WiredScore launches in Birmingham

WiredScore has launched in Birmingham, securing commitments for Wired certification on more than 3m sq ft of office space in the city. Landlords who have signed up to the benchmark include Ardstone, Ashby Capital, Ballymore, BlackRock, Calthorpe Estates, CEG, Hermes, Hines, LaSalle, LCR, Legal & General, M&G Real Estate, Oval Real Estate, Paloma Capital, Patrizia, and Sterling Property Ventures. WiredScore research shows that 97% of business leaders in Birmingham consider connectivity to be more important than price, location and environmental friendliness when looking at new office space. And 88% of those surveyed said internet connectivity should be provided as a priority, and maintained by the landlord of their office building. Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported connectivity problems at least once a month, and 42% experienced problems at least once a week, leading to decreases in productivity and tension in the workplace. More than 40% of business leaders said bad connectivity hit revenue and sales. William Newton, president and EMEA managing director at WiredScore, said: “We have certainly seen, and continue to see, a shift towards the obligation being placed on landlords to provide strong connectivity in their buildings.  “In order to remain competitive, business leaders need the guarantee that their office space has the ability to meet their technological requirements with the right infrastructure in place.  “Birmingham represents the next natural step for us in our UK expansion. As England’s second city it is a significant market for the national economy. This has become even more apparent given the demand from decision makers for connectivity in the city.” To send feedback, e-mail louise.dransfield@egi.co.uk or tweet @DransfieldL or @estatesgazette