# Scoring Basics
The GRESB Data Center Assessment contains three primary concepts within its scoring methodology. Together, these explain how responses are translated into points, how points are allocated across the assessment, and how results can be viewed through a control-adjusted lens.
**Scoring Fundamentals** describes how selections, data inputs, and/or evidence are converted into scores within each indicator, for example, how individual selections contribute to an indicator’s points, and how multipliers (such as validation) can increase or decrease this score.
The **GRESB Base Score** and the **Control-Weighted Score** operate at the next level, determining how points are allocated across indicators.
* The GRESB Base Score adjusts to reflect the entity’s reporting portfolio (Development and/or Operational).
* The Control-Weighted Score incorporates participants’ reported level of control over applicable indicators to calculate a second final score, adjusting the maximum points of control-dependent indicators to reflect the degree of influence the participant has over those topics.
Read more below:
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## Scoring Fundamentals
### Scoring Weights
For some indicators, scoring is based solely on the cumulative sum of the scoring weights assigned to the indicator's elements. These weights, displayed on the side of each indicator elements, represent the allocation of total available points per indicator according to the priorities established by the Data Center Working Group, aligning with market trends and sustainability best practices.
Oftentimes, not all elements within an indicator need to be selected to achieve full points. If the sum of weights exceeds the indicator's maximum score, the score will be capped at that maximum.
Formulas and Examples
#### ***Example without sub-options:***
\text{Indicator score} = \left( \text{Sum of Selected Fractions} \right) \times \left( \text{Maximum score for the indicator} \right)
**Indicator SD2: Responsible Siting**
Each practice to manage Health and Safety strategies is worth a fraction of the final score (1/6).
If an entity chooses four practices, the calculation will read as follows:
\text{Indicator score} = \left[ \left( \sum \text{sub-option weights} \right) \times \text{Main option weight} \right] \times \text{Max score for the indicator}
When indicators have options and sub-options, the scoring weight for each sub-option is first summed, and the resulting value is multiplied by the main fraction assigned to the main option. The final score is the cumulative sum of these weighted sub-options across all main options within the indicator, multiplied by the indicator's maximum points.
**Indicator VC2: Supplier Engagement**
The indicator consists of two sections:
1. The first section, worth ½ of the total points, assesses the frequency of engagement with suppliers.
2. The second section, worth the remaining ½ of the points, assesses the type of collaboration with suppliers.
If a participant selects “Rarely” in the first section (worth ¼) and three collaboration types in the second section (each worth ⅙), the score is calculated as follows:
### Multipliers
**Validation Status Multipliers**
For selections subject to manual validation, the validation status acts as a multiplier to determine that selection's final score.
* If the supporting evidence is **Accepted**, the selection multiplier is set to 1, and its pre-defined weight does not change.
* If the supporting evidence is **Not Accepted**, the selection multiplier is set to 0, and the selection contributes zero points, regardless of its predefined scoring weight.
Formulas and Examples
For indicators with a validation multiplier, GRESB calculates the final score using the following formula:
***
#### **Example:** *Indicator VC2: Supplier Engagement (2 points)*
This indicator has two parts:
* Frequency of engagement (not subject to validation)
* Supplier engagement actions (\* selections subject to validation)
Each selection contributes a **predefined** scoring weight (e.g., *Conducting sustainability due diligence* is worth 1/6).
For the supplier engagement actions, it is mandatory to upload evidence. The evidence validation status (Accepted = 1, Not Accepted = 0) is applied as a multiplier to each selection.
***Scenario:***
If an entity selects “*Frequently, with most suppliers*” for frequency, and selects “*Conducting sustainability due diligence*,” “*Supplier code of conduct*,” and “*Sustainability training and education*” as engagement actions, **but one of the selections is not found in the uploaded evidence**, the calculation would be as follows:
***
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## GRESB Score
GRESB Data Center Assessment indicator scores are weighted based on the Components a participant selects to report on.
* **Fixed:** The Management and Operations & New Build components are always included and do not change based on participant selections. Both contribute a fixed 60 points to the total score.
