"Breaking the Right Rules: Smart Building Certification – Playing by the Rules that Matter"

In the fast-paced yet traditional world of real estate, success is often measured by the rules we choose to follow. But let’s be honest, some of the rules are better than others. In the quest for smarter, more efficient buildings, the game has changed, and we now find ourselves navigating the uncharted waters of smart building certification. But here's the twist: we are playing by our own set of rules and we believe they are the ones that will end up driving value.

Higher profits

In the real estate realm, the rules are crystal clear – faster tenancy, higher rents, and greater purchase prices translate into a roaring return on investment (ROI). These are the yardsticks by which success is measured, and savvy investors and developers are eager to embrace any tools and innovations that help them climb the ladder of profitability.

Smart buildings, with their cutting-edge technologies and futuristic allure, promise to be a game-changer in the industry. From energy-efficient lighting systems to automated climate control and data-driven insights, the ‘potential’ for higher profits is enormous, potential being a very important key word. As we always say, it is not about technology itself, but what we do with it that matters. But while we willingly play by the rules of real estate where we give credit for fancy tools and technology, we seem to be taking a rather unconventional path when it comes to smart building certification. How smart buildings are integrated into human process and business value matters, and the effectiveness of these technologies can and should be measured.

Stop with the checklists and 1 size-fits-all approach

In the age of customization and innovation, the traditional certifications, with their rigid checklists and one-size-fits-all approach, have become painfully obsolete. They are seen as burdensome, cumbersome, and, frankly, irrelevant to the dynamic world of real estate and smart buildings.

Every step in the certification process should be useful, productive, and relevant in its own right. The old cookie-cutter model that aims to standardize and homogenize smart buildings simply doesn't cut it anymore. Smart buildings are unique, dynamic entities, each with its own set of intricacies and challenges.

This is precisely why we find ourselves embracing a new paradigm, a shift in the way we approach smart building certification. We are charting a course that allows us to choose and mold the rules that matter most, aligning them with the ROI-driven goals of the real estate world and benchmark them against real buildings, case studies, geographies, and asset classes.

The smart building certification of the future is not a tedious checklist that must be ticked off to pass muster. It's a dynamic, adaptable framework that adds value at every stage. From planning and design to management and occupancy, each step should contribute to the building's intelligence and profitability.