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PEER certification: how it works

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How does PEER certification work?

Projects can achieve certification by demonstrating compliance with the minimum program requirements and prerequisites and achieving points for the credit strategies pursued. There are four levels of certification – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum – that are determined based on the number of points achieved.

  1. Register your project
  2. Apply by submitting a certification application and paying the certification review fee.
  3. Review by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).
  4. Certify. Receive the review decision. If you’ve earned PEER certification: congratulations! Share your good news.

Learn more about the PEER Certification Process by reviewing the Guide to PEER Certification.

What is the process to get started with PEER certification?

To get started with PEER, your project team may want to review:

  • PEER Guide to Certification which leads project teams through the PEER certification process and describes current policies and procedures.
  • PEER Rating System which details the complete set of PEER prerequisites and credits, including point values and corresponding requirements.

Projects may register for certification at PEER Online.

What are the eligibility requirements to apply for PEER certification?

PEER can be used for power systems of all sizes and types, including campuses, microgrids, critical infrastructure, an entire city’s grid, or a utility territory, and even transit systems. The certification is applicable to all types of power infrastructure, and PEER-certified projects include leading hospitals, rural cooperatives, city-owned utilities, microgrids, universities and more.

Eligible infrastructure projects include:

Cities and Utilities: The project must have one or more substations or circuits that have metered customers within the project boundary.

Campuses: The project must have either (1) one building with at least one main meter and sub meter, or (2) more than one building with individual meters AND / OR sub meters, within the project boundary.

Transit: The project must have at least three adjacent stations with at least one receiving substation, and each station within the project boundary must be metered individually. The project must consider both traction and non-traction loads.

If you have questions about whether your project is eligible for PEER certification, please contact us at peer@gbci.org

Can a design or construction project be recognized by PEER?

Yes, while PEER certification is awarded to projects that have been operational for at least one year, PEER Precertification is an optional pathway for design projects and projects that are under construction.

In addition, projects may also pursue a Split Review process which allows you to submit part of your application at the end of the project’s design phase and the rest at the conclusion of at least one year of operation. The Split Review process is designed to let projects know if they are on the right path to PEER. Certification.

Are projects outside the U.S. and India eligible for PEER certification?

Yes, PEER is a global program and projects outside U.S. / India can apply for PEER certification. But GBCI does not currently provide the benchmark Energy Efficiency index values for locations outside U.S. / India. Consequently, such projects must calculate the values accordingly as described in the PEER Reference guide based on the available data or use GBCI default values for calculations.

Can renewable energy projects apply for PEER certification?

Yes, PEER is now piloting certification for renewable energy systems. Please reach out to peer@gbci.org for details.

For how long is PEER certification valid?

PEER certification is valid for 3 years at which point certified projects should apply for recertification.

How long does it take to achieve PEER certification?

The time span for PEER certification varies depending on a variety of factors including the availability of data and the project team’s target date of completion. Once a project had been submitted for review, GBCI will turn around a certification review within 25 business days.

Does PEER certification require a site audit?

No, PEER certification does not involve a site audit. However, GBCI retains the right to visit the project site if necessary for verification.

What fees are involved with PEER certification?

  USGBC Members Non-Members
Registration Fees $1,200 $1,500
Precertification Fees $2,500 $3,200
Expedited Review Fee $1,000 $1,000
Certification Fees (project precertified) $6,000 $8,000
Certification Fees (project not precertified) $8,000 $10,000
Recertification fees (annual data provided) $2,000 $2,500
Recertification fees (annual data lapsed) $2,500 $3,200

What type of support is provided by GBCI during PEER certification?

GBCI provides support to project teams pursuing PEER certification through a PEER coach and throughout the entire process—from pre-design through post-certification—through a variety of tools and project-specific one-on-one support with access to technical solution team during the project phase once a month. Our team will work with project teams to help identify local resources, answer eligibility and prerequisite requirements and field technical questions. At each stage of review, project teams have the opportunity to speak directly with their reviewer. Post certification, GBCI provides the PEER Certification along with review comments, a press release, and media kit to help celebrate the successes of a project team.

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