* **Variable:** The Operations **and** New Development components are weighted dynamically based on the reporting scope selected by the participant. Together, they contribute 40 points in total, which is allocated depending on whether the participant reports on development (New Development) and/or operational sites (Operations).
### Fixed Score
What is fixed scoring?
Some indicators are scored using fixed weights, meaning their point values do not vary based on selection choices in the assessment by the participant.
In these cases, the points assigned to an indicator are determined by the assessment structure (e.g., the fixed section weights and any applicable multipliers) and do not change based on what Components participants report on.
As a result, all participants have the same maximum score on these indicators.
Which indicators have a fixed score?
Fixed scoring applies to indicators that assess entity and/or group-level management strategies and processes, as well as material issues that are relevant for both operational and development portfolios:
* **Management Component:** all indicators
* **Operations & New Development Component:** all indicators
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For indicator-specific scoring guidance, please refer to each individual indicator description.
Indicator Summary
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### Variable Score
What is variable scoring?
Some indicators use variable scoring weights, meaning their point values adjust based on the Components selected by the participant.
In these cases, the points assigned to an indicator depend on the participant’s reporting scope. For the Data Center Assessment, this applies to the New Development and Operational components, which together contribute 40 points. These points are reallocated based on the selected Components and the lifecycle breakdown reported in indicator RC4.
### Process
The variable score allocation to each component is the following, depending on the portfolio characteristics of the reporting entity:
| Reporting Components | Management | New Development | Operations & New Build | Operations |
| ----------------------- | ---------- | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **New** **Development** | 20 Points | 40 Points | 40 Points | - |
| **Operational** | 20 Points | - | 40 Points | 40 Points |
| **Both** | 20 Points |
40 Points ×
%New Development\*
| 40 Points |
40 Points ×
%Operational\*
|
*\*RC4: % New Development + % Operational = 100%*
Which indicators have a variable score?
Relative scoring applies to indicators in the Material Issues sections of the assessment:
* **New Development Component:** all indicators
* **Operational Component:** all indicators
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For indicator-specific scoring guidance, please refer to each individual indicator description.
Indicator Summary
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## Control-Weighted Score
The GRESB Data Center Assessment provides participants with two final scores:
1. **GRESB Base Score:** This score is calculated solely from the indicators’ base score weighting structure (fixed and variable weighting), independent of control considerations.
2. **Control-Weighted Score:** This score adjusts results based on the type of control a participant has over specific indicators. It is provided as a shadow score alongside the Insights Report, allowing participants to understand how their score changes when accounting for varying levels of control across indicators.
How does control impact score?
Control affects the Control-Weighted Score by adjusting the maximum points available for control-dependent indicators. Control is applied at the indicator level and collected within the applicable indicators:
* In each applicable aspect (e.g., Health & Safety), participants report two control percentages: one for the Implementation indicator (e.g., HS3) and one for the Measurement indicator (e.g., HS4). GRESB applies these percentages to determine the maximum points available for each of these indicators' Shadow Score.
* **Module weights remain fixed in the overall score**. When reported control is below 100%, the unallocated points from control-dependent indicators are redistributed within the same aspect to the non-control-dependent indicators (e.g., HS1 and HS2) so that the aspect's total score weight is preserved.
This approach ensures that an aspect can never be worth zero points. Where aspect-level control is reported as 0%, the non-control-dependent indicators account for 100% of the module's shadow score.
> **Example**:
HS1
HS2
HS3
HS4
Total
Control
-
-
100%
0%
-
GRESB Score
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
10
Control-weighted Score
3.75*
3.75*
2.5
0
10
$$\text{\* } 2.5 + \left\[ \frac{2.5\ \text{(HS4)} - (2.5 \times 0%)}{2} \right]$$
Which indicators have a control-weighted score?
The control-weighted score is applied to indicators in the Material Issues sections of the assessment:
* **Operations & New Development Component:** HS3, HS4, GH3, GH4, ES3, ES4, CO3, CO4
* **Operations Component**: EN3, EN4, WT3, WT4
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For indicator-specific scoring guidance, please refer to each individual indicator description.
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