WiredScore Certification: Portfolio

1. Initial Enquiry & Scoping: Contact WiredScore directly via their website to discuss your portfolio. A WiredScore representative will help you understand the process, identify which buildings are in scope, and provide a tailored proposal.

1. Engagement & Agreement: Sign an agreement with WiredScore covering the portfolio scope, fees, and timeline. WiredScore will assign a dedicated account manager to guide you through the process.

1. Pre-Assessment Preparation: Gather technical documentation for each building, including internet service provider (ISP) access agreements, network infrastructure plans, mobile coverage data, and any smart technology specifications.

1. Documentation Submission: Submit the required documentation for each building through the WiredScore online platform. This covers connectivity resilience, ISP diversity, mobile coverage, and digital infrastructure specifications.

1. Site Assessment: WiredScore-trained assessors conduct a technical review of each building — either via site visit or remote verification — to validate submitted documentation and assess on-site infrastructure conditions.

1. Scoring & Rating: Each building in the portfolio is scored against WiredScore's proprietary framework and assigned a rating: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. You will receive a detailed scorecard highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.

1. Certification Award: Upon successful assessment, each qualifying building receives its WiredScore certification mark. Portfolio-level reporting and benchmarking data are provided to support ESG reporting and investor communications.

1. Ongoing Improvement & Renewal: Use WiredScore's recommendations to plan infrastructure upgrades. Recertify every three years to maintain certification status and reflect any improvements made.

WiredScore Portfolio assessments evaluate the digital infrastructure of each building in the portfolio against WiredScore's proprietary scoring framework, which is updated every two years in collaboration with the WiredScore Governance Council — an invitation-only body of senior leaders from landlords, developers, occupiers, and technology experts.

The core assessment categories include: Internet Connectivity & Resilience (diversity of internet service providers, redundancy of network entry points, and protection against single points of failure); Mobile Coverage (in-building mobile signal strength across major carriers, including 4G/5G coverage in key areas such as lifts, basements, and meeting rooms); Infrastructure Capacity & Flexibility (the building's physical infrastructure — risers, conduits, and distribution frames — and its ability to accommodate future technology upgrades); and Smart Technology Readiness (the building's capability to support smart building systems, IoT devices, and data-driven management tools).

Each building is scored on a points-based system, with the total score determining the certification tier: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The Platinum tier represents the highest standard of digital infrastructure, while Certified indicates a solid baseline. Portfolio certification provides aggregated benchmarking data across all buildings, enabling landlords to identify the weakest performers and prioritise capital investment. The standards are designed to be globally applicable while reflecting regional market expectations and regulatory environments.

WiredScore has established itself as the leading global standard for digital connectivity certification in commercial real estate since its launch in New York in 2014. The program has expanded rapidly across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, with certified buildings in over 30 countries. As of the mid-2020s, WiredScore has assessed more than 700 million square feet of real estate globally, making it the dominant player in its niche. The Portfolio product specifically targets institutional landlords and large real estate investment managers who need a scalable, consistent approach to benchmarking digital infrastructure across large asset bases.

The certification has gained significant traction among institutional investors and ESG-focused real estate managers, partly due to its recognition by GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) as a green building certification. This integration into mainstream ESG reporting frameworks has accelerated adoption among REITs, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds that are required to demonstrate responsible asset management. Major global landlords including British Land, Brookfield Properties, Hines, and Oxford Properties have certified buildings or portfolios, lending the credential considerable market credibility.

WiredScore's closest direct competitor in the digital/smart building space is its own SmartScore certification (focused on smart technology rather than connectivity), which is often pursued alongside WiredScore. Broader building certification programs such as BREEAM, LEED, and WELL address different sustainability dimensions and are not direct substitutes. Demand for WiredScore certification is growing as hybrid working norms make reliable connectivity a top-tier tenant requirement, and as institutional investors increasingly scrutinise digital infrastructure as a component of asset quality and future-proofing.

WiredScore was founded in New York City in 2013 by Arie Barendrecht, with the first certifications awarded in 2014 in partnership with the City of New York. The program was created in response to a recognised gap in the commercial real estate market: while buildings were routinely assessed for energy efficiency, structural quality, and amenities, there was no standardised framework for evaluating digital connectivity infrastructure — a growing priority for office tenants. The initial focus was on commercial office buildings in major US cities.

The program expanded internationally from 2016 onwards, launching in London and subsequently across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. In 2019, WiredScore launched SmartScore, a complementary certification focused on smart building technology, and introduced the Portfolio product to serve large institutional landlords managing multiple assets. The certification standards are updated on a two-year cycle, overseen by the WiredScore Governance Council, ensuring they remain aligned with evolving technology and market expectations. By the early 2020s, WiredScore had become the de facto global standard for digital connectivity certification in commercial real estate, with recognition from GRESB and adoption by many of the world's largest real estate investment managers.