Tenant engagement, sustainability and wellness programmers are embracing an ESG dating app to boost their buildings’ profiles as hubs for meaningful connection. cliMATEfriendly is a platform for developing relationships around shared convictions with an associated module that provides ESG ratings of venues and events where romantic bonds could blossom and strengthen.
“We’re switching the dial from the earnest serious grind that’s typically required to verify performance and meet investors’ expectations to an emotionally spirited groove that says: let’s take these principles and have some fun,” explains Matt Chemaker, climMATEfriendly’s director of quality programming and interpersonal dynamics (QPID). “Ultimately, though, we think both trajectories point in the same direction.”
Enrollment for companion seekers is left to self-selection, but property/facilities managers and event organizers must meet a minimum threshold of certifications and standards to register with the app. Thus far, adopters in the commercial real estate sector express satisfaction with the results.
“The industry continues to grapple with translating qualitative ambience into measurable attributes of asset value, but the anecdotal evidence suggests a cliMATEfriendly profile can reinforce a building’s brand to an audience that is likely to include existing and potential tenants, investors and career candidates,” observes Primo Aprilli, a consultant and 2023-24 chair of the Green Aligned Society of Boutique Advisory Groups (GASBAG).
On the building operations front, the app has been harnessed to draw participation in energy/water conservation and waste reduction campaigns, emergency preparedness exercises and other resilience-bolstering initiatives — literally spurring increased tenant engagement. “I met my fiancé when we both signed up to be Earth Hour champions through cliMATEfriendly,” reports happy subscriber, Bea Sottud.
Committed couples can still use the app’s other networking options for leisure pursuits and professional development. Some of those offerings include listings of architectural tours and an interactive portal to coordinate study groups for credentialling exams.
“If you find your soulmate, that’s wonderful, but our triple bottom line philosophy encompasses pals and peers, as well as partners,” Chemaker affirms. “We’re also planning to add project proponents into the mix in the near future. It fits logically with our core business to administer requests for proposals.”
