Essential tech for real estate: WiredScore

October 2015

WiredScore are based in New York but set to be a feature on the UK property scene shortly. And a good thing to, because what they do is allow a property owner to demonstrate that their building is fit for purpose in a digital world. Their Wired Certification is a program launched by Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation that identifies and certifies buildings with the fastest and most reliable internet connections. They are building a similar relationship with the Mayor of London.

They perform in depth analysis of a properties connectivity with three key attributes in mind; absolute connectivity, infrastructure and readiness to improve. And simply put, the higher you score the more suitable, at a base level, the building is for technologically savvy occupiers.

As mentioned opposite, a doctored image has been doing the rounds on the internet that shows Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs with an additional layer at the bottom entitled ‘Wifi’. To much approval, as anyone who works in tech is stymied by anything other than great Wifi.

I hear it asked often ‘what on earth would you do with gigabit broadband?’ – well, lots of things you cannot imagine now. Just like you couldn’t imagine email on your phone in 1990, or streaming House of Cards in 2005, or following driving directions on your smartphone. The simple point is that broadband is the great enabler. Wallis Simpson once quipped “You can’t be too rich or too thin.” – well today she would have added “or have too much broadband”.

WiredScore will help you find it. Good luck to them.

Antony

First published in Estates Gazette 10th October 2015