TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – November 27, 2017) –
Altus Group Limited (“Altus Group”) (TSX:AIF), a leading provider of independent advisory services, software and data solutions to the global commercial real estate (“CRE”) industry, today released the latest annual Altus Group CRE Innovation Report revealing that CRE industry leaders are divided about the potential of new technologies to drive industry-wide change.

According to the report, which is based on a global survey of 400 CRE executives at firms with assets under management of at least US 0 million representing a total of over US trillion, a large majority of executives report their firms have benefitted from technology investments made over the past two years. However, when presented with six rapidly emerging disruptive technologies, only a minority of respondents recognized them as having the potential for major disruptive impact:

• Smart Building Technology – 35%
• Artificial or Machine Intelligence – 28%
• Big Data and Predictive Analytics – 24%
• Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) – 18%
• Blockchain Technology – 15%
• Driverless Vehicles – 9%

While these technologies were met with reservations from executives, over 50% of respondents indicated that many major CRE processes and workflows could be significantly or completely automated. This suggests a significant impact on the people associated with these processes while at the same time presents opportunity for resource reallocation to areas that will drive greater value. The results imply the industry is ready for the acceleration of automation, which will completely change the way tasks like debt underwriting, capital market brokerage and property management are undertaken today.

“CRE firms are facing the challenge of finding a balance between operational benefits delivered by existing technology and the potential disruptive impact to business models by what’s coming next,” said Robert Courteau, Chief Executive Officer, Altus Group. “Organizations that will lead the way as the next wave of technology arrives are those that seek to change the rules of the game by disrupting traditional business processes and models, adding greater value and gaining competitive advantage.”

Other findings from this year’s Altus Group CRE Innovation Report include:

• Only 14% of executive respondents say they compare their operational expenses against competitors, the market or industry, indicating a significant performance management shortfall, however, 69% believe there is significant potential to conduct better benchmarking around operational expenses. This suggests that a deeper analysis of property expenses is an overlooked area in terms of applying analytics and monitoring – and has the potential to unlock greater portfolio value.
• 58% say their firms are using significantly more CRE-specific applications now than they were three years ago, however 59% say they do not have significant integration between major management systems and applications, which can hinder their ability to make faster and more transparent decisions.
• 50% indicate their firms have a shortage of technology staff, suggesting that a lack of skilled IT professionals continues to be a barrier for CRE firms trying to make the most of their technology and data investments.

The 2017 Altus Group CRE Innovation Report is based on a global quantitative survey of 400 CRE C-level and senior executives in both front and back office positions at owner-operator and owner-investor firms in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. All firms represented in the survey had assets under management (AUM) of at least US 0 million at the time of being surveyed, representing an approximate total AUM of over US trillion. The survey research, which was used to help form the basis of the report, was conducted by leading international research firm IDC in September 2017. A copy of the full report can be downloaded at www.altusgroup.com/news_insights/cre-innovation-report.

About Altus Group Limited

Altus Group Limited is a leading provider of independent advisory services, software and data solutions to the global commercial real estate industry. Our businesses, Altus Analytics and Altus Expert Services, reflect decades of experience, a range of expertise, and technology-enabled capabilities. Our solutions empower clients to analyze, gain insight and recognize value on their real estate investments. Headquartered in Canada, we have approximately 2,500 employees around the world, with operations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Our clients include some of the world’s largest real estate industry participants. Altus Group pays a quarterly dividend of {$content}.15 per share and our shares are traded on the TSX under the symbol AIF.

For more information on Altus Group, please visit: www.altusgroup.com.