Summary: Landlords are increasingly trying to improve and innovate office space but what are the biggest inhibitors to the success of the smart office? Take a look at our survey results.
Smart technology has made its way into the business realm with more occupiers looking for smart buildings and making the transition to ‘smart offices’. Unlike the more traditional model it brings a number of benefits for employers and employees alike, as occupiers are seeking the same levels of comfort and control in the workplace that technology has delivered into their home lives. The aspiration is that a smart building will boost user productivity, deliver improved efficiency and save costs. The confluence of this new technology and raised expectations within the current lettings market, means landlords must build smart to attract the right calibre of tenant.
So is it full steam ahead? BCLP commissioned a survey of 110 participants to get their opinion on the biggest inhibitors to the success of smart offices.
The results show that concerns around the economy were the biggest inhibitor, followed closely by the ability to retrofit technology: smart buildings call for the integration of physical and virtual environments, which goes beyond the professional remit of most architects and software engineers. Those professionals with the skill sets to blend the two will continue to be in great demand, Brexit or no Brexit.
