Environmental certification
Green Real
Estate.
Build and operate for resilience. Verify that buildings meet energy efficiency, waste reduction, and resilience standards.
- Assessment timeline
- 12–14 weeks
- Published criteria
- 62
- Validity, checked annually
- 3 years
- Assessor, then review panel
- Two sign-offs
Who it's for
Built for these
organizations.
Not on the list? Take the two-minute quiz and we will tell you which pathway fits.
Find your fit- 01Property developers
- 02Commercial real estate owners
- 03Facility managers
- 04Hospitality operators
- 05Retail & logistics operators
- 06Educational institutions
- 07Healthcare facilities
Industry impact
Why it
matters.
Buildings account for about 37% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (UNEP Global Status Report, 2022), and most of that comes from running them, not building them.
Signal to tenants, investors, and capital markets that the property is built for the future and addresses ESG factors affecting investment and tenant decisions.
Assessment criteria
What we assess:
62 criteria, 7 areas.
Criteria are public before you apply. Nothing is assessed that you have not seen.
- 01Energy performance, including baseline, consumption, renewable integration, and efficiency upgrades
- 02Building materials and embodied carbon, including lifecycle assessment, sourcing, and waste diversion
- 03Water systems and management, including fixtures, landscaping, stormwater, and rainwater
- 04Indoor environmental quality, including air quality, lighting, thermal comfort, and health
- 05Waste management and circular-economy practices
- 06Climate resilience and risk mitigation
- 07Tenant engagement and operational practices
Good to know
Questions,
answered.
Can I pursue multiple certifications?
Yes. Many organizations pursue 2–3 certifications aligned with material sustainability issues.
Which certification should we start with?
Use Find Your Fit or contact the team. We recommend starting with the certification addressing your organization's highest-material issue.
Do we need to be perfect to get certified?
No. Certification requires genuine commitment and structured practices rather than perfection, and organizations may improve during assessment.
How long does certification take?
The overall range is 8–16 weeks depending on the certification. Most organizations move from application to certification in 2–3 months.
What if we do not pass?
Organizations receive detailed gap feedback and may reapply after implementing improvements, typically 12 months later. To protect independence, the assessor who carried out the assessment does not advise on remediation.
Can we use the badge in marketing?
Yes. The badge links to a public certification record, and BEW provides digital assets and usage guidelines.
Related certifications
Other pathways
Many organizations pursue two or three certifications aligned with their most material issues.
Get started
Ready to pursue Green Real Estate?
Review the criteria, complete the eligibility check, and choose an assessor from the BEW network.