by Brianna Crandall — March 28, 2012—HonestBuildings has announced the release of its beta social network platform related to buildings—a free Web service allowing users to find and compare information, ratings and reviews for any commercial or residential building in the United States. Simply by searching for an address or zip code, anyone can access reviews, “Honesty Ratings,” energy data, projects and renovations, and view the people and organizations associated with that building, for free.
“We are bringing transparency and connectivity to the massive real estate industry, which has traditionally been fragmented, opaque and inefficient,” said Riggs Kubiak, CEO of Honest Buildings. “Our goal is to connect people, catalyze transactions, and accelerate the development of high performance buildings on a global scale.”
Anyone can use Honest Buildings to compare buildings based on size, location, type, ratings, associated organizations, and the types of projects that have been completed, helping them to make better-informed decisions about real estate.
Projects can range from a small home renovation to obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for a million-square-foot real estate development, and everything in between, says the organization. During its private beta, Honest Buildings has already amassed over 50,000 completed projects representing over 10 billion square feet of buildings, and is working with real estate developers to source service providers for their open design, construction and renovation projects.
Real estate owners, municipalities, and management companies can claim their building’s profile page to update information, highlight new renovations and amenities, and increase exposure and interest for their properties. They can then use the platform to research and hire the best service providers for their projects, and streamline the process for distributing requests for proposals and receiving bids.
Building service providers and vendors drive new business by creating free company profiles to showcase their portfolio of projects, highlighting their accomplishments, and networking with colleagues and prospective clients. These projects are also connected to the building profiles where they were completed, increasing an organization’s exposure and generating inbound inquiries.
In addition to these free services, Honest Buildings offers businesses a premium subscription service, which enables them to increase their visibility with owners and managers, receive requests for proposals, and submit bids through the platform. Honest Buildings also generates revenue through industry sponsorships, display and search advertising.
Founded by Riggs Kubiak, former Global Head of Sustainability for Tishman Speyer, and marketing and Internet veterans Garrett Kubiak and Cody Roberts, Honest Buildings is co-located in New York City in the New York City Accelerator for a Clean and Renewable Economy (NYC ACRE) incubator and in Seattle. The group is working with Environmental Defense Fund, ENERGY STAR, Building Operator’s Certification, and the City University of New York (CUNY) High Performance Building Lab.
