This European Standard provides the general principles and requirements, expressed through a series of standards, for the assessment of buildings in terms of environmental, social and economic performance taking into account technical characteristics and functionality of a building. The assessment will quantify the contribution of the assessed construction works to sustainable construction and sustainable development. The framework applies to all types of buildings and it is relevant for the assessment of the environmental, social and economic performance of new buildings over their entire life cycle, and of existing buildings over their remaining service life and end of life stage. The standards developed under this framework do not set the rules for how the different building assessment schemes may provide valuation methods. Nor do they prescribe levels, classes or benchmarks for measuring performance. NOTE 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, certification schemes, etc. The rules for assessment of environmental, social or economic aspects of organizations are not included within this framework. However, the consequences of decisions or actions that influence the environmental, social and economic performance of the object of assessment are taken into account.