Building for requirements you don't yet know
Future-proofing isn't about predicting what's coming, but about keeping room to move when it does.
The problem with predicting
Whoever delivered a building in 2015 didn't account for daily video conferencing. Whoever delivered one in 2020 didn't account for AI in work processes. There's no reason to assume we now know what will run over the network in 2030.
Future-proof building is therefore not: guessing what's coming and dimensioning for it. It's: making sure you're not stuck if things turn out differently than expected.
Where the difference lies
- Cabling outlasts equipment. You replace a switch in an afternoon; cabling through a building, not so. Over-dimensioning there is usually wise: see fibre optic and cabling categories.
- Empty space is capacity. Empty conduits, room in the patch cabinet and margin in the server room cost little now and become unaffordable later.
- Capacity that's already full isn't capacity. A connection that's just sufficient at peak times will be too small in two years.
- Manageability is durability. A centrally managed network moves with demand. Standalone devices nobody keeps track of age quietly.
- Integration prevents gridlock. Systems that talk to each other can be replaced individually. See Smart Building technology.
Why the IT-Label assesses scalability
The audit looks not only at what a building performs today, but also at whether the infrastructure grows along with increasing load. That's a fairer measure than a promise about the future: scalability is measurable, predictions aren't.
Over-dimensioning is also a choice, not an automatic default
Building everything to the maximum is expensive and often unnecessary. If you let to tenants who build out their own environment, you're investing in facilities they'll replace anyway. The IT-Label helps determine which level suits your market: see the value of your real estate.
Valid for two years, and that's deliberate
An IT-Label certificate is valid for two years. That's short compared with a building's lifespan, and that's exactly the point: digital infrastructure ages faster than concrete. A label that lasted ten years would say nothing about the last eight of them.
After changes or upgrades, recertification can take place. That way, the label keeps making a statement about how the building stands right now. See how it works.
Is your building keeping up?
The audit assesses scalability as a separate component.
How the audit worksRelated information
Knowledge base
Background on the components the IT-Label assesses: from fibre optic and WiFi coverage to Smart Building, cybersecurity and the impact of AI on real estate.
Fibre optic in buildings
Why fibre optic forms the basis of the higher IT-Label levels, and why 'up to the building' means something different from 'into your space'.
Smart Building technology
Climate control, access control and booking systems don't make a building smart on their own. Integration does, and that's what the IT-Label assesses.
The IT-Label for property owners
Buildings increasingly compete on digital connectivity and performance. The IT-Label makes those qualities objectively measurable and comparable.