Following Canadian Expansion, WiredScore Publishes Guidelines To Help Developers Future-Proof Office Properties
WiredScore, which launched Toronto as the company's first Canadian flagship market in October, is now expanding Wired Certification throughout Canada.
Fourteen property owners and developers across the country have led the Canadian market with 75 office assets that have either become Wired Certified or are undergoing the certification process in Canada's three largest markets for commercial real estate: Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Notable developments include Ivanhoé Cambridge and Manulife’s Maison Manuvie and Broccolini’s 700 Saint-Jacques St. in Montreal; Menkes Development’s One York St. and Caterra’s 65 King East in Toronto; and GWL Realty Advisors’ Vancouver Centre II in Vancouver.
As part of the company’s national expansion, WiredScore released “Wired Certification Guidelines for Commercial Developments and Redevelopments: Canada” earlier this month. The handbook is designed to be used by architects, engineers and developers during the design and construction phases of a commercial office development or redevelopment.
“WiredScore’s engineers have developed these guidelines as a free resource that will bring technology to the forefront of the design process,” WiredScore Founder and CEO Arie Barendrecht said. “Technology has never been more important to office tenants than it is today and by providing invaluable insights into how to optimally design for reliable connectivity, mobile enhancement planning, electrical resiliency and flexibility to adopt new building technologies, we are helping Canadian developers design future-proofed office assets.”
The guidelines will simplify and bring technology to the forefront of the design process, ensuring that office properties meet the current and future technology demands of tenants.
“Smith + Andersen works with clients across Canada to support the design of best-in-class spaces, including the most exciting and innovative commercial spaces in the country," Smith + Andersen Principal Langdon Baker said. "By recognizing telecommunication pathway and space designs that follow design best practices and industry standards, the 'Wired Certification Guidelines for Commercial Developments and Redevelopments' provide a framework to support the next phase of digital infrastructure. Wired Certification sets a benchmark for consistency across commercial developments, supporting the creation of truly connected spaces for tenants and aiding landlords and developers in showcasing their investments.”
The guidelines consist of eight sections that outline standards and best practices related to the underlying infrastructure supporting the connectivity of an office property. These sections include planning for points of entry, telecom rooms, risers, in-building mobile coverage and electrical resiliency.
“Tech Readiness” is one such section dedicated to ensuring that developments have the foundational infrastructure to adapt to evolving technologies such as 5G cellular connectivity, the Internet of Things and intelligent building innovations. One component of this section is the installation of a fibre backbone cable. A fibre backbone can be the foundation for intelligent building implementation by providing network connectivity to each floor and can enable the building to adapt to future technological advancements.
Fibre backbones will also help buildings prepare for the rollout of 5G technology. With 5G on the horizon poised to increase cellular speeds to 10 gigabytes per second and enable lower latency connections, buildings will need denser fibre networks to meet the increase in demand.
Wired Certification guidelines advise developers to plan for the upcoming change to the cellular industry.
WiredScore developed the guidelines based on an evaluation of over 1,500 commercial office buildings across North America and Europe and with input from the WiredScore Connectivity Advisory Committee, a group of thought leaders from the CRE, technology and telecommunications industries.
This feature was produced in collaboration between Bisnow Branded Content and WiredScore. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
