CEN/TC 350/WG 5 - Social performance assessment of building

This European Standard is one part of a suite of European Standards. The standard provides the specific methods and requirements for the assessment of social performance of a building while taking into account the building’s functionality and technical characteristics.
This European Standard applies to all types of buildings, both new and existing. In this first version of the standard, the social dimension of sustainability concentrates on the assessment of aspects and impacts for the use stage of a building expressed using the following social performance categories (from EN 15643 3):
-   accessibility;
-   adaptability;
-   health and comfort;
-   impacts on the neighbourhood;
-   maintenance;
-   safety and security.
NOTE 1   Only impacts and aspects of the above social performance categories are deemed to have an agreed basis for European standardization at this time. Two of the social performance categories included in EN 15643–3 (sourcing of materials and services and stakeholder involvement) are not deemed to be ready for standardization at this time and will be considered for inclusion in future versions of this standard (see informative Annex C).
This standard does not set the rules for how building assessment schemes may provide valuation methods. Nor does it prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks of performance.
Valuation methods, levels, classes or benchmarks may be prescribed in the requirements for environmental, social and economic performance in the client’s brief, building regulations, national standards, national codes of practice, building assessment and certification schemes, etc.
NOTE 2   Where National building regulations give minimum requirements and reference to assessment methods on these aspects, the social performance determined by assessment according to this standard can be used to determine the degree to which the building goes beyond the regulatory/legal requirements.
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) of organizations is not covered by this standard.
The standard gives requirements for:
-   the description of the object of assessment;
-   the system boundary that applies at the building level;
-   the list of indicators and procedures for the application of these indicators;
-   the presentation of the results in reporting and communication;
-   the data necessary for the application of the standard, and
-   verification.

This European Standard forms one part of a suite of European Standards and provides the specific principles and requirements for the assessment of social performance of buildings taking into account technical characteristics and functionality of a building. Assessment of social performance is one aspect of sustainability assessment of buildings under the general framework of EN 15643-1.
The framework applies to all types of buildings, both new and existing, and it is relevant for the assessment of the social performance of new buildings over all stages of their life cycle, and of existing buildings to their end of life.
NOTE 1   Although all stages of the life cycle are considered in this European Standard, the choice of what is practical to cover in the implementation of this framework is the subject of prEN 16309, which is under development. The first version of prEN 16309 may limit the application of the framework to fewer than all life-cycle stages, depending on what methods are appropriate for European standardisation at this time. Future revisions of prEN 16309 will include the assessment of social performance for other stages of the building life cycle as appropriate methods for measurement are developed and become suitable for European standardisation.
The social dimension of sustainability concentrates on the assessment of aspects and impacts of a building expressed with quantifiable indicators. The social performance measures will be represented through indicators for the following social performance categories:
   accessibility;
   adaptability;
   health and comfort;
   loadings on the neighbourhood;
   maintenance;
   safety / security;
   sourcing of materials and services;
   stakeholder involvement.
The European Standards developed under this framework do not set the rules for how building assessment schemes may provide valuation methods. Nor do they prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks for measuring performance.
NOTE 2   Valuation methods, levels, classes or benchmarks may be prescribed in the requirements for environmental, social and economic performance in the client’s brief, building regulations, national standards, national codes of practice, building assessment and certification schemes, etc.
The rules for assessment of social aspects of organisations are not included within this framework. However, the consequences of decisions or actions that influence the social performance of the object of assessment are taken into account.

This European Standard is one part of a suite of European Standards. The standard provides the specific methods and requirements for the assessment of social performance of a building while taking into account the building’s functionality and technical characteristics.
This European Standard applies to all types of buildings, both new and existing. In this first version of the standard, the social dimension of sustainability concentrates on the assessment of aspects and impacts for the use stage of a building expressed using the following social performance categories (from EN 15643 3):
-   accessibility;
-   adaptability;
-   health and comfort;
-   impacts on the neighbourhood;
-   maintenance;
-   safety and security.
NOTE 1   Only impacts and aspects of the above social performance categories are deemed to have an agreed basis for European standardization at this time. Two of the social performance categories included in EN 15643–3 (sourcing of materials and services and stakeholder involvement) are not deemed to be ready for standardization at this time and will be considered for inclusion in future versions of this standard (see informative Annex C).
This standard does not set the rules for how building assessment schemes may provide valuation methods. Nor does it prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks of performance.
Valuation methods, levels, classes or benchmarks may be prescribed in the requirements for environmental, social and economic performance in the client’s brief, building regulations, national standards, national codes of practice, building assessment and certification schemes, etc.
NOTE 2   Where National building regulations give minimum requirements and reference to assessment methods on these aspects, the social performance determined by assessment according to this standard can be used to determine the degree to which the building goes beyond the regulatory/legal requirements.
The corporate social responsibility (CSR) of organizations is not covered by this standard.
The standard gives requirements for:
-   the description of the object of assessment;
-   the system boundary that applies at the building level;
-   the list of indicators and procedures for the application of these indicators;
-   the presentation of the results in reporting and communication;
-   the data necessary for the application of the standard, and
-   verification.