Green Buildings, another MIDLEPRISE pain-point.

It’s a problem that has been documented for decades.   A building’s construction materials, specifically newly developed materials to increase a buildings efficiency, play a huge role in an RF signal’s ability to propagate, both outside in and inside out.  In the past, the simple answer was to stand by the window to make that call or stream a video.  OK,  that probably hasn’t worked for 10 years, but you get the picture.

Commercial Real Estate is big on LEEDs (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications and continue to deploy increasingly efficient, high-tech  building materials like Low E glass, in an effort to go green.  “Going green” is good business as it attracts carbon conscious tenants and elevates a building’s marketability. Green also delivers economic savings making properties cheaper to operate and increases profitablity. It’s all in your perspective.

However, as buildings get greener, cellular-dependent tenants often start seeing red.  Regardless of tenant’s wireless service provider their cellular service is going to be impacted, if not rendered completely useless, in LEED certified building.  The answer to their problem is not that easy to solve. Tenant’s probably won’t find the answer with their Wireless Service Provider, it’s simply not their problem and will look to their IT department or the building owner for help.

Building owners, are also equally challenged. They need economically viable wireless solutions that increase a buildings cellular coverage and capacity to attract and retain tenants.  Wireless Services Provider’s will also experience pain.  They need to meet the growing demand for In-building service,  afterall they too need to keep customers happy and grow their base.

Going green is just one of many drivers creating economic pain-points that continue to poke the sleeping giant that is the MIDDLEPRISE.  Bottom-line? There are no free rides.  High scoring, LEED certified buildings impact cellular signals and there is an expense associated with correcting the problem. Tenants, the same ones that value the high LEED score, also value their wireless communications, I bet behind closed doors even more than going green! And SOLiD DAS solutions will continue to evolve to overcome MIDDLEPRISE challenges and as buildings get smarter, will also serve as a central communication network for all asscociated with a property.

PS. If that pain forecast wasn’t enough, there is an equally challenging wireless hurdle for the commercial real estate industry.  Public safety code and FirstNet requirements are also impacted by LEED certified properties and can prevent your property from recieving a Certificate of Occupancy … more on that later.