Jason and AK wrap up an action-packed year of travel, customer workshops, and real estate events with a relaxed, guest-free conversation—and a couple pours of Penelope whiskey to stay on brand.

The episode opens with AK’s Penelope Cigar Series old fashioned (torched orange + maple syrup), and Jason uncorks a Penelope “F-Cancer” collaboration bottle—smooth, complex, and freezer-ready thanks to its higher proof.

After 12 guest interviews this season, the hosts reflect on a heavy conference cadence: Realcomm in Savannah, Partner Summit, Panduit GSIC, and Cisco Live Melbourne. They highlight a growing demand from owners, landlords, and tenants for real occupancy intelligence—a shift from buzzwords to practical, data-driven planning.

Organizations want clearer insight into how space is truly used. Wi-Fi telemetry, AI-enabled cameras, and collaboration tools are becoming mainstream inputs for workplace design.

Most enterprises now average 3–5 in-office days, especially in Class A markets. Hybrid remains, but the “magnet vs. mandate” era is fading.

A standout theme: agentic AI. The next wave of buildings must support human teams and digital/robotic agents—requiring higher Wi-Fi density, precision indoor location, and unified data across systems.

With electricity demand spiking due to AI data centers, energy optimization is becoming central. HVAC still drives ~60% of building consumption. Tenants increasingly want dynamic “eco modes” tied to occupancy, even when constrained by base-building systems.

Fault-Managed Power (Class 4) awareness has exploded—over 80% of integrators at GSIC recognized it—showing how energy-efficient, low-voltage infrastructure is going mainstream. Partner ecosystems are also evolving, with more firms building real estate practices alongside IT.

One major takeaway from global customer visits: surveillance, workplace tech, access control, and IT teams finally see the value of sharing data. These unified insights drive smarter design decisions and stronger outcomes.

Jason and AK wrap with gratitude for the community, excitement for what’s next, and a toast to a strong close to the year. Follow the show for upcoming episodes and deeper dives into future-proof workplace design.