2024 marked the first year that GRESB introduced Customized Peer Groups in the Real Estate Benchmark Reports after conducting an initial test phase in 2023.
Developed in response to industry feedback, this feature allows participants to review their predefined peer group, as allocated by GRESB, and, if relevant, create a customized peer group based on self-selected criteria (e.g. location, sector, fund size). The ranking for the customized peer group is displayed alongside the GRESB predefined peer group in the Benchmark Report.
In 2024, more than 40% of real estate funds participating the GRESB Assessment used the feature. Thanks to continued member feedback, we are pleased to offer an improved Customize Peer Group functionality in 2025.
Customized Peer Group functionality in 2025
The 2025 Benchmark Report will continue to feature rankings against both the GRESB predefined peer group and the customized peer group. These peer groups are provided solely for context—they do not influence the entity’s scores.
Based on member feedback, GRESB has made improvements to the enhance the usability, customizability, and readability of the tool in 2025.
In 2025, the process for editing a peer group has been significantly streamlined. Participants can now modify or delete their customized peer group at any point during the customization period if the entity does not consider its customized group to be more relevant than the GRESB predefined group. This flexibility allows participants to safely explore the feature while maintaining control over whether the customized peer group appears in their Benchmark Report.
To better tailor peer group comparisons, GRESB is also introducing greater transparency across asset types, geographical regions, and sectors.
To incorporate a customized peer group into the Benchmark Report, participants must confirm a customized peer group in the portal between August 1 and 15. If a participant does not confirm a customized group within this time frame, their Benchmark Report will only display a predefined peer group.
The customized peer group functionality is only available for real estate participants.
Why customize your peer group?
GRESB Real Estate Participants can customize their peer groups to contextualize their results against a set of uniquely defined characteristics. Depending on the chosen characteristics, this can allow an entity to:
- Reveal its rank within a group that is more relevant to the goals of its investors
- Showcase its performance within a broader group of peers
- Demonstrate its position compared to a more selective set of entities
The characteristics available for customization include:
- Location
- Property Type
- Legal Status
- Tenant Control
- Average Gross Asset Value
- Entity Commencement Date
- Asset Count
Participants may also add listed funds or remove individual peer group constituents to generate an even more precise group.