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GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool for Infrastructure

Developed with IIGCC, the GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool for infrastructure is a voluntary module within the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment that provides a standardized approach to understanding how infrastructure assets align with the Net Zero Investment Framework (NZIF)

Read the GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool guidance Contact us

Following a successful pilot in 2025, the GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool for infrastructure will launch as part of the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment on April 1, 2026. Integrated through a short, voluntary GRESB NZIF Module, the tool builds on existing GRESB-reported data to provide a standardized approach to understanding alignment with NZIF 2.0.

Read pilot findings
Learn more about the GRESB-IIGCC collaboration

The GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool is designed to:

  • Provide a consistent and comparable view of NZIF alignment across participating assets and portfolios
  • Reduce duplication and reporting burden by aligning the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment with NZIF asset-level criteria
  • Support clearer and more focused engagement on net-zero progress
  • Deliver a dedicated NZIF Alignment Report for participating assets and their managers and investors

Participation in the GRESB NZIF Module is optional and free for assets completing the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment.

How it works

The GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool is enabled by a short, voluntary Module completed alongside the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment.

1. Complete the Infrastructure Asset Assessment

Asset Participants report through the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment as in previous years.

2. Answer the GRESB NZIF Module questions

The Module consists of a small set of five additional questions that bring together information already reported through GRESB with targeted inputs related to net-zero targets, governance, planning, and performance.

3. Submit as part of your GRESB reporting

The GRESB NZIF Module is integrated into the Infrastructure Asset Assessment process.

4. Receive the GRESB NZIF Alignment Report

Assets that complete the GRESB NZIF Module receive a dedicated GRESB NZIF Alignment Report alongside their Benchmark Report. Investors and managers who already have access to the asset’s Benchmark Report can also receive access to the GRESB NZIF Alignment Report for the portfolio or fund.

Completing the GRESB NZIF Module does not impact GRESB Scores or benchmark positioning.

Net-Zero Infrastructure—Advancing Alignment for Assets

In this video, Joss Blamire, Director of Infrastructure Standards at GRESB, outlines how the GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool was developed with IIGCC and how it supports consistent, asset-level monitoring of net-zero alignment across portfolios.

The GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool was developed through close collaboration with leading investors and managers. The following reflections highlight the value of a consistent, industry-endorsed approach to NZIF alignment.

“DWS is pleased to have contributed to the development of GRESB’s new Net Zero Investment Framework alignment module. We believe it provides a robust and practical foundation for bringing greater consistency to how our industry assesses NZIF alignment across portfolio companies. The introduction of an independent, standardised mechanism also strengthens transparency and comparability, supporting our ongoing work with portfolio companies on their net‑zero pathways.”

Lucinda Callow
Head of Sustainability, Infrastructure Investments, DWS

“Over the last year and a half GRESB, the IIGCC, APG, and 11 other major investors have worked to develop a toolkit for operationalizing the Net Zero Investment Framework for infrastructure assets. This included a pilot launch in May 2025 and subsequent feedback sessions to fine-tune the toolkit’s accuracy, usability, and insights. This project has been a testament to industry working together to ensure a consistent approach to net zero that is endorsed by the IIGCC themselves.”


Cameron Talbot-Stern
Director – Responsible Investing, Infrastructure at APG Asset Management

“We were highly motivated to contribute to GRESB’s work in shaping this module. After taking our NZIF reporting through limited assurance, we saw first-hand how valuable greater convergence on the framework’s grey areas would be—both to improve comparability across the industry and to make assurance processes more straightforward. We believe the GRESB module translates NZIF 2.0 into a clear, practical questionnaire that will support consistent implementation and encourage broader investor adoption.”

Working Group Member

“The NZIF Alignment Tool provides asset managers and owners with a practical, industry-developed tool to assess their individual infrastructure assets against net-zero goals, supporting investor decision-making.”

Hugh Garnett
Investor Strategies Senior Specialist – Real Assets, IIGCC

Learn more about the GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool

Contact us Read GRESB NZIF Alignment Tool guidance

FAQ

  • Initially developed by IIGCC and launched in 2021, the Net Zero Investment Framework (NZIF) was a key output of the Paris Aligned Investment Initiative, to support investors to align their individual portfolios and investment activities to the goals of the Paris Agreement.

    NZIF 2.0 is the latest iteration of the framework. Based on three years of implementation experience, NZIF 2.0 incorporates the latest guidance on net zero target setting and the latest thinking on the levers available to investors to meet their individual net-zero goals.

    Today, the NZIF is the most widely used resource by investors to develop their individual net–zero strategies and transition plans and has become a global reference framework for investors in all regions.

  • The NZIF Infrastructure Alignment pilot ran from May to September 2025 with selected participants. Full integration into the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment will take place starting April 1, 2026, as part of the Infrastructure Asset Assessment cycle.

  • Any infrastructure asset taking part in the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment can participate. Similarly, any fund manager can work with their portfolio of assets to undertake the assessment and receive the relevant insights.

  • There is no additional cost to participate. The new approach will be part of the GRESB Infrastructure Asset Assessment starting in 2026 and all Infrastructure Asset Participants will have access, while all funds and investors will be able to understand their portfolio alignment.

  • Assets that complete the NZIF Module will receive a dedicated GRESB NZIF Alignment Report. Completing the NZIF Module does not affect GRESB Scores or benchmarks.

  • The NZIF Alignment Report is accessible to investors and managers who already have access to the asset’s Benchmark Report. To receive NZIF outputs, assets must opt in to complete the NZIF Module as part of their GRESB submission.

  • When assets within a portfolio complete the NZIF Module, investors and fund managers connected to those assets through GRESB will be able to receive an output report showing a standardized view of NZIF alignment across participating assets. This supports consistent monitoring and engagement at both the asset and portfolio level.