EXPIScore launches world’s first human-centric rating system for real estate

Singapore start-up EXPIScore aims to shake up the standards of the real estate industry with the world’s first independent customer experience rating system.

Created by founder and award-winning researcher Dr. Marigold Kimura, PhD, in collaboration with Executive Advisor Peter Holland, EXPIScore was developed through a survey conducted in partnership with market research firm Pureprofile Singapore. 

In the words of EXPIScore Executive Advisor Peter Holland, “Human-centric designs are becoming as standard as sustainability measures in real estate development. We are seeing a convergence, where developers and building operators now recognise that for projects to be financially successful, they must also satisfy the expectations of increasingly discerning, experience-oriented end users.”

Consumer survey findings

Over 1,000 private residence dwellers and 1,000 office workers were surveyed for EXPIScore’s two components, EXPIScore: LIVE and EXPIScore: WORK. 

Notably, the survey found that the private residence dweller respondents overwhelmingly rated the presence of ‘hotel-style’ on-demand services as important or very important (close to 70%). Environmentally-friendly practices were also a significant factor for consideration, with 67% of respondents valuing their presence during construction highly. 

Other factors that were emphasised included transparency and customisation for property buyers, and ease flexibility, convenience and service for rental tenants. 

Office workers in Singapore, on the other hand, were shown to prioritise inclusivity and accessibility in their working environments, ranking it as the most important aspect of building design. Physical facilities were necessary for many, with respondents identifying the presence of CCTVs, air quality and water quality in particular as important. When it came to the working environment, 75% of respondents stated that communication and community-building were necessary to them, revealing that workers see team bonding as something essential to their experience in the workplace.

What does it mean to be “human-centric”?

Developed for the real-estate industry, conventional benchmarks for rating different buildings tend to focus on physical features. However, a “human-centric customer experience” focuses more on the perception of buildings, especially through the lenses of those who use them often. 

According to EXPIScore, this means “considering the human perspective at every stage — from planning and design, through to construction and operations”. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, quality of life became a primary concern to consumers as many people spent their time cooped up within different buildings. 

This has also affected the preferences of the real estate industry’s usual consumers, who are increasingly seeking out places where memories can be created and health can be prioritised. 

EXPIScore is designed to prioritise the human experience and perception of the building, taking into account factors like amenities, operations, occupant management and community building. In this way, it hopes to pioneer a shift towards experience-oriented investments in the real estate industry, encouraging companies to invest in building upgrades from a human-centric perspective while introducing best practice guidelines to manage these investments. 

This will be supplemented by proprietary market surveys in different countries, which they plan to conduct every two to three years to reflect shifting consumer expectations and keep criteria relevant. 

How does it work?

Two categories are available for use, EXPIScore: LIVE and EXPIScore: WORK, for residential and office developments respectively. Possible scores range from 3-star (Commendable) to 6-star (Industry-leading), with a 6-star EXPIScore representing industry-leading innovation as well as the highest-quality customer experience available. 

Real estate providers receive an EXPIScore out of 100, which then determines their star rating for any considered property. These ratings are then valid for 18 months post-completion for new developments, and three years for preexisting properties. 

The EXPIScore rating system has already been trialled with several different Singaporean and international real estate companies, with pilot adoptee Singapore Land Group’s Singapore Land Tower achieving a 6-star EXPIScore. 

Ultimately, the EXPIScore system is a step towards the prioritisation of daily human needs and experiences within buildings in Singapore. Though the rating of physical facilities remains important, the presence of a rating system that takes into account intangible benefits and factors will be immensely useful in improving the quality of properties and ensuring that real estate providers are able to remain competitive in the ever-shifting market.