Enhancing Property Value through a Connected Building Approach

How great connectivity will improve the value of your properties

A building without digital connectivity? They don’t exist anymore, partly due to the rapid advance of new technologies and, more recently, compliance standards and regulations within the building and property sectors. This is especially relevant when we consider that over 80% of business premises, offices, warehouses, pubs, shops, hotels, that need to meet the 2030 Net Zero commitment are already here and in use, or in some cases, unfortunately not. The places where we work need to be better connected than ever, not just for the obvious user requirements but now for building management and services that will pay a critical part in helping meet those 2030 commitments, provide highly efficient, productive places and spaces to work in and from.

Enhanced connectivity is essential to maximising the efficiency of how a building operates, be it commercial or residential and irrespective of its age. Sensors that measure occupancy and footfall, energy and water usage and alert systems for routine or emergency maintenance, depend on robust and reliable end-to-end connectivity. Equally, at a time when many are struggling to attract people back to the office, removing barriers to do this is important. That includes ensuring employees are able to make and receive mobile phone calls wherever they are in the building. This becomes a real challenge as when we are all trying to improve buildings and retrofit current ones, with the most positive environmental impact, higher quality insulation and material and new styles of glass – these are practically impermeable to mobile signals. This is a real factor for many of the great new grade A offices spaces in the region, and also many of the buildings currently being retrofitted for the future.

Wi-Fi calling for sure helps, but it’s still not great and not that secure. This is important if you are the tenant or perspective purchaser of a building and also increasingly important if you are a developer, owner, landlord or agent. Why? WiredScore, the global digital connectivity system that defines and certifies digital connectivity, references a 5% uplift in rental values for fully connected buildings. So, what can you to do to meet the challenge of qualifying for new developments and buildings and helping those older buildings to remain an attractive option? There are examples around us - think about the ongoing initiatives in Aberdeen’s Union Street, West End and our industrial parks – but in real terms in any city or area in the UK.

Here at IFB we have been involved early in the conversations when it comes to site and building development and redevelopment. This has been around how to get the best relevant connections to the site and location and to plan this as early as possible, to make the site attractive for the new owner to plug and play their business in. And importantly, we are involved in some smart planning and delivery, meaning we are securely connecting everything and everyone with everything they need, helping make the buildings a place they want to be in.

IFB will be hosting a series of industry events to raise and discuss the importance of great connectivity helping improve the attractiveness of your properties and the services for owners, developers, agents and owners. For further information, please contact our team.

This article was published in Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Bulletin in April 2024.