One can define the $G$-equivariant cohomology of a space $X$ as being the ordinary singular cohomology of $X \times_G EG$ --- I think this is due to Borel? (See e.g. section 2 of [these notes][1])

Alternatively if $X$ is a manifold, we also have $G$-equivariant de Rham cohomology, defined in terms of $G$-equivariant differential forms --- I think this is due to Cartan? (See e.g. section 3 of loc. cit.)

I suspect this is extremely standard or obvious, but if it is, I don't know where it's written down: Is it possible to define equivariant cohomology of a topological space in terms of some notion of "equivariant singular cochains", that is, *without* using the Borel construction?


  [1]: http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.3615
  [2]: http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.3615