ISO/TS 12720:2024 PDF

Overview

ISO/TS 12720:2024 - Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works - provides practical guidance for applying the nine general principles of sustainability defined in ISO 15392:2019. This Technical Specification explains how project stakeholders can integrate sustainability thinking into decision-making across the full life cycle of construction works, from the initial decision to build through design, operation and end-of-life. The document offers a step‑by‑step approach to increase a project’s contribution to sustainability and to support continuous improvement and best‑practice development.

Key topics

• Scope and purpose: Guidance for implementing the nine general sustainability principles in buildings and civil engineering works, with emphasis on stakeholder actions and decision-making.
• Framework elements: Primary elements to consider (environmental, economic, social aspects; functionality; life‑cycle stages; stakeholder roles; geographical scale).
• Methodological approach: A process-oriented method aligned to six decision-making phases: strategic planning, project definition, design, construction and handover, operation and maintenance, and end‑of‑life strategy.
• Objectives and grouping: Reference to the expanded set of sustainability objectives (18 objectives in ISO 15392:2019) and their categorization into four grouped objectives to aid practical application.
• Application guidance: Key questions, recommended considerations and expected outcomes when applying the general principles; emphasis on life‑cycle thinking, performance management during operation, and responsible management.
• Continuous improvement: Using outcomes and experience to develop best practices and feedback loops for improving sustainability performance.

Practical applications and users

ISO/TS 12720:2024 is intended for a broad range of professionals who influence sustainability outcomes in the built environment:

• Clients and project owners - to set sustainability priorities in briefs and strategic planning.
• Designers and consultants (architects, engineers) - to apply life‑cycle thinking and reconcile competing objectives.
• Contractors and suppliers - to integrate responsible management, materials selection and construction-phase practices.
• Facility and asset managers - to manage in‑use performance, maintenance and refurbishment strategies.
• Policy makers and regulators - to align planning and building policies with sustainability principles.
• Community stakeholders and investors - to understand impacts, benefits and trade-offs over a project’s life cycle.

Practical uses include embedding sustainability criteria in procurement, defining performance targets, informing service‑life planning, and structuring stakeholder engagement processes.

Related standards

• ISO 15392:2019 - General principles for sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works
• ISO 6707-1 - Vocabulary for buildings and civil engineering works
• ISO 14050 - Environmental management vocabulary
• ISO/TR 15686-11 - Service life planning terminology
• ISO/TR 21932 - Review of sustainability terminology

Keywords: ISO/TS 12720:2024, sustainability in buildings, sustainable construction, life cycle thinking, ISO 15392, sustainable development, construction works, sustainability principles.