Hines invests in digital ecosystem to enhance workplace experience, connectivity

Hines, the real estate investment, development, and property management firm, is embarking on an ambitious digital journey 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 utilisation and client satisfaction.

New Hines app

Centering around employee experience, 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. The digital platform also gives clients and investors a dashboard with insights into building performance and satisfaction via occupancy data, employee satisfaction surveys and ESG metrics.

Digital platform gives clients and investors a dashboard with insights into building performance

The new technology is being launched this fall at eight buildings across five cities: Salesforce Tower Chicago; 1144 Fifteenth Street in Denver; 717 Texas in Houston; The Kearns Building in Salt Lake City; CIBC SQUARE, T3 Bayside and two buildings at T3 Sterling Road in Toronto, Canada. Hines plans to add more locations across its global portfolio.

New digital ecosystem

"We’re committed to a people-centric experience and this investment takes that commitment to the next level,” said Ilene Goldfine, chief digital strategy officer at Hines.

She adds, “The traditional systems were managed building by building and made it difficult or impossible to track performance across a portfolio. This new digital ecosystem, which unites back-end technology with front-end experiences, will deliver long-term cost savings to our investors and clients. 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.”

Integrated digital ecosystem

With research showing that a good building experience can increase tenant retention by 20% and owners seeing 12% higher tenant demand for a diverse roster of amenities, this investment makes it easier and faster for people in Hines office buildings to get the most out of their experience in one place.

Clients will benefit from the integration of technology to reserve workspaces, collaborative areas

Clients will benefit from the integration of technology to reserve workspaces, collaborative areas, and relaxation spaces in their buildings to connect with other business leaders, meet with colleagues and thrive in spaces that align with their work and life. The integrated digital ecosystem utilises real-time building data to create insights and analytics that will drive enhanced decision-making on space and amenity utilisation, energy optimisation and other areas of efficiency. The data is anonymised to protect user identities and has enhanced cyber security.

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"Imagine having your building portfolio in the palm of your hand,” said Jeannie Schneider, chief technology officer at Hines.

He adds, “Our clients are sophisticated users looking for access and connectivity any time and any place. Our smart building integration layer allows Hines clients to access commonly requested building information and see their Hines portfolio performance at a glance."