Buro Happold hosted a series of masterclasses across the UK that equipped asset managers and the wider built environment with the insight and strategies needed to unlock value, improve performance and future-proof assets.

Our recent event series, hosted by Phillip Barnett and Alex Hollyman, Associate Directors at Buro Happold, brought together asset managers from a variety of backgrounds including higher education, arts & culture and civil services, to explore how strategic retrofitting can unlock value, improve building performance, and ensure long-term resilience. The team demonstrated practical steps for assessing existing assets, planning investments and aligning capital expenditure with sustainability initiatives and business priorities.

The Q&A sparked a dynamic conversation around digital transformation and operational challenges. Delegates debated how best to protect and future-proof asset data in the face of rapid technological change, including the growing need for cybersecurity within estates portfolios. This included also overcoming gaps in building information to secure stakeholder buy-in and make informed decisions.

Delegates then explored key considerations when planning for digital building technologies and how narratives have shifted over the past year, particularly in how estates teams communicate operational realities to senior leadership.

Old Foundations, New Futures: Strategic Investment through Retrofitting

WHAT DID WE LEARN?

1. Keep your data accurate

The importance of having a dedicated knowledge manager to maintain and update your asset data regularly is essential for accuracy and reliability.

2. Human judgement matters

Effective asset management requires confident interpretation of data using wider context and nuance. This is something that AI and machine learning can’t predict when making strategic but practical financial decisions.

3. Review data, refine strategy

Regular reviews of captured data will help to identify gaps in your investment strategies, validate assumptions and help you to prioritise spending where it delivers the most impact.

Want to explore these topics further? Connect with our team to discuss how these insights can apply to your portfolio.