Pilot User FAQs

What is the purpose of the pilot user program?

The purpose of providing more users access to the pilot version of EC3 is to expand the number of advocates for our tool who are testing and sharing feedback on the features and categories that are not yet public. We also know that many of our free users want access to the 100+ material categories we have in pilot development, and this is how we can achieve that.

What are the responsibilities of becoming a pilot user?

Building Transparency relies on corporate and enterprise partners and pilot users to help us refine and push out new features and material categories based on testing and feedback. We entrust all pilot users to advocate for the future development and expansion of our public tool by helping test the many pilot material categories and exciting new features made available to them as part of a larger beta testing group.

How will the funding be used by Building Transparency?

The funding we receive through pilot user subscriptions will support our mission of providing the open-access data and tools necessary to enable broad and swift action across the building industry to address embodied carbon’s role in climate change.

We will use the funding for further category and feature development within the EC3 tool and accelerate their eventual availability in the free and public version once tested in the pilot version. We are thankful for your support of our mission!

What are the requirements to be eligible to become a pilot user?

Beyond currently being a free user of the EC3 tool, there are no specific eligibility requirements to become a pilot user—we only ask that you advocate for the tool and share feedback on how we can further improve it.

Why should I become a pilot user instead of using the free version of EC3?

The pilot version of EC3 is not needed for everyone. If you’re looking for access to more pilot features and product categories, then we recommend considering upgrading to pilot user access. However, it’s critical that pilot users test and provide feedback on these features, so keep that in mind when considering if pilot access is for you.

Becoming a pilot user means you are now an EC3 insider and have joined the growing number of AEC professionals supporting the improvement and refinement of our tools and data to drive embodied carbon action.

How much does pilot access cost?

The annual plan is $500, and the monthly plan is $50/month. Payments are non-refundable.

Please note that annual subscriptions last one year from the date of purchase and will not auto-renew. Instead, Building Transparency will send an email notifying you that your subscription is almost up and reminding you to renew.

Can I cancel my monthly subscription?

Yes. If you wish to cancel your pilot user subscription, please do so within your Stripe account.

Please note while the monthly subscription can be canceled at any time, no payments will be refunded. You will have access to the pilot version of EC3 for the entirety of the last month you paid for, and then your subscription will end.

How quickly will I get access to the pilot version of EC3 once I submit payment?

Within 24 hours of submitting payment, you will be connected with a Building Transparency representative who will help activate your profile to pilot user status. This is a manual process, so we appreciate your patience as we work to upgrade your profile.

However, you must first be a free user of the EC3 tool to be given pilot user access, so ensure you have set up an account before submitting payment for pilot access.

How do I get started as a pilot user?

Once you submit payment to become a pilot user, we will update your existing profile status to grant you access to the pilot version of EC3. We will send you an email once your account has been upgraded, meaning you now have access to new material categories and features. This typically takes about 24 hours to go into effect. We appreciate your patience!

Will I need a new login to become a pilot user?

No! Your EC3 login will be exactly the same, and you’ll log in like normal to access the additional pilot functionality, features, and materials.

Where can I find out more about the quarterly “office hours”?

To get added to the quarterly pilot user “office hours” with the Building Transparency team, please email us at [e-mail].

My company wants to become a corporate partner – who should we contact?

We are always looking for more corporate and enterprise partners for EC3.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a corporate partner, please contact us via the Contact Us form on our website, which can be found here: https://www.buildingtransparency.org/about/contact-us/.

What are the benefits of becoming a corporate partner?

Your company may be a fit for pilot access to EC3 if you’re looking to contribute to expert beta testing and get more hands-on support and API access for all your employees. We offer corporate or enterprise partner levels depending on what you need from the tool.

Corporate Partner

A corporate partnership is for organizations interested in contributing expert beta testing of our functions and data prior to broad release. Benefits include:

• Access to Pilot categories for ALL employees

• Support of API Access and use, if applicable

• Logo Recognition as Partner

• Regular Biweekly Support Meetings & Priority User Support

Enterprise Partner

An enterprise partnership is a type of lead sponsorship for organizations that require more custom tool functionality in terms of data, API access, tool customization and more. Benefits beyond what’s included for Corporate Partners are:

• Individual, hosted instance of the EC3 tool on a dedicated server of their choosing

• Dedicated online & biweekly user support for multiple user groups within and outside of the Enterprise Partner company, as needed

• Custom branding, login, user interface & workflow

• Customization of EC3 user interface for data collection and project management

• Portfolio-level tracking & reporting

• Assurance that any new functionality that would benefit the public users of EC3 will become a pilot feature for broader testing.

My question wasn't covered here - what do I do now?

Email us at [e-mail], and a member of our team will get back to you within 48 hours.