Lambent Spaces

With rising real estate costs and higher borrowing costs, the significance of efficient space management cannot be overstated. The way people work and collaborate in the hybrid world is driving a paradigm shift in the way we use space and the types of spaces that make people most successful.

Before the full-scale adoption of hybrid and remote work, growing corporate campus footprints were a sign of pride and success. But in 2024, smart real estate leaders and finance leaders are evaluating their office footprints against a new set of metrics based on efficiency and adaptability. And to do that , they need a new form of analytics which provides a deeper analysis of when and how space is actually used.

AI-powered “occupancy analytics” offer real estate and space management professionals an entirely new way to understand space usage and utilization. It helps space planners forecast usage to inform investment decisions, manage global footprints cost effectively, optimize space for hybrid use and collaboration, and balance sustainability goals against new build outs.

Despite these substantial advantages, “occupancy analytics” is still relatively new for many organizations. In addition to demonstrating the clear ROI available, potential users must also address concerns and myths about infrastructure costs, data accuracy and employee privacy. As one of the early leaders in the occupancy analytics space, we’ve had the opportunity to be part of many of these conversations. Here are five themes that can help executives better understand how these new technologies will drive business value:

1. Cost Savings and Operations
With increasing financial constraints, businesses must optimize every aspect of their operations. Occupancy analytics offer invaluable insights into space utilization trends, identifying underutilized areas and optimizing them for better functionality. Emphasize the ability of these solutions to prevent wasted space and resources, and provide substantial cost savings.

2. Data-Driven Space Planning
Appeal to the analytical mindset of leadership by demonstrating how occupancy analytics provide actionable data for informed decision-making. This is an opportunity to open discussions across your organization about how real-time occupancy data helps align space usage with organizational goals. Present case studies and success stories from other businesses or institutions (see Occupancy Analytics in Action below). Highlighting concrete examples can instill confidence in the effectiveness of these tools, making it easier for leaders to embrace the change.

3. Employee Well-Being and Data Privacy
Research shows that well-designed, optimized spaces enhance creativity, collaboration, and overall satisfaction. Discuss how data-driven space planning can create environments that promote well-being, reduce stress and improve the overall experience and productivity of occupants. This focus on the human aspect can resonate deeply with leaders, showcasing your commitment to fostering positive work environments for employees. Proper occupancy analytics solutions also collect data anonymously so there are no issues with employee privacy.

4. Scalability and Future-Proof Real Estate Utilization
Executives rightfully worry about investing in rip-and-replace technology solutions that can become obsolete. Occupancy analytics systems leverage cloud infrastructure and existing Wi-Fi systems making them highly scalable and adaptable. They can evolve with the business, accommodating changing needs and trends. Highlight their flexibility, emphasizing their ability to integrate with a variety of technologies including IWMs systems, room reservations and scheduling systems, and facilities management tools. This adaptability is key to future-proofing your business against unforeseen challenges and changing spatial requirements.

5. Stakeholders and Data Champions
Occupancy analytics benefit a wide array of stakeholders in the organization, e.g., those responsible for facilities management, real estate planning, HVAC, maintenance, sustainability, compliance, and HR. It’s important to understand the potential “customers” of your occupancy data and how it can help them achieve their goals. For example, HR teams have a vested interest in facilities development as it pertains to attracting and retaining talent, or achieving and validating return-to-work mandates. They may also need to report office engagement to senior management teams. HVAC teams can leverage actual utilization rates to adjust heating and cooling settings that can overtime impact ESG goals.

Occupancy Analytics in Action

Occupancy analytics drives substantial value for organizations. Three examples:
● Avoiding Cost through Lab Optimization – A large midwestern university used Lambent Spaces’s occupancy analytics platform to better understand usage patterns in its lab spaces. As a result, they were able to consolidate some existing labs and hold other lab coursework in a virtual format. This saved the school $2 million in new space leases, and generated more topline research revenue via grant proposals from higher utilization of the lab spaces.
● Optimizing Operating Hours and Maintenance Schedules – Another university utilized occupancy analytics to understand how their main library was being used after “peak” hours. Contrary to expectations, analysis showed peak usage to be between 9 PM – 2 AM. As a result, the school was able to optimize library staffing and shift night cleaning crews to regular working hours, saving overtime expenses and providing daily operational savings.
● Departmental Usage and Redesign – As buildings age and departments receive funding to build new structures, space planners have to make significant allocation decisions to account for lost space. For one organization, this meant a new lease and renovations to the space to make it usable. Using occupancy analytics, the organization was able to identify highly under-utilized spaces, avoiding $1 million for a new lease and $250,000 in buildout expenses that could be applied to renovating existing spaces.

Occupancy analytics and space planning software are helping real estate, facilities and space planning professionals surface powerful insights for decisions related to utilization, workplace experiences, planning, scheduling, and maintenance. The software is a highly efficient and effective alternative to capital-intensive and intrusive solutions such as sensors and works with existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to get users up and running fast while driving big cost reductions. The software delivers actionable intelligence to help users understand true utilization over time, and make lease renewal and facility budget decisions with hard data.

For more information on occupancy analytics, visit https://lambentspaces.com/.

About the Author
Richard Scannell
CEO, Lambent Spaces
As CEO at Lambent Spaces, Richard Scannell oversees Lambent Spaces’ overall operations, including business synergies, organizational structure, and company growth. He has experience successfully managing companies through every different stage of their growth. Most recently he led the North American operations of Login VSI as General Manager. Prior to that, Scannell was President and CEO at RiverMeadow Software. He also co-founded Glasshouse Technologies, a global provider of independent data center consulting and managed services.