“Intelligent” buildings are more efficient; they cut costs and use less energy in the long run as all systems begin to share data and adapt to factors and conditions. Sustainable infrastructure, meet the “Internet of Things”!

An intelligent building becomes a self-optimizing system. Tenants do not adapt to their new building, rather, it adapts to them. Understanding how residents use the interior space and measuring the weather outside helps the building system learn not only to react, but eventually, to anticipate. For instance, camera and motion sensor data can be connected and integrated so that heating/cooling systems can regulate temperatures when rooms are typically in use or even particularly crowded. Later, when new tenants with new habits move in, there is no need for reprogramming systems because they will automatically adapt.

The automatic regulation is based on predictions from data analysis, and benefits include reduced costs, comfortable residents, and a smaller carbon footprint.

For the details, visit GreenBiz.

WeWork creates attractive shared workspaces. The company, valued at $15 billion USD, leads the “co-working” movement. They include details in their spaces like chic interior design and craft brews (yes, both coffee and beer) that not only appeal to freelancers and startups, but also draw bigger clients who have traditionally used formal workspaces in the past. Traditional employers work side-by-side with the newer generation in the technology sector.

• While General Electric builds new headquarters in Boston, 20 employees operate in a WeWork space nearby.
• In Manhattan, KPMG takes nearly 75 WeWork desks, split between providing business services to startups and advising corporate clients on technological innovation.
• Galvanize  in San Fransisco and Centrl Office in Portland, Oregon are two more co-working spaces that both rent desks to Silicon Valley Bank. Silicon Valley likes this format, because bankers work beside tech startups who then become clients. They simply open an office door and say “Hey, we need a bank account”.

So why opt for a shared workspace? Why are they so successful?

Flexibility, for starters. Companies can easily move in and out, which means the focus can shift to business expansion rather than juggling real estate operations.

And employees seem to like the shared workspaces; offices can be located strategically to facilitate meetings conveniently. People feel empowered by opting into a workspace instead of just showing up at a designated spot, and it produces a sense of community. The chic spaces even boost recruiting.

Some companies aren’t necessarily snapping up memberships, rather, they adopt principles like  simply trading assigned desks for access to a variety of shared spaces.

Read the whole story at Bloomberg News

In our market, technology changes things at an exponential rate. To keep up, meet the current buyer standards and make sure your product is relevant in the long-term.

Concord Pacific is a trailblazer in the changing market. Their new ARC development in Vancouver is the first North American residential high-rise to offer electric car charging in every single parking stall.

Concord Pacific committed to 20% of all parking stalls in their developments being equipped with electric charging stations in a development five years ago. The success of that first project indicated a demand in the market. The City of Vancouver eventually adopted that same policy for all future condo buildings. Many investment property owners also seek to retrofit parking stalls with electric charging stations, having had potential tenants ask about it.

Read the whole story at Vancity Buzz