Overview
ISO 21928-2:2023 - "Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works - Sustainability indicators - Part 2" provides a framework for developing sustainability indicators for civil engineering works (CEW). It establishes common aspects and impacts across all CEW typologies and identifies core environmental, social and economic indicator sets for specific typologies (industrial process infrastructures; linear infrastructures; dams and fluvial works; maritime works; public spaces; and other CEW). The document explains rules for creating indicator systems, how to use indicators for assessment and decision support, and requirements for reporting and communication. It does not prescribe weighting or aggregation methods for indicators.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Framework & principles
- General rules for indicator development, life‑cycle approach, and definition of area of influence.
- Relationship to other standards and general sustainability principles.
- Environmental aspects and impacts
- Water management, energy management, material management, waste management, emissions to air/water/soil, noise/vibrations/light, landscape changes, ecosystem health, land‑use changes.
- Social aspects and impacts
- Accessibility, adaptability, population effects, job creation, cultural heritage, stakeholder involvement, human rights, resilience, health and comfort, neighbourhood impacts, maintenance, safety/security, sourcing, social equity.
- Economic aspects and impacts
- Life‑cycle costs, external costs, effects on local economy, sustainable funding, social internal rate of return, management mechanisms.
- Development of indicator systems
- Rules for selecting core and additional indicators, usability guidance, data sources, reporting boundaries and scenarios, and communication of results.
- Normative and informative support
- Annex A lists core indicators by CEW typology; other annexes cover cost/revenue categories, risk evaluation, UN Sustainable Development Goals mapping, and an example of decision support.
Practical applications and users
ISO 21928-2:2023 is intended for professionals and organizations involved in planning, design, construction, operation and governance of civil engineering works, including:
- Owners and asset managers using indicators for performance monitoring and maintenance planning.
- Designers and engineers integrating sustainability criteria into project alternatives.
- Policy makers and regulators defining disclosure or procurement requirements.
- Sustainability assessors and consultants developing indicator systems and reporting frameworks.
- Researchers and educators aligning CEW sustainability metrics with UN SDGs and life‑cycle approaches.
Related standards
- ISO 15392 - general principles of sustainability in building construction
- ISO 14000 series - environmental management systems
- ISO 26000 - social responsibility guidance
- Other parts of the ISO 21928 series and the replaced ISO/TS 21929‑2:2015
Keywords: ISO 21928-2:2023, sustainability indicators, civil engineering works, sustainability framework, life‑cycle approach, environmental social economic indicators, core indicators, reporting and communication.