This issue of EG is dedicated to technology. How does that make you feel? It’s a serious question. Your reaction is likely to be a pretty accurate representation of how prepared you are for the exponential, inevitable changes that real estate is facing and will continue to face.
If you are raring to go, and itching to read the content we have pulled together on this subject then that’s great. Enjoy. If, on the other hand, you feel unaffected, uninspired or – most concerning of all – uninterested by the prospect, trust me when I say that this issue of EG is one you can’t afford to miss. If you have already switched off or mentally checked out, then there really is very little more I can do for you other than wish you the best of luck. Because you are going to need it. Change is coming. Just turn to page 36 and read through some of the key lessons to come out of Mipim PropTech New York last month if you need convincing.
Embracing technology is no longer the sign of a ‘forward-thinking real estate company’. It is no longer an admirable string to a bow. It is a hard and fast, non-negotiable necessity. Consider for a minute the fact that, as of this summer, JLL has two former Silicon Valley investors with absolutely zero formal training in real estate sitting on its global executive board. That is how seriously the biggest property companies in the world are taking technology. And with good reason. From the way people live, work and play to how the sector works, designs and develops, technology is at the heart of anything that will truly stand the test of time.
That’s not to say it is an easy subject to get to grips with. Quite the opposite and there is a good chance that, more often than not, dismissal of tech stems from a lack of knowledge rather than an intrinsic lack of interest. I mean, we are all interested in tech really, aren’t we? And unless there is anybody reading this who does not own a computer and a mobile phone, I stand firmly by that assertion. But there is no denying that when it comes to integrating technology into how the real estate sector works more broadly, things get complicated. A plethora of start-ups, commentators and bright ideas makes for a lot of noise and can turn embracing technology into an overwhelming prospect.
This is precisely why we have put together this special issue of over 24 pages of analysis bringing you news and insight from here in the UK and overseas. From how we need to urgently address data ethics issues (p33) and what Sidewalk Labs has done to deal with “robust public debate” around privacy (p40) to the 10 people in tech you should add to your contacts book in 2020 (p34), this content has been designed to inform and inspire. And if it’s inspiration you are after, make sure you turn to page 21 for our interview with Great Portland Estates and Bosch on how an informal landlord/occupier collaboration has seen a traditional developer learn from a tech tenant to technologically update its entire London portfolio.
Of course, it would be impossible to shoehorn all of the information you need into a single issue. But fear not because help is at hand. EG has joined forces with Mipim Proptech to launch Halo, a new community anchored by a digital platform (www.egi.co.uk/halo). Keep an eye out for new features and development in 2020 and, in the interim, this is where you can go for the latest news, analysis, comments and events in and around technology in real estate.
Technology is inspiring, exciting, innovative, but it is also a serious business that won’t wait for apathy.
To send feedback, e-mail emily.wright@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmilyW_9 or @estatesgazette
