Purpose
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 buildings 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. Assessments
Where to enter risk & technical building assessments
All risk and technical building assessments are entered at the asset level.
Navigation path:
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
Latest year conducted
- The
Updated ontimestamp
Comment
- If evidence has been attached
When you open an assessment to edit it, you can also view its history, allowing you to track assessments conducted across multiple years, and add a more detailed Description of the measure.
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.
They can be performed on assets with the Status of Standing investment . A good rule of thumb is to perform risk assessments every three years (which is the cycle credited in the global real estate benchmark GRESB).
GRESB definitions
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Risk Assessment | Definitions from the 2023 GRESB Real Estate Reference Guide |
Biodiversity and habitat | Issues related to wildlife, endangered species, ecosystem services, habitat management, and relevant topics. Biodiversity refers to the variety of all plant and animal species. Habitat refers to the natural environment in which these plant and animal species live and function. |
Building safety and materials | Environmental issues with the potential to create or exacerbate risks to human safety. Examples of building safety topics include fire safety, structural safety, and electrical and gas safety during development. Building safety strategies can include, but are not limited to, having site inspections at key construction milestones, having a reporting system in place for recording building safety observations, and having designated personnel to oversee building safety compliance during development. |
Climate change adaptation | Preparation for long-term change in climatic conditions or climate related events. Examples of climate change adaptation measures can include, but are not limited to: building flood defenses, xeriscaping and using tree species resistant to storms and fires, adapting building codes to extreme weather events. |
Contaminated land | Land pollution which may require action to reduce risk to people or the environment. As an example, contamination can be assessed through a Phase I or II Environmental Site Assessment. |
Energy efficiency | Refers to products or systems using less energy to provide the same consumer benefit. |
Energy supply | Availability of conventional power (generated by the combustion of fuels: coal, natural gas, oil) or renewable energy (e.g. sun, wind, water, organic plant and waste material). |
Flooding | Refers to a rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto normally dry land often caused by heavy rain, flash flooding, or sea level rise. |
GHG emissions | GHGs refers to the seven gases listed in the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard: carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); perfluorocarbons (PFCs); nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). They are expressed in CO2 equivalents (CO2e). |
Health & well-being | “Health is a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO). Health & well-being is impacted by genetics and individual behavior as well as environmental conditions. Particularly relevant to GRESB stakeholders are the social determinants of health, which are the “conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.” These are the conditions that enable or discourage healthy living. This could include issues such as physical activity, healthy eating, equitable workplaces, maternity and paternity leave, access to healthcare, reduction in toxic exposures, etc. |
Indoor environmental quality | Refers to the conditions inside the building. It includes air quality, access to daylight and views, pleasant acoustic conditions and occupant control over lighting and thermal comfort. |
Natural hazards | Naturally occuring physical phenomena that have the potential to cause serious disruptions to the functioning of a community. Natural hazards can be geophysical, hydrological, climatological, meteorological, or biological. Examples include but are not limited to earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts. |
Regulatory risks | Examples include, but are not limited to: mandatory energy/carbon disclosure schemes, changes in taxes e.g. carbon tax, extreme volatility in energy prices due to regulation, zoning. |
Resilience to catastrophe/ disaster | Preparedness of the built environment towards existing and future threats of natural disaster (e.g., the ability to absorb disturbances such as increased precipitation or flooding while maintaining its structure). This can be achieved by management policies, informational technologies, educating tenants, communities, suppliers and physical measures at the asset level. |
Socio-economic risks | Impact on social well-being, livelihoods and prosperity of local communities and individuals. Examples include: economic/political instability, social housing, vulnerability to pandemics and epidemics, crime and vandalism, and the displacement of people. |
Transportation risks | Risks associated with transportation around the location of a building in relation to pedestrian, bicycle and mass-transit networks, in context of the existing infrastructure and amenities in the surrounding area. |
Waste management | Issues associated with hazardous and non-hazardous waste generation, reuse, recycling, composting, recovery, incineration, landfill and on-site storage. |
Water efficiency | Refers to the conservative use of water resources through water-saving technologies to reduce consumption. |
Water supply | Provision of surface water, groundwater, rainwater collected directly or stored by the entity, waste water from another organization, municipal water supplies or other water utilities, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. |
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
- Calculate cumulative RA1 coverage across the portfolio
- Prepare accurate inputs for manual entry into the GRESB Portal
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
- Qualified sustainability or building performance professionals
These assessments typically evaluate:
- The physical structure and materials of the building
- How building systems are designed and operated
- How the building is used by its occupants
- Opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact
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. Instead, scoring is based on:
- The type of assessment performed
- The percentage of portfolio gross floor area (GFA) covered by each assessment type
Each assessment type has its own maximum point allocation, which is then multiplied by the GFA coverage.
Point allocation by assessment type
Assessment type | Maximum points |
Energy | 1.5 |
Water | 1.0 |
Waste | 0.5 |
Total | 3.0 |
Reviewing assessments in the Scores dashboard
Once data is entered, assessments can be reviewed from the Analytics Portal.
Navigation path:
Analytics Portal → Portfolio → Scores
GRESB scoring
Key points to understand:
- Scores for these indicators in GRESB are calculated and displayed at the portfolio level, not per asset
- Assets are not individually scored, but the dashboard helps identify gaps
- Bar charts at the top of the dashboard can be used to pinpoint assets with no valid assessments for GRESB scoring
Within the tables:
- Blue banners explain how each table maps to the GRESB indicator
- RA1 tables can be used for 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 interpretation 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 2025 Real Estate Standard and Reference Guide
- GRESB 2025 Real Estate Scoring Document