Purpose of this article
This article explains how risk assessments and technical building assessments are captured in Scaler, how they map to GRESB Real Estate Assessment indicators RA1 and RA2, and how to review and use this data through the Scores dashboard.
These assessments support ESG risk management, audit readiness, and GRESB reporting, and are typically conducted periodically rather than annually.
What these assessments represent in Scaler
Risk and technical building assessments record whether formal evaluations of ESG-related risks and building performance have been conducted for each asset.
They are used to demonstrate that:
- ESG risks are systematically identified and reviewed
- Technical performance of assets is assessed by qualified parties
- Findings are documented and supported with evidence
- Coverage across the portfolio can be measured and scored
In Scaler, these inputs are designed to align one-to-one with GRESB indicators, while still allowing flexibility in how organisations conduct and document assessments.
Where to enter risk & technical building assessments
All risk and technical building assessments are entered at the asset level.
Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Asset List → edit asset → Assessments & Measures → Risk Assessments
Within this section, you will see two distinct tables:
- Risk assessments
- Technical building assessments
Each table shows, at a glance:
- The
Reporting year conducted
- The
Updated attimestamp
Comment
- If evidence has been attached
Each assessment type supports multiple entries over time. When you open an assessment to edit it, you can:
- Add a new entry for a different reporting year using Add new
- View the full history of entries logged for that assessment type
- Edit or delete individual historical entries, including the
Reporting year conducted
- Add a
Description of measureandCommentto each entry
Entries are not overwritten year-to-year — each year's data is preserved as a separate record in the history.
Note The GRESB Asset Spreadsheet uses a column-per-type format, where each asset occupies a single row. As a result, the spreadsheet reflects only the most recent entry for each assessment or measure type. To view the full history of recorded years, or to edit or delete individual entries, use the platform directly.
Risk assessments in GRESB (RA1)
What counts as a risk assessment
Risk assessments capture whether assets have undergone a structured evaluation of ESG-related risks to identify physical and transition risks that could adversely impact their value or longevity. These typically include assessments aligned with recognised frameworks such as ISO 31000 or third-party risk audits.
Risk assessments can be performed on assets with a Status of Standing investment. A good rule of thumb is to perform risk assessments every three years, which is the cycle credited in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment.
Reporting year guidance
The Reporting year conducted field captures the reporting year in which the assessment was performed. Fiscal year reporters: enter the year in which the majority of your FY period falls. If your FY starts in July or later, the period belongs to the following reporting year.
Example 1: FY Jun 2025–May 2026 → reporting year 2025. Example 2: FY Jul 2025–Jun 2026 → reporting year 2026.
GRESB definitions for risk assessment types
Definitions are drawn from the GRESB Real Estate Reference Guide. Always verify against the current year's official documentation.
Risk assessment | Definition |
Biodiversity and habitat | Issues related to wildlife, endangered species, ecosystem services, habitat management, and relevant topics. |
Building safety and materials | Environmental issues with the potential to create or exacerbate risks to human safety, including fire safety, structural safety, and electrical and gas safety. |
Climate change adaptation | Preparation for long-term change in climatic conditions or climate-related events (e.g. flood defences, adapting building codes to extreme weather). |
Contaminated land | Land pollution which may require action to reduce risk to people or the environment (e.g. assessed through a Phase I or II Environmental Site Assessment). |
Energy efficiency | Products or systems using less energy to provide the same consumer benefit. |
Energy supply | Availability of conventional or renewable power sources. |
Flooding | Rising and overflowing of a body of water onto normally dry land, often caused by heavy rain, flash flooding, or sea level rise. |
GHG emissions | The seven gases listed in the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, expressed in CO2 equivalents (CO2e). |
Health & wellbeing | Conditions that enable or discourage healthy living, including physical activity, equitable workplaces, access to healthcare, and reduction in toxic exposures. |
Indoor environmental quality | Conditions inside the asset, including air quality, daylight access, acoustic conditions, and occupant control over thermal comfort. |
Natural hazards | Naturally occurring physical phenomena that can cause serious disruptions to a community (e.g. earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts). |
Regulatory risks | Mandatory disclosure schemes, carbon taxes, energy price volatility, zoning changes. |
Resilience to catastrophe/disaster | Preparedness of the built environment towards existing and future threats of natural disaster. |
Socioeconomic risks | Impact on social well-being and prosperity of local communities (e.g. economic/political instability, crime, displacement of people). |
Transportation risks | Risks associated with transportation around the asset location, in relation to pedestrian, bicycle and mass-transit networks. |
Waste management | Issues associated with hazardous and non-hazardous waste generation, reuse, recycling, composting, recovery, incineration, landfill, and on-site storage. |
Water efficiency | Conservative use of water resources through water-saving technologies. |
Water supply | Provision of surface water, groundwater, rainwater, municipal water supplies, or other water utilities. |
RA1 scoring in GRESB
GRESB awards up to 3 points for RA1 based on cumulative portfolio coverage of risk assessments conducted in the last three years.
