Who invests in a good IT-label?

Digital infrastructure in 2026 is as essential as electricity, plumbing or climate control. No modern business can function without reliable internet, sufficient bandwidth and a secure digital environment. Yet it is striking how little attention the real estate sector pays to the question: who actually invests in a good IT-label? The answer varies by property type, but the interest is always shared.

Shell spaces: shared responsibility with clear role division

In conventional, shell-leased office and commercial spaces, responsibility for digital infrastructure is divided between two parties. Both have an essential share in the building's ultimate IT-label.

The landlord is responsible for infrastructure at building level. This includes the fibre connection, sufficient capacity and scalability, multi-carrier access so tenants can choose from multiple providers, a professional technical room, vertical cable infrastructure throughout the building and the possibility of redundancy. Without this foundation, a building can never achieve a high IT-label, regardless of what the tenant invests.

The tenant invests at user level. This encompasses data cabling (Cat6/7 or higher), patch panels and racks, wifi access points, network equipment, a dedicated server room and smart applications or AI integrations. This layer determines how effectively the available building infrastructure is utilised.

"A strong building with weak internal infrastructure delivers a suboptimal result. And perfect internal IT on a weak backbone makes you vulnerable. A good IT-label is only achievable when both parties invest."

This is precisely why the IT-label looks at the complete picture. The quality of digital infrastructure is assessed at both building level and user level. Landlords who invest in a solid foundation enable tenants to get the maximum out of it, and vice versa.

Turn-key spaces: integral responsibility with the operator

In turn-key leased spaces, flex offices and managed offices, the situation is different. Here, the operator bears integral responsibility for digital infrastructure. The tenant receives a workspace that is immediately operational.

The operator provides: internet connection and capacity, redundancy, internal cabling, wifi coverage, network management, continuity and maintenance, and scalability. The tenant only needs to concern themselves with their own devices, their own software and data security, and any specific requirements.

The IT-label assesses the quality of the total concept for turn-key spaces. This makes it simpler for tenants to compare, and gives operators a way to distinguish themselves on digital quality.

Not discussion but collaboration

Whether it concerns shell or turn-key property: achieving a high IT-label is not a cost but a value-enhancing investment. For shell property, this requires shared investment. For turn-key concepts, integral responsibility from the operator.

A high IT-label delivers concrete benefits for all parties. It increases rentability, reduces operational risks, strengthens property value, makes the premises AI-proof and increases user confidence. Digital infrastructure is no longer a side issue. It is a fundamental component of property quality.

What does it deliver?

For landlords and property owners, a good IT-label means: a future-proof property, a better market position and less vacancy. Tenants increasingly seek buildings with a high digital score. Those who do not invest fall behind.

For tenants it means: business continuity, a workspace suitable for AI and data-driven work, and less operational risk. The costs of digital downtime or limitations do not outweigh the investment in good infrastructure.

"A good IT-label does not happen by accident. It comes about through deliberate collaboration between all parties involved."

Want to know how your building scores or what is needed to achieve a higher IT-label? Contact one of our IT-label Certified Partners for an independent assessment.