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PERFORM marketing and communications guidance

  • Updated

PERFORM Program Overview

PERFORM is an innovative program developed by USGBC and GBCI to help real estate portfolio owners and managers enhance sustainability and resilience across various performance metrics.

 

PERFORM: In Text

Do:

  • For individual performance metrics within the program, use the full name (e.g., "GHG Emissions Intensity.")

  • When describing PERFORM, include descriptive text. For example:

    "The U.S. Green Building Council's PERFORM program was created to drive improvements in sustainability across real estate portfolios. Learn more at usgbc.org/perform."

 

PERFORM Enrollment 

Do Say:

  • [Name of Organization] is enrolled in the PERFORM program and is pursuing verification of its [performance metric name] for the [Portfolio Name].

 

PERFORM-Enrolled Portfolios: In Text

Do Say:

  • The organization is enrolled in the PERFORM program.
  • The organization is enrolled in the PERFORM program to verify the [performance metric name] for its portfolio.

Don't Say:

  • PERFORM project
  • PERFORM registered
  • This portfolio or organization is PERFORM Registered
  • PERFORM performance metric registered for verification
  • The portfolio or organization is registered for verification
  • The portfolio or organization is enrolled for verification
  • This portfolio or organization is undergoing PERFORM verification
  • This project is PERFORM Certified, Qualified, Compliant, Reviewed, Designed, Certifiable, or any wording other than PERFORM-enrolled

 

PERFORM-Verified Portfolios Performance Metrics: In Text

PERFORM verification with lowercase "v" describes the verification process. PERFORM-verified, with a hyphen and lowercase "v," describes a performance metric verified for a portfolio. The portfolio has performance metrics that GBCI has verified.

Do Say:

  • The organization has received verification for [performance metric] for its [Portfolio Name] for [insert year(s)].
  • [insert organization name] has received verification for [insert performance metric] for its [insert portfolio name] for [reporting year]. 

If talking about Absolute Performance verification, do say: 

  • The portfolio's [performance metric name] of [value name with units] was/were PERFORM-verified for [reporting year] by GBCI.

If talking about Percentage Change, do say:

  • A portfolio-level change of [value %] for [performance metric name] for [reporting year] compared to our [baseline year] was PERFORM-verified.
  • GBCI provided a limited assurance engagement informed by ISO/IEC 17029:2019 Conformity Assessment and further described in GBCI Verification Protocols to [Insert Organization Name] for [Insert portfolio name] for its [performance metric – specify absolute performance or percentage change]
  • The supporting text must include the names of the specific metrics and the values and data that were verified. See examples below. 
    • Organization has received PERFORM verification for a portfolio-level reduction of 41% energy use intensity in 2024 compared to our 2020 baseline.
    • Organization has received PERFORM verification for a portfolio-level interim target of completing Physical Climate Risk Screenings for 34% of the properties from [date] to [date].
    • Organization has received PERFORM verification for a portfolio-level 50% waste diversion from [date] to [date]."
    • Organization has 30 LEED-certified buildings, and across the [ # of buildings] portfolio, it has received PERFORM verification for a portfolio-level reduction of 41% energy use intensity compared to a 2008 baseline.
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Confidential PERFORM Portfolios and Buildings

  • If a portfolio's enrollment in or verification by PERFORM remains confidential or private, it must not be marketed or represented to the general public as PERFORM-enrolled or PERFORM-verified.
  • These portfolios may communicate their PERFORM-enrolled or PERFORM-verified status, verification letter, and verification report to government entities to support mandatory or voluntary reporting commitments, to comply with building and tax laws, and for administrative proceedings related to land use entitlements or similar.

Don't Say:

  • Upon completion of this portfolio's improvements, this project will apply to become PERFORM-verified.
  • This project is PERFORM verified.
  • The buildings are PERFORM verified.
  • The portfolio is PERFORM verified (without details).
  • PERFORM Performance Metric Project verification.
  • The organization is PERFORM verified.
    • The whole portfolio is PERFORM verified (without details specifying which performance metrics have been verified).

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