U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) empowers members to manage portfolio-wide resiliency using ClimateFirst software.
Washington, DC — [November 13, 2024] — As extreme weather events escalate, property owners and investors face growing climate risks. In response, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is offering PERFORM to its members; new guidance, tools, and third-party verification from GBCI, helping organizations meet sustainability goals and reporting requirements while improving portfolio-wide performance.
A part of this offering, USGBC also announced a technology partnership with ClimateFirst to offer scalable, credible physical climate risk exposure screens and assessments, enabling members to meet reporting requirements and strengthen resiliency across portfolios.
Simplifying the Path to Resiliency
This collaboration enhances the USGBC’s PERFORM program. By integrating ClimateFirst software into the USGBC’s new streamlined platform, Arc, members can now screen for physical climate risks—including heat, precipitation, drought, flood, wildfire, and wind—across entire portfolios. This data then flows directly into Arc and supports PERFORM, allowing for real-time validation and review.
“Organizations that have set portfolio-level sustainability goals to satisfy stakeholders, meet public commitments, and comply with evolving regulatory standards are now looking for pathways to make meaningful and verifiable progress,” said Sarah Zaleski, chief products officer, USGBC and GBCI. “PERFORM builds on USGBC’s decades of expertise as a market accelerator to partner with organizations around the world to achieve their portfolio goals.”
PERFORM offers a comprehensive and accessible path for owners and operators to improve real estate portfolio performance across a range of critical areas, including climate resilience and human health.
Launched at Greenbuild 2024
The technology partnership was announced at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia, PA on November 12-15, 2024.
“With over 5 million existing commercial buildings in North America alone, the need for a solution that can scale quickly is critical,” said Mike Williams, ClimateFirst Co-Founder and GM. “ClimateFirst technology delivers the speed and credibility that USGBC members need to act swiftly and protect every asset in their portfolio against a changing climate.”
Learn more
For additional information about the USGBC and ClimateFirst partnership, visit climatefirst.net/usgbc and https://usgbc.org/perform.
About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) accelerates and scales transformation of the built environment to minimize climate impacts and enhance the well-being of people, the environment, and communities worldwide. USGBC leads market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About ClimateFirst
ClimateFirst is climate tech that screens and assesses commercial real estate assets for physical climate risk exposures. Developed by RWDI, world leaders in building science, climate and performance engineering, ClimateFirst’s unmatched ability to deliver Climate Value at Risk (CVaR) assessments at a building-systems level, offers credible insights into both financial impacts and the adaptation measures needed to enhance a property’s resiliency.
Media requests at media@climatefirst.net