Reporting Guide
The future of Real Estate is technology and ESG+R
The WiredScore and SmartScore certification enables you to measure, improve, benchmark, and report on technology across your portfolio. This short guide helps you leverage your achievements to enhance stakeholder reporting and storytelling.
1. Show how technology supports higher investment returns
Demonstrating through published studies how strategic investments in digital connectivity and smart technology impact your financial performance:
Faster Leasing: Tech-enabled buildings rent faster
3.8% lower vacancy in North American office buildings that are WiredScore certified than similar profile non-certified buildings.
92% of residential renters state that digital connectivity is a key aspect of their location decisions.
Rental Premium: Receive higher rental premiums
2.2% greater rental growth in Class A WiredScore certified office properties than similar profile non-certified buildings over the past two years.
66% of residential developers say that better connectivity leads to higher rent premiums.
Better leases: Attract high-quality occupiers/residents
9 months longer leases on average for tenants in WiredScore certified office buildings compared to similar profile non-certified buildings.
56% of residential developers see longer tenancies with better digital connectivity.
2. Include WiredScore and SmartScore in your reporting
By setting clear targets:
Sample narrative
- “Over the last X years, we have made WiredScore/SmartScore a vital part of our innovation strategy by certifying X sq ft of our [buildings, portfolio, etc.].”
- “Our achievement of X sq ft of buildings that have improved a level/score is a clear demonstration of our commitment to delivering the best, most reliable and future-ready technology to occupiers/residents.”
- “We target that all of our [occupied/developments] should obtain a WiredScore [Gold/Platinum/Silver/Certified] rating as a minimum.”
Example from Columbia REIT:
“All of our multi-tenant operating buildings that are directly managed by Columbia are WiredScore Certified, at the Silver level or higher, for best-in-class internet infrastructure, or 80% of our total operating portfolio by square feet.”
Showcasing commitment to best-in-class technology
Sample narrative
“Great technology in buildings is no longer a luxury add-on. It has become a key requirement in occupiers’ and residents’ leasing decisions. Given the new normal of remote and hybrid working and reduced business travel, this will only accelerate the digitalization of real estate. _______ realizes the crucial importance of in-building connectivity, and we aim to continue digitizing our portfolio with the help of WiredScore.”
Example from Midway
“Midway is also committed to achieving a high WiredScore, which aids developers in improving and promoting a property’s digital connectivity and infrastructure. When you have a company that is really tech-savvy, and we have a number of those tenants in our project — Amazon Web Services at CITYCENTRE and Google at Buffalo Heights — for these types of companies, the quality of the digital infrastructure, is extremely important.”
Highlighting progress with an ESG+R strategy that harnesses innovation
Sample narrative
- “Smart technology is fundamental to creating buildings that deliver good ESG+R outcomes. It is the only way to gather scale information, understand day-to-day activity’s operational nuances, and optimize sustainable practices.”
- “Good governance practices provides regular and transparent information to investors and by certifying X % of our portfolio with WiredScore we can demonstrate active transitional risk management for our assets.”
Example from Zeller
“Identify physical and transition risks at our assets that may be caused by climate change and evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce risk.
Example from Savana
“The building […] is WiredScore Certified Gold, providing tenants with access to multiple high-quality internet service providers to ensure safe, consistent, and protected connectivity.”
3. Review our alignment with other ESG+R frameworks
GRESB
“WiredScore and SmartScore are both recognized by GRESB as Green Building Certifications and qualify for up to 15.5 points in the ‘Performance’ aspect of the assessment and 13 points in the ‘Development’ aspect of the assessment.”
Based on our internal review and comparison data, WiredScore has found that:
- 26% of WiredScore Office criteria align with at least one GRESB indicator
- 21% of WiredScore Home criteria align with at least one GRESB indicator
- 39% of SmartScore criteria align with at least one GRESB indicator
UN SDGs
“WiredScore and SmartScore align with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals”
Based on our internal review and comparison data, WiredScore has found that:
- 35% (6 out of 17) of the UN SDGs goals are covered in the Office criteria and 29% (5 out of 17) are covered in the Home criteria
- 47% (8 out of 17) of the UN SDGs goals are covered in SmartScore criteria
WELL
WiredScore has been collaborating with the IWBI to showcase an alignment between its SmartScore certification and the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™)’s WELL Certification (WELL™).
IWBI™ and WiredScore are both committed to supporting the development of buildings that prioritize enhanced building performance and high standards of sustainability, as well as ensuring that occupant health and wellbeing sits atop the agenda.
LEED
SmartScore and LEED have joined forced to reflect the synergies between the two building certifications, but also how both certifications reinforce and benefit each other in the most efficient way possible for project developers.
SmartScore and LEED are complementary tools for the landlord and developer to measure and improve their assets, and share 10% of criteria at the intent level. The remaining 90% of criteria can be considered complementary.
4. Use your Portfolio Dashboard and Reports
- Access your Portfolio Dashboard to pull out key stats that showcase your technology investments
- Browse your Investor Report for specific achievements worth reporting
- Ask your Client Success Manager for building-specific information to include
- Use ready-to-use templates in our Online Messaging Guide to talk about your certification achievements
You can reach out to your Client Success Manager for further guidance and graphic support that will help support your narrative. We’re here to help you.