Each eligible risk assessment contributes coverage equal to the percentage of portfolio gross floor area (GFA) it covers. These percentages are summed across all assessments.
- Full points (3.0) are awarded once cumulative coverage reaches 600% of GFA
- Partial coverage scales toward the maximum score
Examples:
- 6 assessments covering 100% of GFA each → 600% → 3 points
- 12 assessments covering 50% of GFA each → 600% → 3 points
- 6 assessments covering 50% of GFA each → 300% → 1.5 points
Additional assessments beyond 600% do not increase the score.
How Scaler supports RA1
Scaler captures risk assessment data at the asset level and aggregates coverage using GFA weighting. This allows users to:
- See which assets are covered by each assessment type
- Calculate cumulative RA1 coverage across the portfolio
- Prepare accurate inputs for manual entry into the GRESB Portal
Note: Risk assessment data (RA1) is not exported via the GRESB Asset Spreadsheet. The Scores dashboard table in Scaler is designed to support manual RA1 submission.
Technical building assessments in GRESB (RA2)
What counts as a technical building assessment
A technical building assessment is a formal, documented assessment carried out by a person with relevant technical expertise to identify energy, water, and waste improvement opportunities at an asset.
Individuals with technical expertise may include, for example, building engineers, building surveyors, or qualified sustainability or building performance professionals.
These assessments typically evaluate:
- The physical structure and materials of the asset
- How building systems are designed and operated
- How the asset is used by its occupants
- Opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact
Reporting year guidance
The Reporting year conducted field captures the reporting year in which the assessment was performed. Fiscal year reporters: enter the year in which the majority of your FY period falls. If your FY starts in July or later, the period belongs to the following reporting year.
Example 1: FY Jun 2025–May 2026 → reporting year 2025. Example 2: FY Jul 2025–Jun 2026 → reporting year 2026.
RA2 scoring in GRESB
GRESB awards a maximum of 3 points to RA2 for technical building assessments conducted within the last three years.
Unlike RA1, RA2 is not cumulative across years. Scoring is based on:
- The type of assessment performed
- The percentage of portfolio GFA covered by each assessment type
Each assessment type has its own maximum point allocation, multiplied by GFA coverage:
Assessment type | Maximum points |
Energy | 1.5 |
Water | 1.0 |
Waste | 0.5 |
Total | 3.0 |
How Scaler supports RA2
RA2 data is automatically exported to the GRESB Asset Spreadsheet based on the asset-level data entered in Scaler.
Reviewing assessments in the Scores dashboard
Once data is entered, assessments can be reviewed from the Analytics Portal.
Analytics Portal → Portfolio → Scores
Key points to understand:
- GRESB scores are calculated and displayed at the portfolio level — assets are not individually scored
- Bar charts at the top of the dashboard help identify assets with no valid assessments for GRESB scoring
- Blue banners within each table explain how the table maps to the relevant GRESB indicator
- RA1 tables can be used to support manual population in the GRESB Portal
- RA2 tables are automatically exported to the GRESB Asset Spreadsheet
Important note on GRESB guidance
It is always the user's responsibility to verify requirements, scoring rules, and interpretations directly against official GRESB documentation.
GRESB methodologies, indicator definitions, and scoring approaches may change between reporting cycles. Scaler does not guarantee that Knowledge Base articles reflect the most recent GRESB guidance at all times.
For authoritative and up-to-date information, always refer to the official GRESB documentation:
- GRESB Real Estate Standard and Reference Guide
- GRESB Real Estate Scoring Document