The CFF has compiled this toolkit in collaboration with eThekwini Municipality (Durban) to guide practitioners, decision-and policy-makers, and anyone interested in the topic, on how to improve the overall health of rivers. The toolkit comprises both grey infrastructure (i.e. human-engineered hard structures, such as gabions) and light-touch grey infrastructure (i.e. ecologically-friendly engineering solutions, such as wetland construction and brush packing). Each intervention option is accompanied by a specifications sheet with relevant information for planning, designing, financing and implementation. Whilst the interventions proposed in the toolkit are focused on the Kwa-Zulu Natal context, they can be applied elsewhere following the appropriate contextualisation process.

Sector(s): Natural Infrastructure
Lifecycle Phase(s): Strategic PlanningPublic authorities identify the needs and long-term vision for infrastructure development., PrioritizationAuthorities decide which projects to realize and how to allocate resources., Project PlanningGeneral strategy for a project’s delivery is developed.
Type(s) of Tool: GuidelinesOperationalize sustainability principles, less specific than Benchmarks or Rating Systems.
Organization: C40 Cities Finance Facility

The report “A Common Set of Aligned Sustainable Infrastructure Indicators (SII)” identifies the sixteen common elements used by multilateral development banks to define sustainable infrastructure practices across the quadruple bottom line. The SII provides insights into how stakeholders can incorporate the indicators into their infrastructure projects and monitor sustainability performance throughout the infrastructure lifecycle. Moreover, the SII sets forth how reaching the sustainability indicators can help mobilize public and private investments.

Sector(s): Tools applicable to all sectors
Lifecycle Phase(s): Enabling EnvironmentConditions that enable the integration of sustainability practices (regulation, laws, frameworks etc.)., Strategic PlanningPublic authorities identify the needs and long-term vision for infrastructure development., PrioritizationAuthorities decide which projects to realize and how to allocate resources., Project PlanningGeneral strategy for a project’s delivery is developed., Concept DesignTechnical experts broadly outline the project’s basic characteristics., ProcurementThe provision of goods and services to realize a project are tendered and closed., FinanceDevelopers decide how to pay for their project.
Type(s) of Tool: PrinciplesSupport sustainability incorporation at institutional or strategic level, less specific than Guidelines.
Organization: MDB Infrastructure Cooperation Platform

The Attributes and Framework for Sustainable Infrastructure contributes to developing a shared understanding of the key dimensions and attributes that together define sustainable infrastructure, based on the propositions that sustainability of infrastructure must consider the benefits and costs of investment over the entire lifecycle and that sustainability must be assessed across all relevant dimensions (economic / financial, environmental, social and institutional). The paper then sets out the detailed attributes that constitute the elements of each of these four dimensions.

Sector(s): Tools applicable to all sectors
Lifecycle Phase(s): Enabling EnvironmentConditions that enable the integration of sustainability practices (regulation, laws, frameworks etc.)., Strategic PlanningPublic authorities identify the needs and long-term vision for infrastructure development., PrioritizationAuthorities decide which projects to realize and how to allocate resources., Project PlanningGeneral strategy for a project’s delivery is developed., Concept DesignTechnical experts broadly outline the project’s basic characteristics., ProcurementThe provision of goods and services to realize a project are tendered and closed., FinanceDevelopers decide how to pay for their project.
Type(s) of Tool: PrinciplesSupport sustainability incorporation at institutional or strategic level, less specific than Guidelines.
Organization: Inter-American Development Bank IDB

The Adaptation Principles offer a guide to effective climate change adaptation, containing hands-on guidance to the design, implementation and monitoring of national adaptation strategies, showing that each country needs to tailor adaptation actions to its specific needs and priorities. To guide this process, the Adaptation Principles offer concrete and practical tools: Screening questions to identify the most urgent and effective actions, toolboxes illustrating common datasets and methodologies to support decisions, indicators to monitor and evaluate progress, and case studies on how the COVID-19 pandemic influences priorities in taking effective adaptation action.

Sector(s): Tools applicable to all sectors
Lifecycle Phase(s): Enabling EnvironmentConditions that enable the integration of sustainability practices (regulation, laws, frameworks etc.)., Strategic PlanningPublic authorities identify the needs and long-term vision for infrastructure development., PrioritizationAuthorities decide which projects to realize and how to allocate resources., Project PlanningGeneral strategy for a project’s delivery is developed., Concept DesignTechnical experts broadly outline the project’s basic characteristics., ProcurementThe provision of goods and services to realize a project are tendered and closed., FinanceDevelopers decide how to pay for their project., Detailed DesignTechnical experts further elaborate the Concept Design., ConstructionThe asset is constructed in line with design, budget and timeline., Operation and MaintenanceInfrastructure assets are managed and maintained during their use time., Decomissioning/RepurposingObsolete infrastructure assets are repurposed, recycled or removed and the land is reused or restored.
Type(s) of Tool: GuidelinesOperationalize sustainability principles, less specific than Benchmarks or Rating Systems., PrinciplesSupport sustainability incorporation at institutional or strategic level, less specific than Guidelines.
Organization: World Bank

Autocase is a software that supports design and investment decision-making for built environments with economic metrics. The tool provides designers and project owners with a triple bottom line cost-benefit analysis for buildings and related infrastructure assets, helping to quantify and attribute dollar values to financial, social and environmental impacts of project proposals. The tool allows for comparison of multiple design goals and investment options as well as evaluation of health impacts, water and energy efficiency and renewable energy use and effects on tenants, owners and communities.

Sector(s): Natural Infrastructure, Buildings
Lifecycle Phase(s): Concept DesignTechnical experts broadly outline the project’s basic characteristics., Detailed DesignTechnical experts further elaborate the Concept Design.
Type(s) of Tool: Economic / Financial ValuationsAnalyses the economic/financial value and risks related to projects.
Organization: Impact Infrastructure Inc.