One might be forgiven for believing that the value proposition of smart building technology has already won its case. After all, who doesn’t want a workplace that’s more efficient, sustainable, and responsive? Yet, large corporate occupiers still find themselves staring blankly at dashboards brimming with data, wondering how exactly this aligns with their ESG reporting, lease negotiations, or even employee engagement strategies.
The issue isn’t that smart buildings aren’t smart enough, rather, my hypothesis is that corporate occupiers and their designers have underestimated the complexities of integrating building-generated insights into core business processes. Simply put, designers often lack the requisite skills to guide enterprise IT departments in turning smart building intelligence into tangible, operational value.
It’s a little like buying a Ferrari and then realising you haven’t learned to drive a manual. This creates capabilities that are expensive, flashy, but ultimately ineffective without the right skills behind the wheel. Smart buildings produce enormous quantities of data (energy usage, occupancy rates, indoor air quality metrics) but unless this data translates directly into operational actions like lease renewals or ESG reporting, it remains a mere collection of fascinating numbers.
Enterprise agility, a concept borrowed from IT, might just be the missing link. It champions flexibility, rapid adaptability, and most importantly, ensures smart building insights don’t merely reside on read-only dashboards. Instead, data permeates daily business decisions through iterative, continuous improvement processes.
For example, occupancy sensors have become commonplace, intended to inform real estate strategies. However, without agile structures that enable data to seamlessly integrate with portfolio management processes, these sensors remain underutilised. The gap is not just technological but organisational. How well companies manage data depends entirely on how agilely their people, processes, and structures adapt.
Adopting enterprise agility involves transitioning from traditional project management to product management approaches. It means seeing smart building technology not as a one-off implementation, but as a continuously evolving product that delivers ongoing value. This product-centric mindset helps shift organisations from rigid, project-bound thinking toward iterative, customer-centric processes, crucial for realising smart technology’s full potential.
Architecturally (technology, that is), this agility translates into modular, scalable designs aligned closely with core business capabilities and value streams. This ensures that when a smart building system generates data, it flows directly into operational tools – whether that’s a sustainability reporting platform, a workspace allocation tool, or a lease management system – without manual intervention or fragmented integrations.
The hopeful part? Enterprise agility isn’t just theoretical. It’s a practical achievable shift. Organisations must foster cross-functional teams, integrate continuous feedback loops, and encourage iterative processes. By embedding these agile principles into their structure, companies can rapidly adapt their strategies and processes to leverage smart building data effectively.
Designers, facility managers, and IT departments must collaborate closely from the earliest stages, aligning the smart building’s technological capabilities directly with strategic business outcomes. The technology itself is already transformative, but the real revolution occurs when we stop just gathering data and start embedding actionable intelligence into corporate DNA. You can see my first-version of the model on how to do this in the Corporate Real Estate Journal or on an extract on the JLL website.
So next time you gaze at your building’s sleek digital dashboard, ask yourself: “Are we agile enough to drive this Ferrari?” If the answer is uncertain, it might be time to invest not just in the vehicle, but in driving lessons too.
In Dr Marson’s monthly column, he’ll be chronicling his thoughts and opinions on the latest developments, trends, and challenges in the Smart Buildings industry and the wider world of construction. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, you’re sure to find something of interest here.
Something to share? Contact the author: column@matthewmarson.com
About the author:
Matthew Marson is an experienced leader, working at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and the built environment. He was recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as Young Engineer of the Year for his contributions to the global Smart Buildings industry. Having worked on some of the world’s leading smart buildings and cities projects, Matthew is a keynote speaker at international industry events related to emerging technology, net zero design and lessons from projects. He is author of The Smart Building Advantage and is published in a variety of journals, earning a doctorate in Smart Buildings.
available to read at: https://smartbuildingsmagazine.com/features/read-only-buildings-when-smart-isnt-smart-enough