ISO/TS 12720:2014

Overview

ISO/TS 12720:2014 - Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works provides practical guidelines for applying the general principles of sustainability set out in ISO 15392. It is a Technical Specification aimed at helping stakeholders integrate sustainability thinking into the full life cycle of a construction work - from the decision to build and project brief through design, construction, operation and end-of-life. The document offers a step‑by‑step, question‑based approach to improve the contribution of buildings and civil engineering works to sustainable development and to encourage continuous improvement.

Key topics

• Application of ISO 15392 principles: Guidance on implementing the nine general sustainability principles (see Annex A of the TS) across project phases.
• Life‑cycle, process and product perspective: Emphasis on both “product‑oriented” performance and “process‑oriented” decision making across the physical life cycle (production, construction, in‑use, end‑of‑life).
• Six decision‑making phases: Strategic planning, project definition, design, construction and handover, operation and maintenance (including refurbishment), and end‑of‑life strategy.
• Stakeholder roles: Clarifies the main actors (clients, designers, contractors, suppliers, users, facility managers, regulators, community groups) and the sustainability questions they should address at each phase.
• Framework elements and facets: Covers primary elements (environmental protection, economic efficiency, social needs, equity, long‑term thinking, transparency, risk management, etc.) and how they interrelate.
• Methodological approach: Raises key questions, identifies deliverables for each phase, and promotes learning from outcomes to build best practices and continuous improvement.
• Guidance scope and facilitation: While not prescribing specific indicators or measurement methods, ISO/TS 12720 facilitates setting performance targets, developing assessment tools, and formalizing management approaches based on ISO principles.

Practical applications

• Use ISO/TS 12720:2014 to embed sustainability into project workflows, decision documents and briefs.
• Guide cross‑disciplinary teams to ask the right sustainability questions at each life‑cycle stage, improving transparency and accountability.
• Support clients and owners in developing long‑term, cost‑effective, adaptable designs and end‑of‑life strategies.
• Assist facility managers and contractors in planning maintenance, refurbishment and deconstruction with sustainability objectives in mind.
• Inform policy makers and regulators on how to encourage application of ISO 15392 principles in local standards and procurement.

Who should use it: clients/owners, architects and engineers, project managers, contractors, suppliers, facility managers, regulators, community stakeholders and sustainability consultants.

Related standards

• ISO 15392 - Sustainability in building construction - General principles
• ISO 14040 / ISO 14044 - Life cycle assessment principles and framework
• ISO 21929‑1, ISO 21930, ISO 21931‑1 - Sustainability indicators and environmental declarations for buildings
• ISO 26000 - Guidance on social responsibility
• ISO 6707‑1, ISO 15686 series - Building terminology and service‑life planning

Keywords: ISO/TS 12720:2014, sustainability in buildings, ISO 15392, life cycle, decision‑making, sustainable development, construction works, stakeholder guidance.