IT-Label: one ecosystem for digital quality in the real estate chain

When you view an office, you see the facade, the lift, the window frames and the energy label. What you do not see may be the most important part: how the building is connected to the outside world, how the cables run, who has access to the server room and whether the installations are connected to the network securely. Yet it is exactly this digital infrastructure that increasingly determines whether a building works for the people inside it.

That is why the IT-Label exists. Not as a stand-alone certificate, but as an ecosystem for the entire real estate chain. In this article, we explain what we mean by that, what we stand for, and how you can take part.

What is an ecosystem for the real estate chain?

In the real estate chain, many parties work on the same building, but rarely with the same information. The developer thinks in terms of delivery, the investor in terms of value, the real estate agent in terms of lettability, the installer in terms of technology and the tenant in terms of their own business operations. The digital infrastructure often falls in between. Nobody oversees the whole picture, so nobody knows exactly what is there.

The IT-Label brings these parties together around one shared foundation:

• One method. Every building is assessed in the same way, according to the IT-Label methodology. A level in Rotterdam means the same as a level in Groningen.
• One language. Six delivery levels, from IT5 SHELL to IT1+ PREMIUM, that everyone in the chain understands.
• One register. Certified buildings are listed in a public register, so anyone can check the level themselves.
• A network of people. Certified Partners carry out the inspections, trained through the IT-Label Academy. The independent knowledge collective safeguards the method and keeps it up to date.

The result is an ecosystem in which owners, tenants, real estate agents, developers, installers, IT partners and inspectors understand each other. That is its strength: not one party with an opinion, but a chain that works with the same facts.

How do you make the digital infrastructure of a building visible?

When you buy or rent a building, a lot is on record: the floor area, the state of maintenance, the energy label. Usually, little is known about the digital side. Is there fibre, and how far does it reach? Is there a second connection if the first one fails? Are the server room and cable shafts locked? Is the wifi separated for guests and users?

The IT-Label makes this visible. With an IT-Label Pre-inspection, you quickly get a first indication of the digital delivery level. With a certification, the level is established, measured under real conditions. And with Find your IT-Label, anyone can look up certified buildings by address. What used to be hidden above ceilings and in basements becomes information you can act on.

What you cannot see, you cannot improve. That is why everything starts with visibility.

How do you make a building smarter?

A smart building is more than sensors and an app. Climate control, lighting, access, charging points and energy management only work well when the foundation is right: a reliable connection, good cabling, sufficient capacity and systems that can talk to each other. Without that foundation, a smart building remains a promise.

That is why the IT-Label looks not only at what is there now, but also at what can grow. Is the infrastructure scalable? Can the building systems be connected, using open protocols? Can smart functions be separated per tenant? In this way, we help owners invest in a targeted way, and help tenants know what they can expect. Read more in why IT infrastructure is the foundation of a smart building.

Building cybersecurity: safer for tenants and landlords

The more systems are connected to the network, the more important security becomes. Recent events showed this again: in France, the refrigeration systems of hundreds of supermarkets were taken over remotely, and in the Netherlands, the systems of Albert Heijn were down for days. In from cold store to server room, we described what building owners can learn from this.

Security starts with the basics of the building. A locked server room, separated networks, no open wifi and installations that cannot simply be reached from outside. That is good for the tenant, who wants to protect their business operations and data. And it is good for the landlord, who wants to offer a reliable building and increasingly deals with tenants who fall under the Cyber Security Act.

The IT-Label also helps to make responsibilities clear. Who manages what, and who is accountable if something goes wrong? That is exactly where most risks arise. Also read who is responsible for the IT infrastructure?

Why is transparency our starting point?

A standard is only worth something if others can verify it. That is why transparency is central to everything we do:

• Independent. The outcome depends on the building, not on who commissioned the inspection or who came to look.
• A fixed method. Every inspector works according to the same method and records what the level is based on.
• Publicly verifiable. Certified buildings are listed in a public register. Certified inspectors can also be checked in the register of inspectors.
• No rejection. The IT-Label describes what is delivered. A lower level is not a judgement, but an honest picture that everyone in the chain can build on.

Call to action: join the knowledge collective

The IT-Label is supported by an independent knowledge collective: professionals from real estate and IT who pool their knowledge. They write and test the method, and keep it up to date when technology, legislation or the market changes.

We are looking for specialists from across the entire real estate chain who want to help build it. For example:

• property owners, investors and asset managers;
• real estate agents and valuers;
• developers and builders;
• installers, IT architects and network specialists;
• facility managers and technical managers;
• lawyers, consultants and cybersecurity specialists.

What you contribute is your practical experience: where do things go wrong between expectation and delivery, and what would make the difference? What you gain is a seat at the table of the standard for digital quality in real estate, a network of peers and knowledge you can apply immediately.

Sign up for the knowledge collective

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Frequently asked questions

What is the IT-Label?

The IT-Label is the independent standard for the digital infrastructure of real estate. In six levels, from IT5 SHELL to IT1+ PREMIUM, it describes how digitally ready a building is. Read more at what is the IT-Label?

Who is the IT-Label for?

For everyone in the real estate chain: owners and investors, tenants, real estate agents, developers, facility managers and IT partners. See also who it is for.

Who can join the knowledge collective?

Professionals with practical experience in real estate, construction, building services or IT who want to contribute to better digital quality in buildings. Signing up is without obligation. After you sign up, we will contact you for an introductory conversation.

How do I stay informed about events and meetings?

Subscribe to the newsletter. You will then receive the latest news about the IT-Label, new knowledge articles and invitations to events and meetings.

Partners also help each other in practice, in the new Knowledge Community. Read how the Knowledge Community works.