Overview - ISO/TR 21932:2013 (Sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works - A review of terminology)
ISO/TR 21932:2013 is a Technical Report published by ISO/TC 59/SC 17 that compiles and clarifies terms and definitions used for sustainability in buildings and civil engineering works. Rather than prescribing performance limits or methods, this report standardizes vocabulary so that professionals across design, construction, assessment and policy share a consistent language when addressing sustainable development, lifecycle impacts and the contribution of construction works to sustainability.
Key topics and structure
- Vocabulary structure: presentation rules, cross-references, and how term entries are organized (alphabetically and by related concepts).
- Core term compilation (Clause 3): standardized definitions applied within ISO/TC 59/SC 17 documents (examples include accessibility, access to services, built environment, indicators, life cycle, impact category).
- Informative annexes:
- Annex A: methodology used in developing terminological data.
- Annex B: ongoing terminology development within SC 17.
- Annex C: terms from CEN/TC 350 (Sustainability of construction works).
- Annex D: terminology regarding building products.
- Annex E: alphabetical index and bibliography.
- Cross-references to related ISO work: links to ISO 15392, ISO 21929-1, ISO 21930, ISO 21931-1, ISO 6707-series, ISO 15686, ISO 14050 and others - ensuring harmonization with life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPDs), and sustainability indicators.
Note: ISO/TR 21932:2013 is a terminography resource - it provides definitions, not prescriptive technical requirements.
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO/TR 21932 supports clearer communication and consistency in:
- Standards development - harmonizing definitions across ISO and CEN technical committees.
- Design and construction teams - architects, civil engineers and contractors ensuring shared meaning in contracts and specifications.
- Sustainability assessors and LCA practitioners - aligning indicator names and impact-category terminology with assessment reports and EPDs.
- Procurement bodies and regulators - drafting policy, tender language and compliance criteria with unambiguous terms.
- Product manufacturers and EPD authors - consistent product and product-system terminology.
- Terminologists, translators and educators - creating glossaries, training materials and multilingual references.
Related standards
- ISO 15392 (general sustainability principles)
- ISO 21929-1 (sustainability indicators for buildings)
- ISO 21930 (EPDs for building products)
- ISO 21931-1 (environmental performance assessment of buildings)
- ISO 6707 (building and civil engineering vocabulary)
- ISO 15686 (service life planning)
- ISO 14050 (environmental management - vocabulary)
Using ISO/TR 21932:2013 helps reduce ambiguity, improve interoperability of sustainability tools, and streamline regulatory and procurement language across international construction and built‑environment projects.
