The Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) is a performance-based system developed for rating green buildings and infrastructures. The primary objective of GSAS is to create a sustainable built environment that minimizes ecological impacts and reduces resource use, considering the specific needs and context of the Middle East and North Africa regions (MENA). The purpose of GSAS Design & Build Parks Scheme is to provide recommendations and guidance for the effective implementation of sustainability goals within park projects.

The ESG Due DIligence Tool (ESG DD Tool) aims to provide investors with a transparent view of the ESG risks and opportunities of an infrastructure asset at the due diligence phase. The tool offers a structured process to identify and quantify all potential ESG risks and opportunities, which can make or break the business case of assets. This analysis serves as the basis for investment decision making and future mitigation of all potential (material) ESG issues (or factors) during asset management.

FEASIBLE is a tool that facilitates the iterative process of balancing required finance with available finance, including a systematic, consistent and quantitative framework for consideration of environmental targets. The tool uses input describing existing infrastructures and availability of finance from user charges, public budgets and other sources. Based on the specification of the future service targets and projection of future finance, the model quantifies the resulting gap between the demand for expenditure (to invest in, operate and maintain infrastructure) and the supply of available funds. The tool can also be used to analyze the financial effects of different policy and regulation scenarios.

EDGE is a tool to estimate the resource use of buildings already during the planning phase and awards projects that save resources. The cloud-based platform has a sophisticated set of city-based climate and cost data, consumption patterns and algorithms for predicting the most accurate performance results. On this basis, the tool calculates additional costs to build green and how long it takes to earn back the money through operational savings. With EDGE, the IFC aims to deliver a solution to prove the business case for building green and unlock financial investment. Based on the performance, buildings can receive a certification.

The DGNB System for Buildings is a planning and optimization tool for sustainable buildings. The tool evaluates the environmental, economic, sociocultural / functional, technical and process quality of projects. There are different types of certifications available across the life cycle of buildings: (1) DNGB pre-certification for new constructions, (2) DNGB certificate for new constructions, (3) DNGB certificate for buildings in use (plus a recertification option), (4) DNBG certificate for existing buildings, (5) DNGB certificate for renovated buildings and (6) DNGB certificate for dismantling. Assessments are undertaken by independent, DNGB-trained auditors. DNGB undertakes a final conformity check before the certification is awarded.

The Good Practice Handbook on Cumulative Impact Assessments (CIAs) proposes a six-step process to assist private sector companies in emerging markets in identifying and managing the cumulative impacts and risks related to their business activities. CIAs analyze the cumulative impacts on valued environmental and social components generated by a planned project or activity in combination with multiple other projects, actions and activities. This way, the assessment reflects the geographical and temporal context in which the effects are aggregating and interacting. The tool should be used in combination with the IFC Performance Standards and the World Bank Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines.

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.

BREEAM Communities International Technical Standard is a tool to measure and certify and perspectively improve the sustainability of large-scale development plans. The tool assesses projects’ environmental, social and economic performance and provides key target benchmarks that assist decision makers in better understanding the long-term impacts of their projects. Thereby, the tool supports the integration of sustainability principles and goals already during the early planning and design stages of projects. After the assessment, an independent third-party verification takes place and successful projects receive certification.

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.