What a year!
As we look back and reflect on 2022 it is with wonder for how much can happen in a year. The saying goes, ‘we overestimate what we can do in a year and we underestimate what we can do in a decade’. As much as this sentence resonates, it also doesn’t capture how much can actually happen in a year. In the last few, so much has changed. Covid has changed the way we do work. What a concept: it is possible to do work from wherever and also whenever one is able.
2022 was also very complex, bringing a convergence of crises, each becoming devastatingly clear with their unique set of challenges: energy, economic, and environmental. Unfortunately it requires a war for people to truly take note, and sadly it is only when it hits our pockets that we start to take action. But challenging times make for strong people, and now is the time to show how strong, resilient, and truly remarkable we can be through our actions.
Leadership in business and in real estate is being asked to rethink work, rethink productivity, and somehow neutralize the tension between ALL of the stakeholders that have something to say about it. So how about in 2023 we help leaders in business do just that. Smart Buildings give us data, researchers are able to disseminate that data and spread insight. The more we study, the stronger our conclusions become and fact-based conclusions can lead to better financial and human results.
So here are some hypotheses to shape our research about the future of real estate:
Productivity is higher for focused work in a quiet and inspiring place
People need a place to socialize and collaborate
Serendipity is a powerful instigator for innovation
Innovation can suffer when people are not together
Real estate can be more profitable than ever before
Energy and other costs can be reduced