Programmes
42The rating systems, standards, and frameworks that sustainability claims count toward — worldwide. Open one to see which claims contribute to it.
Building rating
24LEED
Global · U.S. Green Building Council
The most widely used green building rating system. Projects earn points across categories like materials, energy, and indoor air quality; product choices can contribute to those points.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
16
claims
BREEAM
Global (UK origin) · BRE (Building Research Establishment)
The world's longest-running building rating system, dominant in the UK and Europe. Like LEED, projects earn credits across categories; material credits reward EPDs, responsible sourcing, and low-emission products.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
10
claims
Green Star
Australia & NZ · Green Building Council of Australia
Australia's main green building rating system. Its Responsible Products framework scores product certifications and disclosures, so recognised labels carry defined credit value.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health · Circular economy
8
claims
DGNB
Germany & Europe · German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB)
Germany's leading certification, known for rigorous life-cycle assessment. Building-level LCA is central, which makes product EPDs especially valuable on DGNB projects.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health · Circular economy
4
claims
EDGE
Global (emerging markets focus) · IFC (World Bank Group)
A streamlined certification from the World Bank's IFC, focused on measurable reductions in energy, water, and embodied carbon in materials. Popular in emerging markets for its simplicity.
Climate health · Ecosystem health
1
claim
Estidama Pearl Rating System
Middle East (Abu Dhabi) · Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport
Abu Dhabi's mandatory sustainability rating system, with strong emphasis on water — a scarce resource in the Gulf — alongside energy and material credits.
Climate health · Ecosystem health · Human health
1
claim
GSAS
Middle East (Qatar origin) · GORD (Gulf Organisation for Research & Development)
The Gulf region's homegrown rating system, developed in Qatar and used across the MENA region, adapted to hot-climate priorities.
Climate health · Ecosystem health · Human health
1
claim
AQUA-HQE
Brazil · Fundação Vanzolini (Brazil), with Cerway
Brazil's adaptation of the French HQE system, the leading certification in the Brazilian market alongside LEED.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
BEAM Plus
Hong Kong · Hong Kong Green Building Council
Hong Kong's green building rating system, covering energy, materials, indoor environment, and waste across dense urban projects.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
BERDE
Philippines · Philippine Green Building Council
The Philippines' national voluntary green building rating system, recognised by government as the benchmark above the national Green Building Code.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
CASBEE
Japan · Institute for Built Environment and Carbon Neutral for SDGs (IBECs), Japan
Japan's national building assessment system, scoring environmental quality against environmental load. Used mainly in Japan; product-level evidence plays a supporting role.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
China Green Building Evaluation Label
China · MOHURD (China)
China's national green building standard, rating projects one to three stars. Government-driven and tied to national construction policy rather than voluntary market adoption.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
EEWH
Taiwan · Taiwan Architecture & Building Center
Taiwan's green building certification — one of the earliest national systems in Asia, organised around ecology, energy saving, waste reduction, and health.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
G-SEED
South Korea · Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (and partner bodies)
South Korea's national green building certification, mandatory for many public buildings, covering energy, materials, water, and indoor environment.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Green Building Index
Malaysia · GBI Sdn Bhd (PAM / ACEM, Malaysia)
Malaysia's industry-led green building rating tool, developed by the architecture and engineering professions for the Malaysian tropical climate.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Green Globes
North America · Green Building Initiative
A North American alternative to LEED with a questionnaire-driven, assessor-supported process — often chosen for its lower cost and faster pathway.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Green Mark
Singapore & Southeast Asia · Building and Construction Authority, Singapore
Singapore's green building scheme with strong government backing — widely required for new buildings there. Rewards certified green products through the Singapore Green Building Product scheme.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Green Star SA
South Africa · Green Building Council South Africa
South Africa's adaptation of Australia's Green Star, run by the GBCSA and the dominant certification across Sub-Saharan African commercial projects.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
GREENSHIP
Indonesia · Green Building Council Indonesia
Indonesia's green building rating system, run by the national green building council and applied across new buildings, interiors, and existing buildings.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
GRIHA
India · GRIHA Council (TERI / Government of India)
India's national green building rating system, developed with TERI and endorsed by the government, tuned to Indian climate and construction practice.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health · Social equity
HQE
France & international · Alliance HQE-GBC (certified by Certivéa / Cerway)
France's main environmental building certification, covering energy, health, and comfort. French projects also lean on FDES (French EPDs) for material data.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
IGBC Green Building Rating
India · Indian Green Building Council (CII)
The Indian Green Building Council's family of rating systems — the most widely used voluntary certification in the Indian market, historically aligned with LEED concepts.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
LOTUS
Vietnam · Vietnam Green Building Council
Vietnam's green building rating system, adapted to local construction practice and climate by the Vietnam Green Building Council.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Miljöbyggnad
Sweden · Sweden Green Building Council
Sweden's most used building certification, with a strong materials-logging culture — Swedish projects routinely demand full product content documentation via systems like Byggvarubedömningen.
