In recent weeks, the world was reminded of just how critical power is to the global economy. A major power outage at Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest transport hubs in the world, disrupted operations and created ripple effects across industries. While the situation at Heathrow was temporary, it was not the only power-outage story to have hit the headlines lately; Chile’s capital Santiago saw a similar situation less than a month before. Both instances have served to underscore an important reality: reliable, resilient, and sustainable power is no longer a luxury, it’s a fundamental requirement for industrial real estate.
In the realm of industrial real estate, power plays a pivotal role in shaping everything from operational efficiency to tenant satisfaction and long-term viability. Power interruptions, even brief ones, have far-reaching consequences and highlight the requirement for assets to have a seamless transition onto back-up power supply. With the global economy becoming increasingly dependent on continuous supply chains, digital systems, and advanced manufacturing, any disruption to power is a risk to productivity, profitability, and reputation.
Client: Swire Properties
Location: Hong Kong
A leading Hong Kong landlord and WiredScore Portfolio client, asset manager and developer, Swire Properties was the first in Hong Kong to achieve WiredScore and SmartScore certifications, with a current combined total of 17 WiredScore and SmartScore Platinum certifications across their portfolio.
Say the word “brand” and you’d be forgiven for thinking, “what does that have to do with real estate?”. Branding and all its connotations are so often thought of in relation to big, shiny consumer products; the latest tech; the most expensive trainers or handbags.
While we might have brand loyalty to our favourite fruit-named phones, how do we begin to translate this loyalty into the built environment?
In recent years, commercial real estate has really had to work hard to foster that sense of loyalty. The curveball that was the Covid-19 pandemic threw the sector into a state of disarray as occupiers were forced to rethink their allegiance to their office footprints and ask themselves if leasing X sq ft of space really made sense.
The result? Landlords have had to up their game.
Developing a resistant and compelling narrative around what they can offer occupiers has seen landlords lean into their creativity in order to acknowledge the important role a space has in fostering a sense of productivity and enjoyment. Now more than ever, occupiers are looking at offices asking; does this mirror the culture and experience I want to create for my company? This is a particularly salient question for growing companies who are looking at multiple spaces. They want to be confident that the standard of experience they get is replicated across a landlord’s portfolio.
So how do landlords ensure what they offer is a cut above the rest? Technology has a fundamental role to play here. Every touch point between the landlord and occupier needs to be seamless; from the onboarding process to working across multiple buildings, from monitoring occupancy level data and organising in-office events; the technological foundations of the building have to be resilient and nimble enough to support these requirements.
In the UK, Derwent, is an example of a landlord merging the physical and digital across their portfolio to better serve the end user. Their two D/L members’ spaces in Fitzrovia and Old Street, London, have a distinctive sense of design and quality that comes from the characteristics of the space. This unique sense of identity is also reflected in the technology set up that is both distinct and seamless across their whole estate. As a result, Derwent’s customers associate the Derwent brand with an extremely high specification of physical space as well as an enriching tech experience.
This integration of physical space with digital innovation creates an environment that not only meets the immediate needs of occupiers but anticipates their future requirements as well. By leveraging smart technology, such as data-driven building management systems, landlords are able to offer a highly adaptable experience that evolves with occupier preferences and business needs. Whether it’s optimizing energy use, providing seamless connectivity, or offering tailored services, the thoughtful application of technology enhances both the functionality and the atmosphere of the spaces, helping tenants thrive in a modern, agile work environment.
The result is a dynamic, responsive and trusting relationship between the landlord and its occupiers. Real-time insights into the everyday patterns of behaviour in the building mean that landlords can act faster to process and improve, creating a positive feedback loop to improve the satisfaction of building users, and therefore reinforcing their brand in a competitive landscape.
Today, supercharged by changes to how we live, work and play, we are witnessing a boom in mixed-use urban development projects that are creating the most exciting neighborhoods within our cities.
With WiredScore and SmartScore certifications for Neighborhoods, we’re supporting the landlords and developers of the most innovative neighborhood projects in the world to create districts that connect and inspire their communities.
Video credits – Chocolate Films