2016 Year in Review: Arie Barendrecht, WiredScore

Arie Barendrecht, WiredScore

Name and Title: Arie Barendrecht, Founder and CEO

Company Name: WiredScore

What was your most notable project, deal, transaction or professional achievement in 2016?

2016 was an incredibly productive year, as we Wired Certified many new properties for state-of-the-art connectivity and tech infrastructure. In fact, the achievement I’m most proud of is that we reached 750 certified properties, including certifying almost every property in Columbia Property Trust’s 12.3M sq ft portfolio. In New York alone, we exceeded 300 certified buildings.

One project we’re especially excited about is Hudson Yards, a redevelopment in Manhattan that will host office space, retail stores, and complex features like air quality monitoring devices. We certified 55 Hudson Yards and we look forward to continuing our work with the developers.

What project, transaction, market trend or product had the greatest impact on your industry this year?

For us, the most notable trend is the explosion of the digital economy, which continues to have a profound impact on the commercial real estate sector. Regardless of industry, companies are increasingly conducting the majority of their business online, making internet connectivity an essential utility for any office space. This trend is accelerating as millennials enter the workforce, bringing with them unprecedented digital skills and expectations.

As a result, commercial real estate developers are considering telecom infrastructure during the development process like never before. They are more aware that tenants demand state-of-the-art connectivity, or they will take their business elsewhere.

How will you be supercharging your productivity in 2017?

The WiredScore team will continue full steam ahead in 2017! We have exciting plans to launch in six new US cities and four new countries. We’ll also continue to expand the team with several new hires.

While the work itself keeps me motivated, I do find that taking a break to catch some live music in the East Village helps me stay productive. Our team also recently started volunteering for the UJA-Federation of New York. This is an important culture and team building activity that unites the team in service and allows us to use our resources to benefit the community.

What emerging trends will drive investment and development in 2017?

One trend worth noting is multi-use place making developments that will continue to attract substantial investment in 2017. Place making is the concept of taking a comprehensive approach to the development of public spaces, designing office space, retail stores, recreational space, and even residential properties all in one location. A prominent example is Industry City in Brooklyn, a former shipping area that now boasts shared office space, design workshops, retail stores, public recreation space, and more.

These developments are important in our line of work because they demand seamless technology and connectivity to fulfill their function as public gathering spaces.