Tools

C.Scale (formerly the EPIC assessment) is a free, web-based whole-life carbon platform spun out from EHDD to enable climate-positive design decisions in the earliest phases of building and infrastructure projects, when data are scarce but the opportunity for emissions reduction is greatest. Leveraging machine-learning models trained on global building and infrastructure datasets, C.Scale combines region-specific background data, forward-looking carbon projections, and peer-reviewed embodied-carbon factors to deliver rapid “what-if” analyses of massing, materials, and energy strategies. In late 2024, the core EPIC team formed C.Scale as an independent public-benefit corporation—allowing for dedicated development, investor support, and integration into broader decarbonization workflows.

Clarity AI empower users to efficiently and confidently assess, analyze and report on anything valuable to them and everything required by regulation. With tech building blocks for every sustainability use case, users can cover any needs they have related to data, methodologies or tools. And, with digitally-native capabilities and a fully modular infrastructure, users can take and use any – or every – piece of our sustainability tech kit.

The toolkit provides guidelines for the identification as well as mitigation of climate risk and leveraging opportunities to improve the (climate) resilience and productivity of infrastructure throughout the whole lifecycle of a private-public-partnership (PPP) project. The PPP project lifecycle is broken down into four stages in the toolkit:(1) project identification, (2) business case, (3) transaction structuring and (4) contract management. For each project stage, the reader is provided with relevant climate-related aspects. Through several tools, frameworks and templates, the toolkit empowers the user to assess as well as quantify risks monetarily and mitigate them within the context of a PPP project structure.

The Climate Toolkits for Infrastructure Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), developed by the World Bank Group, is a comprehensive guide designed to integrate climate considerations into the entire lifecycle of PPP infrastructure projects. The toolkit emphasizes the dual goals of climate resilience and private sector engagement. It addresses critical questions such as optimizing risk allocation in the face of climate uncertainty, promoting gender inclusivity, and enhancing the long-term sustainability of investments. Comprising a high-level toolkit and sector-specific modules, it facilitates informed decision-making at each phase of the PPP cycle.

The book provides guidance on the recent developments in Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and the application of CBAs to policies or projects that either explicitly aim for environmental improvement or affect, in some way, the natural environment as an indirect consequence. It mainly emphasizes that social benefits must exceed social costs. Next to assessing more recent advances in CBA theory, it is a primary objective of the book to identify how specific developments illustrate key thematic narratives with implications for practical use of environmental CBA in policy formulation and appraisal of investment projects. 

The Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) Practitioners’ Guide aims to support practitioners of CEAs in their work and submission processes to regulatory bodies. The tool gives practitioners an overview of current understanding about the CEA practice, suggests practical approaches to complete CEAS based on statutory requirements and best practice and provides case studies. Furthermore, the Guide defines key terms and an exemplary assessment framework and recommends good practices in for data collection and cases of lacking data, among other useful orientations.

The Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) helps to understand sustainability conditions of cities across environmental, social and economic aspects. It measures the sustainability of buildings across diverse quality criteria against the environmental load defined as CO2 emissions per capita per year. The resulting sustainability qualification supports the development of effective sustainability measures. The CASBEE tool family for building scale offers a broad range of assessments for single buildings, including new constructions (CASBEE-NC), existing buildings (CASBEE-EB), renovation (CASBEE-RN) and temporary construction (CASBEE-TC), among others.

The Capacity Assessment Tool for Infrastructure (CAT-I) support countries’ development through better planning, delivery and management of infrastructures. The tool is designed to help governments identify the gaps or bottlenecks that are inhibiting their ability to deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Based on these gaps, the tool can be used to support the identification of potential solutions, develop a pipeline of projects to build national, state, city, or ministerial capacity using technical and advisory services and to show progress against a measured baseline.

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.

The Climate Bonds Standard is an environmental standard to certify bonds that prioritize projects addressing climate change and to support investors in aligning investments decisions with climate goals. The tool is made up of two parts; (1) the parent standard detailing management and reporting processes and (2) a suite of sector criteria detailing the requirements to be eligible for certification. Based on independent verification reports, the tool allows to certify bonds already prior to issuance, requiring follow through for post-issuance certification. Issuers must report at least annually on the projects and assets funded by the bond, their eligibility and use of proceeds.