Some technological innovations stand to revolutionize whole industries, while others could just as easily fade away. Companies, investors and developers want to stay on the cutting edge, but experimenting with expensive new tech can be intimidating.

Events like BOMA’s 2019 International Annual Conference allow attendees to try new tech in real time, review its performance and discuss its costs and benefits before diving in.

To gain a competitive edge in this industry, CRE stakeholders across the industry are showing increasing interest in emerging technologies. At BOMA, building owners, developers and property managers can explore the technologies that are optimizing CRE’s future and then take what they have learned back to their buildings.

Here are a few of the innovations that BOMA will feature at this year’s conference.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are on the brink of changing everything — and CRE is no exception. Beyond voice recognition and autonomous vehicles, AI can boost the industry by cutting down on energy use with automated utility switches, reducing maintenance costs and extending asset life.

AI is also being deployed to enhance building security. Adding AI to security cameras can augment and automate critical business and safety procedures, at 20 times the speed and with far greater accuracy and efficiency.

Among the sessions at BOMA, Aksha Raudi will host Exploring AI and Machine Learning: New Frontiers in Energy Management, and Brent Boekestein will host A Brain for Your Camera’s Eyes: Improve Security, Operations, Safety and Compliance with AI.

Blockchain

Blockchain has been used as the basis for cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, but many other uses are now emerging. Commercial real estate is exploring ways to integrate blockchain into business models and transactions to help with smart contracts, speed, record-keeping, accuracy and more. Ashley Gault and Elisabeth Arko will cover blockchain’s applications for CRE in How Blockchain Could Transform the Real Estate Industry.

Cybersecurity

Taking time to secure online security systems is increasingly crucial — a breach can lead to dramatic expenses, unexpected downtime and data loss. CRE security professionals are beginning to deploy intelligence and technology tools to proactively address risk areas early on, even for companies with limited budgets.

Experts will discuss new industry standards and frameworks, how to implement cybersecurity protection and what to expect from a cybersecurity risk audit.

At Cybersecurity Superheroes Unite! Develop the Superpowers You Need to Defeat Cyber Villains, Harry Koujaian and John Ellis of Siemens will offer expert advice for navigating the most current threats to buildings and build systems.

At Drive Focus, Efficiencies and More Effective Security Programs Using Predictive and Prescriptive Analysis, Davista Technologies Chief Technology Officer Abish Malik and crypto expert Jeff Benjamin will outline descriptive, predictive and prescriptive security models and help attendees understand what these mean and what their benefits are.

Parking Technology

Tech innovations like audiovisual parking lots, robotic parking valets and charging stations for electric cars can now make parking more user-friendly, manageable and profitable. A panel of experts will lead a conversation about the potential for this technology and how property owners and developers can choose the right options for their projects at the session Transforming Parking with Technology.

A Look Into The Future

This year’s keynote will be delivered by futurist and writer Amy Webb. Webb, founder of the Future Today Institute, is a renowned authority on forecasting and strategy who helps leaders prepare for the complexities of the future.

At the keynote, The Real Future of Commercial Real Estate, Webb will take a look into the future of the entire tech landscape, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, self-driving cars, biohacking, bots and the Internet of Things and the effects it can have on CRE, with a forecast of what is to come.

This feature was produced in collaboration between Bisnow Branded Content and BOMA. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.