World’s first smart building assessment and rating program released

The SPIRE Smart Building Program, billed as the world’s first comprehensive and objective assessment and rating program for smart buildings, was recently released.

Backed by UL and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the program is intended to help building owners and operators make better informed investment decisions, improve tenant satisfaction, and increase asset value, according to a news release. 

“SPIRE provides an assessment of connected technologies within buildings, delivering insights, benchmarks, and roadmaps to help lower costs, mitigate risks, create brand differentiation, and enhance overall asset value,” the release says.

The program consists of two key components: the online SPIRE Self-Assessment and a UL Verified Assessment and Rating. The SPIRE Self-Assessment is the first step for assessing insights into six distinctive criteria that describe the current state of the smart building. These criteria include life and property safety, health and well-being, connectivity, power and energy, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

The SPIRE UL Verified Assessment and Rating, coming in the first quarter of 2021, entails an in-depth audit by UL and is an objective, evidence-based assessment using the six distinctive criteria. A successful assessment results in a UL Verified Mark, a plaque, and a building performance score.