Giving walls a memory to optimise traffic flow and transform the working experience

Expert

• Why? To move from amnesia to anticipation.

The very concept of the workplace has been redefined (A. Ancillo et al., 2023). With average occupancy rates in Europe often below 50% since the widespread adoption of remote working, the challenge is no longer simply to measure, but to make sense of the data to optimise an underutilised asset in a hybrid working environment that requires proactive management (Behera et al., 2024).

- An economic and ecological imperative: In 2024, workspaces cost an average of €11,051 per workstation (Buzzy Ratios 2025). At the same time, the race to decarbonise real estate assets is underway. Giving a building a ‘memory’ – the ability to anticipate occupancy – has become a key lever for reducing these costs and aligning operational performance with sustainability goals.

- An organisational and human lever: Beyond the figures, it is about addressing the challenges of experience and well-being. The design of the space directly influences hybrid working patterns and employee satisfaction (Kumari et al. 2024).

 

• How? The tools to build this predictive memory

For a building to ‘remember’ and ‘think’, we build its intelligence on two pillars:

Data, its five senses: sources of raw memories.

The analysis of generated data (occupancy, bookings, air quality) facilitates real-time monitoring and forms the raw material of our model (E. Ndaguba & C. Arukwe, 2024).

AI models: its capacity for reasoning and learning.

Using advanced machine learning techniques to structure this memory. Developing and refining hybrid predictive models capable of integrating multiple and heterogeneous data sources to extract complex patterns and calculate future occupancy probabilities with high accuracy.

In practical terms, the system learns and deduces: “Historical (memory) and contextual (calendar, weather) data are processed by the model. It identifies that, although a peak is usual on Tuesday mornings, the combination of a long weekend and an exceptional event will drastically reduce footfall. It alerts to an anticipated drop in footfall and therefore suggests a sharing of spaces”.

 

Conclusion: Towards a smart and responsive property portfolio

This work aims not only to create algorithms, but to give the buildings a ‘memory’ for predictive rather than reactive management, addressing the current challenges identified by recent research.

The impact is threefold: economic optimisation in the face of rising costs, an active contribution to the decarbonisation strategy, and a qualitative improvement in the employee experience through adaptive spaces. Ultimately, it is predictive dashboards that will give managers the necessary head start to manage real estate as a dynamic, efficient and deeply human asset.

 

Bibliography

[1] X. Baron (2011). Rethinking the space and time of intellectual work. L'Expansion Management Review.

[2] A. Ancillo, S. Gavrila, M. Nunez (2023). Workplace change within the COVID-19 context: The new (next) normal. Technological Forecasting & Social Change.

[3] Behera, T.K., Dave, D.M. (2024). From Reactive to Proactive: Predicting and Optimising Performance for Competitive Advantage. In: Mishra, A., El Barachi, M., Kumar, M. (eds) Transforming Industry using Digital Twin Technology. Springer.

[4] Buzzy Ratios (2025) – Workplace Ratios, IDET.

[5] Kumari, S., Shukla, B., & Mishra, P. (2024). Hybrid workplace, work engagement, performance and happiness: A model for optimising productivity. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(1), 2025012. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025012

[6] E. Ndaguba & C. Arukwe (2024). Chapter 7 - Ecosystem of smart spaces: An overview review. In Smart Spaces. P. 139-166. ISBN: 978-0-443-13462-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13462-3.00010-8

Release date: March 2026