Rate each criterion from 0 to 5, then multiply by its weight divided by five. Use whole-number ratings and retain the evidence behind each one.
Weighted points = criterion weight × rating ÷ 5
Total score = sum of the ten weighted-point results
The weights, anchors and thresholds below are this desk’s assessment methodology. They have not been statistically validated against HVAC implementation outcomes.
What does each rating mean?
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 — Missing or failed | No usable evidence, or a material failure. Mark missing information U as well as scoring it zero, so “unknown” remains distinguishable from “tested and failed”. |
| 1 — Assertion | A promise, sales claim or reference to a generic capability without buyer-specific substantiation. |
| 2 — Partly specified | Written design or scripted demonstration, but material questions or acceptance checks remain open. |
| 3 — Pilot-ready | Meets the relevant minimum in the scorecard, supported by buyer-specific tests, checked documents and defined operating responsibilities. |
| 4 — Verified | All level-3 requirements plus substantial level-5 evidence. Operational claims require evidence from the buyer’s bounded live pilot; contractual and governance controls require verification appropriate to the control. |
| 5 — Strongly evidenced | Meets the full high-bar description. Performance evidence is repeatable and auditable; control evidence includes executed terms and successful practical checks, not a policy document alone. |
Evidence caps: a canned demo cannot earn more than 2 for operational performance. A successful sandbox test alone cannot earn more than 3 for live reliability or economic results. A reference customer’s result cannot substitute for your own contribution and workload measurements.
Do not average a serious failure away within a row. If a material control fails, apply the affected gate and cap that row at 1 until remediation and retesting.