What Are People Saying About Your Building Online?

A brand new social network launched Tuesday, is being billed as "a Yelp for buildings" and a hub for public "discourse on the built environment." Founded by real estate veteran Riggs Kubiak, Honest Buildings allows users to rate buildings and view a building summary, including square footage, tenants, architect info, and energy performance.

"The website has partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund, ENERGY STAR, Building Operator's Certification, and CUNY High Performance Building Lab for data and is seeking even more partnership," Michler reports.

The objective of the website is to allow users (including developers, designers, and contractors) to compare buildings according to a unified set of metrics and to connect to each other. As Michler notes, "On a micro level, anyone who has designed, lived in, or worked in a building can add useful feedback on the project, providing a unique format to discuss the building's features. It's also a good way to find service providers who worked on the building – they can pay for the premium service to have their profile contacts available. Since the website is dependent on how users populate it and use it, its value as a tool will adapt over time."

In addition to building ratings, the site features professional networking tools and an advanced search function that, for example, can display all LEED-certified buildings in your city.