Global Real Estate Benchmark (GRESB)
Real estate benchmarking
GRESB is the global standard for ESG benchmarking in real estate and infrastructure. As capital markets increasingly look to de-risk portfolios and finance greener assets, GRESB scores have become an essential signal for institutional investors and asset managers. Whether you are managing a residential complex, commercial portfolio, or infrastructure asset, participating in GRESB can enhance your access to capital and attract ESG-conscious investors.
At SAGE, we work with real estate developers, REITs, and infrastructure funds to prepare robust and well-aligned GRESB submissions. We begin by mapping your operational data and ESG policies against GRESB’s performance indicators. We help strengthen disclosures across areas such as energy and water efficiency, tenant engagement, resilience, certification, governance, and stakeholder integration. Our support includes evidence documentation, data gap resolution, peer benchmarking, and review of asset-level performance metrics. We not only guide you through the submission but also help embed ESG systems that drive long-term asset value and resilience.
FAQ's
What is GRESB and who should participate?
GRESB is a global ESG benchmark for real estate and infrastructure. Participation is ideal for property developers, REITs, infrastructure funds, and investment managers.
How is GRESB different from other ESG frameworks?
GRESB focuses on asset-level ESG performance, operational data, stakeholder engagement, and governance structure, using a rigorous validation system.
What does the GRESB assessment involve?
GRESB involves scoring across three dimensions: Management, Performance, and Development. Data includes energy, water, waste, certifications, risk, resilience, and tenant engagement.
Is it mandatory for Indian developers or funds?
Not yet. But it is often required by global investors, especially for green bonds or sustainability-linked investments.
How long does it take to prepare for GRESB?
New participants typically need 3–6 months of preparation for a robust first-time submission.
What we offer
GRESB readiness assessment and scoring forecast
Gap analysis and strategy alignment
ESG policy drafting and implementation support
Data structuring across energy, water, waste, and GHG
Support for stakeholder engagement and tenant surveys
Advisory on certifications (e.g., IGBC, LEED, EDGE)
Documentation and audit-trail setup for submission
Our collaborative process:
Scoring readiness and framework alignment
Assess current maturity against GRESB criteria and build a tailored improvement plan.
Data collection and evidence structuring
Map and streamline performance data for buildings, projects, or portfolios; identify missing elements.
Governance and risk advisory
Support climate risk assessments, ESG committees, internal controls, and sustainability strategy integration.
Stakeholder engagement and certifications
Assist with tenant surveys, community engagement evidence, and green building certifications.
Submission review and continuous improvement
Conduct mock assessments and guide annual disclosures with a view toward long-term scoring improvement.
Outcomes you can expect:
Comprehensive ESG scoring preparation
Align asset- and entity-level ESG practices with GRESB scoring categories and evidence needs.
Data consolidation and audit readiness
Collect and validate utility, certification, governance, and stakeholder data across assets.
Improved ESG ratings
Identify high-leverage areas to improve scores and build competitive differentiation.
Portfolio-level benchmarking
Gain comparative insights across assets and with peers to guide strategic ESG decisions.
Investor-grade documentation
Prepare complete, verifiable submissions that enhance access to ESG-focused capital.
Where are you on your Global Real Estate Benchmark (GRESB) journey?
Whether you are preparing for your first GRESB submission or aiming to improve your score, we help you move from reactive disclosures to proactive ESG integration across your assets.
Our approach
We bring together ESG advisory, technical understanding of real estate, and disclosure experience to make GRESB both achievable and strategic.
Why Choose SAGE for your Global Real Estate Benchmark (GRESB)?
We understand the sustainability expectations of today’s real estate investors and regulators. With SAGE, you get more than a submission, you get systems that grow stronger with every assessment cycle.