Climate health · Human health · Ecosystem health
Energy & carbon
6Zero Carbon Certification
Global · International Living Future Institute
Certifies buildings that achieve verified zero operational and embodied carbon, including offsets for what can't be eliminated. Embodied-carbon data from products matters directly here.
Climate health
5
claims
Minergie
Switzerland · Minergie Association (Switzerland)
Switzerland's building energy standard with broad market recognition. The ECO variant adds health and ecology criteria, including low-emission materials.
Climate health · Human health
1
claim
BELS
Japan · Japan (MLIT-designated assessment bodies)
Japan's building energy-efficiency labelling system, rating buildings by calculated energy performance on a star scale.
Climate health
NABERS
Australia & NZ (expanding to UK) · NSW Government (Australia)
Rates the measured operational performance of existing buildings — energy, water, waste, indoor environment — rather than design intent. Star ratings are based on real utility data.
Climate health · Ecosystem health
Passive House
Global (German origin) · Passive House Institute (PHI)
A rigorous energy performance standard built on insulation, airtightness, and heat recovery. Unusually, PHI certifies building components — windows, doors, ventilation units — directly.
Climate health
PHIUS
North America · PHIUS (Passive House Institute US)
The North American passive building standard, with climate-zone-specific targets. Separate from the German PHI programme; the two certify against different criteria.
Climate health
Health & wellbeing
4WELL Building Standard
Global · International WELL Building Institute
A rating system focused entirely on human health in buildings — air, water, light, materials, and mind. Material restrictions and low-emission products help projects meet WELL features.
Human health · Social equity
11
claims
RESET
Global (China origin) · GIGA
A data-driven standard built on continuous monitoring rather than design review — RESET Air certifies real measured indoor air quality, and RESET Materials tracks product health data.
Human health
1
claim
Fitwel
Global (US origin) · Center for Active Design
A health-focused certification born at the US CDC, using points-based scorecards grounded in public health research. Lighter-touch than WELL; product choices play a smaller, indirect role.
Human health · Social equity
WELL Health-Safety Rating
Global · International WELL Building Institute
A lighter, operations-focused rating from the WELL family covering cleaning policies, emergency preparedness, and air and water management — popular post-pandemic.
Human health
Commitment
4AIA 2030 Commitment
North America · American Institute of Architects / Architecture 2030
A firm-level commitment to reach carbon-neutral design portfolios, reported annually through the AIA's DDx platform. Increasingly extended to embodied carbon.
Climate health
2
claims
AIA Materials Pledge
North America · American Institute of Architects
A commitment framework for architecture firms to prioritise human health, social equity, ecosystem health, climate health, and circularity in material selection — the same five lenses as the CMF.
Human health · Social equity · Ecosystem health · Climate health · Circular economy
2
claims
SE 2050
North America · Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE)
The structural engineering profession's commitment to net-zero embodied carbon structures by 2050 — the reason structural product EPDs are increasingly requested.
Climate health
2
claims
LETI
UK · LETI (UK voluntary network)
A UK industry network whose embodied-carbon and operational-energy targets have become de facto benchmarks in British practice, widely cited in briefs and planning submissions.
Climate health
1
claim