Hines to Roll Out New Building Digital Framework at Eight Properties

Global real estate investment, development, and property management firm Hines announced that it has been developing digital technology “to unite the technology that connects property operations, amenities, services and building automation to enhance the workplace experience.” 

“Hines is investing in a new digital ecosystem that makes it easier to access buildings, amenities and experiences while generating more in-depth insights about building utilization and client satisfaction,” it continued.

The platform gives users the ability to access the building via a mobile pass on their smartphones or smartwatches, book meeting and event spaces or desks, order food at cafes and restaurants, reserve on-site fitness classes, receive information about the building and events and more via a new Hines app, according to the company. It also gives clients and investors a dashboard with insights into building performance and satisfaction via occupancy data, employee satisfaction surveys and ESG metrics.

That is an extremely ambitious agenda, and it sounds as though the company is designing and building a system in-house from the ground up, rather than using commercially-available packages that might provide a significant portion of the features they’re looking for. Hines did not respond to a GlobeSt.com question by publication time to clarify the statements.

Hines says that it will launch the new system in the fall at eight buildings in five cities: Salesforce Tower in Chicago; 1144 15th Street in Denver; 717 Texas Ave in Houston; the Kearns Building in Salt Lake City; CIBC Square, T3 Bayside and two buildings at T3 Sterling Road in Toronto, Canada. The firm “plans to add more locations across its global portfolio,” though there were no details about where or when this might happen.

“This new digital ecosystem, which unites back-end technology with front-end experiences, will deliver long-term cost savings to our investors and clients,” says Ilene Goldfine, chief digital strategy officer at Hines, said in prepared remarks. “Our clients will also be able to track employee satisfaction, make informed decisions about their space needs and ensure they’re monitoring their carbon targets.”

At some point, the system would seem to need building-level tracking for operational, reporting, and other needs. But they could be rolled up for a portfolio analysis.