Summary
Details
- Global
RESET is not legally mandatory.
It can become practically required where:
A building owner commits to RESET certification.
A tenant requires data-driven indoor air quality evidence.
A lender or investor references RESET.
A public procurement process includes RESET.
A portfolio ESG policy requires RESET monitoring.
A WELL, healthy building or sustainability strategy uses RESET as supporting evidence.
In most cases, RESET is voluntary and used to demonstrate continuous performance monitoring for health and sustainability.
Deep dive
- What’s Required
- 1. Use of RESET operational standards
- 2. RESET Air
- 3. RESET Energy
- 4. RESET Water and RESET Waste
- 5. Continuous data and transparency
- Important Deadlines
- Current Status
- Penalties for Non-Compliance
- 1. Certification refusal
- 2. Loss of certification credibility
- 3. Contractual consequences
- 4. Reputational risk
- 5. Operational risk
- Examples of Known Violations / Failure Modes
- Resources
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What’s Required
1. Use of RESET operational standards
RESET Operational Standards standardize continuous monitoring requirements for indoor air quality, energy consumption and production, water consumption and quality, and waste consumption in the built environment.
Projects may need to document:
Project type and boundary.
Applicable RESET module.
Sensor or data system requirements.
Data quality controls.
Continuous monitoring arrangements.
Performance reporting.
Occupancy assumptions.
Data transparency processes.
2. RESET Air
RESET Air defines requirements for collecting indoor air quality data through continuous monitoring of an interior space or building. The goal is to standardize indoor air quality data so it is trusted, actionable and relevant. For RESET Air Project Certification, tracked indoor air quality parameters must be maintained within performance target limits during operation.
Relevant areas include:
Indoor air monitoring.
Sensor placement.
Data quality.
Occupancy-based averaging.
Air quality thresholds.
Ongoing operational performance.
3. RESET Energy
RESET Energy is a data-driven standard for evaluating building energy performance by standardizing continuous monitoring requirements for energy consumption in built environments. RESET notes that Energy for Core & Shell targets public spaces and central systems, including elevators and mechanical air systems.
Relevant areas include:
Energy consumption data.
Submetering.
Building systems.
Common areas.
Operational energy performance.
Data transparency.
Energy baselining.
4. RESET Water and RESET Waste
RESET also includes standards for water and waste as part of its modular program. RESET describes its program as supporting buildings and interiors with standards for air, energy, water, and waste.
Project teams may need to track:
Water use.
Water quality where applicable.
Waste generation.
Waste streams.
Waste diversion.
Operational data quality.
Consumption patterns.
Improvement baselines.
5. Continuous data and transparency
RESET differs from many static certifications because it emphasizes continuous performance data. Operational projects use RESET standards to continuously audit projects for data quality and transparency.
This requires:
Reliable monitoring systems.
Transparent data flows.
Data quality assurance.
Operational accountability.
Ongoing performance review.
Regular reporting.
Important Deadlines
RESET is voluntary, so there is no universal legal deadline.
Important timing points:
Certification timing depends on project registration, selected RESET module, monitoring setup, data collection and review.
RESET Air certification depends on maintaining required indoor air quality performance during operation.
RESET Energy does not have hard performance targets for project certification in the same way as RESET Air, according to RESET Energy guidance.
Project teams should check current RESET module requirements before making performance claims.
Current Status
RESET is active. RESET describes its program as a modular standards and certification program for buildings and interiors, with operational standards for air, energy, water, and waste. It is positioned as a performance and data-first pathway toward decarbonization, circularity, and health.
Current status:
Active voluntary standard.
Global in scope.
Modular certification program.
Focused on measured building performance.
Includes Air, Energy, Water and Waste standards.
Uses continuous monitoring and data transparency.
Relevant to healthy buildings, operational sustainability, and real estate ESG.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
RESET does not impose statutory penalties.
Possible consequences include:
1. Certification refusal
A project may fail certification if monitoring systems, data quality or performance evidence do not meet RESET requirements.
2. Loss of certification credibility
A project may be unable to maintain credible claims if monitoring lapses or data quality declines.
3. Contractual consequences
If RESET certification is tied to leasing, procurement, finance or tenant commitments, failure may create commercial consequences.
4. Reputational risk
Healthy building, indoor air quality, data transparency or performance claims may be challenged if not supported by RESET evidence.
5. Operational risk
Poor air, energy, water, or waste data can hide operational inefficiencies and health-related risks.
Examples of Known Violations / Failure Modes
Typical failure modes include:
Claiming RESET certification before certification is awarded.
Installing sensors without meeting data quality requirements.
Using incomplete or unreliable monitoring data.
Treating RESET as a substitute for legal health and safety compliance.
Overstating indoor air quality performance.
Not maintaining sensors after certification.
Failing to define project boundaries.
Excluding relevant occupied areas.
Reporting energy or water data inconsistently.
Making portfolio-wide claims based on only some certified spaces.
Confusing RESET Air with RESET Energy, Water or Waste.
Treating short-term measurement as continuous monitoring.
Resources
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