It is truly a new day and a new dawn. After a period dedicated to recovery from burnout, I’ve had the invaluable space to reflect deeply on the dynamic landscape of the digital built environment. This reflection encompasses over a year of intensive engagement activities – a period that began with a pivotal workshop I ran early last year, an event which set in motion many subsequent industry discussions and was featured by Smart Buildings Magazine. All these engagements are now being catalogued on this blog, tracing a continuous thread of insight and collaboration.

I recently shared an abridged version of these reflections on LinkedIn, and the positive response reinforced the value of transparent communication about this evolving landscape. It felt important to offer my network clarity on my current focus and how recent experiences have shaped my perspective, enabling me the space for deeper thought on the path ahead.

One of the most striking observations from this period of contemplation is the burgeoning, yet increasingly unwieldy, nature of the term ‘PropTech’. What began as an encompassing umbrella now feels stretched to a point of diminished utility. Fundamentally, letting and leasing platforms operate in a vastly different sphere from technologies dedicated to maintaining buildings, enhancing operational efficiencies, or elevating the user experience for occupants. Recognising these distinct functionalities is crucial for clarity.

Similarly, within the evolving lexicon of our industry, ‘digital buildings’ stands as another term vying for definition alongside ‘autonomous,’ ‘connected,’ ‘intelligent,’ and ‘smart.’ While a definitive consensus remains elusive, I believe ‘digital buildings’ holds the potential for a crucial distinction: a primary focus on the underlying data, and the imperative that smart infrastructure must integrate seamlessly into broader digital transformation strategies.

This is a rich area, ripe for nuanced exploration.

My journey within the smart buildings space, now spanning over three years, has offered a front-row seat to a dramatic evolution in roles and responsibilities. The once poorly defined, yet crucial, Master Systems Integrator (MSI) role has proliferated into a multitude of specialisms, each urgently requiring clearer articulation. This includes the emergence of:

• Commissioning-focused Digital Main Contractors: Shaping the digital backbone during the construction phase.
• Governance-focused Master Systems Coordinators: Ensuring strategic alignment and oversight of digital initiatives.
• Smart Building Platform (SBP) providers: Often referred to as Smart Software Integrators (SSIs), blurring the lines between pure platform provision and deeper integration.
• Extended Master Systems Operators (MSO): Providing critical digital soft landings post-project completion, with the exciting potential to evolve into comprehensive Smart FM managed service providers, fundamentally enhancing building operations.

These evolving MSI roles are a direct reflection of how routes to market are undergoing profound transformation. Increasingly, platform providers are bypassing traditional specification and commissioning pathways. Instead, they are engaging clients directly, or entering the ecosystem from the operational side – particularly through Facilities Management and building services. This trend is especially pronounced and impactful in retrofitting scenarios, where existing structures demand different engagement models.

Intrinsically linked to this market shift is the growing discourse around digital soft landings, Smart FM, and the promise of autonomous maintenance. The ‘design to manage’ or ‘design for performance management’ philosophy, actively championed by larger FM players, is steadily gaining traction. External drivers, such as the widely adopted NABERS rating system and the rise of performance-related contracts for main contractors, are poised to further accelerate this essential evolution towards outcome-based thinking.

Last, but certainly not least, occupiers are undeniably emerging as a significant and powerful driver of digital adoption. As my friend Giovanna Jagger from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) recently highlighted, WELL ratings have seen monumental adoption across six billion square feet globally – a testament to the rising demand for health and wellbeing in built spaces. While quantifying the gains in productivity and employee experience can still prove challenging, the inevitable role of AI in this domain seems clear, set to further blur the lines between what constitutes a smart building and a truly smarter workspace.

This period of reflection has provided immense clarity on these evolving trends and their profound implications for the built environment. I am keen to continue this vital conversation and look forward to sharing more personal reflections on these developments as I embark on this new phase of my professional journey.