Updating the Pillar Social Sustainability Tool for Application to Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)

AHI has been mandated by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to adapt the Pillar Social Sustainability Assessment (PSSA) for application to Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) developments. While the PSSA is designed for broad use across residential housing, PBSA projects present distinct characteristics, operational models, and risk profiles that warrant a tailored approach. Compared to general housing, PBSA differs markedly in terms of resident turnover, service and amenity provision, lifecycle dynamics, safety considerations, affordability metrics, and community impacts. As a result, the PSSA requires targeted adaptations to ensure that its methodology, assessment questions, and evidence requirements adequately capture the social sustainability impacts specific to PBSA, while preserving the overall structure, outcome areas, and analytical rigor of the existing framework. The objective of this assignment is therefore to update and refine the Pillar Social Sustainability Tool so that it is fit for purpose for PBSA projects, without fundamentally altering its underlying structure, project stages, or methodological foundations.

‍

This assignment builds on AHI’s long-standing collaboration with IFC, following AHI’s role in the original development of the Pillar Social Sustainability Assessment in 2020 and its subsequent adaptation to incorporate green concepts aligned with the Paris Agreement in 2024.