The commercial real estate market is adopting smart building technologies and in many cases, wants third-party certifications to prove that they have done it well. Below are short summaries of seven smart building certification programs that are gaining traction.
Certification name: Living Building Challenge (LBC)
Run by: International Living Future Institute
Description: All Living Building Challenge projects must be holistic—addressing aspects of all seven Petals through the Core Imperatives: place, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity, and beauty. Living Building Challenge compliance is based on actual, rather than modeled or anticipated, performance. Therefore, projects must be operational for at least twelve consecutive months prior to audit to verify Imperative compliance. LBC requires energy metering, and controls and sensors are needed to achieve indoor air quality and lighting comfort.
Website: https://living-future.org/lbc
Certification name: Fitwel
Run by: The Center for Active Design
Description: Fitwel is the world’s leading certification system committed to building health for all®. Generated by expert analysis of 5,600+ academic research studies, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future where all buildings and communities are enhanced to strengthen health and well-being. Fitwel looks at seven health impacts: surrounding community health, reducing morbidity and absenteeism, supporting social equity for vulnerable populations, instilling a feeling of well-being, enhancing access to healthy foods, promoting occupant safety, and increasing physical activity.
Website: https://www.fitwel.org
Certification name: BEST Smart Buildings
Run by: BOMA Canada & BOMA International
Description: North America’s largest environmental assessment and certification program for existing buildings with over 5,000 buildings obtaining a certification or recertification. BEST considers six key indicators: analytics and artificial intelligence, cyber and physical security, data management, connectivity, health and well-being, and sustainability. It leads with a detailed questionnaire specific to the project type that might ask about security and safety, operations and management (O&M), network and integration, end-user experience, and reporting and analysis. Third-party verification follows.
Website: https://bomacanada.ca/bomabest/
Certification name: LEED v4.1
Run by: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
Description: LEED v4.1 awards points for metering building energy performance and indoor air quality, advanced lighting controls, and running 95% of the electrical load of at least one primary energy system with direct current power.
Website: https://www.usgbc.org/leed/v41
Certification name: WELL
Run by: International Well Building Institute
Description: WELL spans 108 features across 10 concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, community, and innovation. Projects can achieve WELL certification at different levels—Bronze (40 points), Silver (50 points), Gold (60 points), and Platinum (80 points)—but IWBI recently whittled down its full standard into smaller, more targeted work scopes to offer a WELL Health-Safety Rating, a WELL Performance Rating, and a WELL Equity Rating.
Website: https://www.wellcertified.com
Certification name: SmartScore
Run by: WiredScore Smart Council
Description: SmartScore consists of two sections: 1. User Functionality, assessing the breadth and depth of Smart User Stories implemented, and 2. Technological Foundation, assessing the in-building technology, processes, and procedures supporting the user stories. User functionality looks at the extent a building delivers outstanding outcomes for individual and collaborative productivity, health and well-being, communities and services, sustainability, O&M, and security. The technology foundations assess connectivity, building systems, integration, governance, cybersecurity, and data sharing; they also help buildings achieve functionality outcomes by introducing specific technologies via partnerships.
Website: https://wiredscore.com/certify-a-building/smartscore/
Certification name: SPIRE Smart Building Program
Run by: Telecommunications Industry Association & UL Solutions
Description: SPIRE looks at six criteria: connectivity, health and well-being, life and property safety, power and energy, cybersecurity, and sustainability.
Website: https://wiredscore.com/certify-a-building/smartscore/
Read more in Smart Buildings Technology magazine here.
Image: Pexels.com
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