unique conditions of each site, encouraging project teams to be flexible and creative as they develop beautiful, functional and regenerative landscapes. SITES is complementary with the LEED system. There is a pre-certification option available.

PEER is a rating-system that drives market transformation in the power and energy sectors. Through certification, PEER recognized industry leaders for improving efficiency, day-to-day reliability and overall resilience when it comes to severe climate events. The point-based assessment leads to a sustainability certification. A separate pre-certification option is available. PEER certification requires one year of operational performance data. And PEER precertification enables projects to map their design and construction requirements for optimal resilience, while obtaining recognition for their work while it is underway.