At the 2007 Realcomm Conference in Boston, I interviewed more than 60 of the smartest people in the real estate industry over a two day period. I captured their insights and experience on how technology is affecting the commercial real estate industry.

What differentiates Akridge is that they are an innovative company that’s not afraid to try and implement new technologies to make their buildings energy efficient, green and smart. Tommy Russo also discusses their first and unprecedented implementation of a full coverage, neutral host in building wireless solutions in multi-tenant building and a host of other technological innovations.

The company was the first to build and implement a web-based solution in 1999 and today is the leading innovator in the lease administration industry. While paper may not completely go away, there is a movement to automation and accessibility of systems like AMT Director. Currently, they are expanding to international capabilities which will be available by end of year. To stay cutting edge, future innovations will be to add modules and expand portfolio and evolve to better serve their clients’ needs.

Today's energy issues, combined with new developments in technology, are affecting the commercial real estate sector very fast. There is already a tremendous push to accelerate energy efficiency by retrofitting existing structures. For new buildings, codes are changing rapidly and also accommodate green content . There is a good adoption rate from construction companies, developers and users as they recognize the financial benefits.

Mike Praeger notes that there has been an evolution in the last five years with real estate companies following other industries and getting comfortable with software as a service. The innovations are twofold: it is within the business process and automating it in a web based service environment and how quickly more people are adopting the service.

Boston Properties showcases their command center as an excellent example on how they are integrating technology and using new services coming online to manage their massive portfolios and add value to their properties. He also comments on the intelligent building for the future and why integration will be key. With hard materials changing, he believes that the ability to wire buildings to tie-in more services on IP protocol is what’s next.

With emerging technology, you are always trying to get a competitive edge, increase ROI, get the next investor, etc. The owners who get it are those who understand that they can get value with a limited investment in technology. This allows them to do more things efficiently and put them ahead of the curve. A peek into what BPG is doing next is also discussed.

A discussion on how as an immature user of IT, Brookfield faces numerous challenges to think of IT as an enabler and how the company can prioritize investing in IT. This momentum was increased with a recent acquisition that doubled the size of the company and how they are standardizing the information exchange.

One of the early adapters of OSCRE discusses the benefits of embracing this technology. Primarily it saves a lot of time for the busy executive. Instead of sitting in various meetings with different organizations, OSCRE rolls up the discussion in one group. The adaption and creation of well defined standards that actually works allows CBRE to drive integration, increase transparency that can invite a high level of investment and eliminate inefficiencies. While this technology benefits their competitors, it really benefits the entire industry.

At the 2007 Realcomm Conference in Boston, I interviewed more than 60 of the smartest people in the real estate industry over a two day period. I captured their insights and experience on how technology is affecting the commercial real estate industry.