
1 minute read
Editor’s Letter
The first fax machine (remember them?) I ever saw was the size of a desk and had a dedicated line to one place — a printing firm. Now, we email, FaceTime, Zoom and Google Meet with people around the globe on phones and watches. In just a few short decades, the way we interact in the business universe has shifted dramatically — except for, until recently, the real estate industry.
The pandemic changed a lot of that. Virtual tours now allow homebuyers, renters and prospective commercial tenants to tour spaces without leaving their desk or sofa. Digital twins can help improve the efficiency of massive office buildings. Leases and other critical documents can now be signed online, with nary a sheet of paper to be found. And that’s just the beginning; more and more, we’re seeing discussions of entire virtual worlds — the metaverse — giving us the opportunity to shop, interact and do so much more online.
That’s why I’m personally thrilled that Jeremy Bergstein, CEO of The Science Project, has written our cover feature to give all of us a primer on how the metaverse can be used to improve the physical one. It’s a compelling guide to lead you to question what can be applied to your business.
Elsewhere in this annual issue dedicated to proptech, you’ll learn more about changes to traffic signals and what they mean for projects, how to apply tech to multifamily and a discussion from CREtech’s Michael Beckerman about the human element of proptech — recruiting talent. We also look at the way we may live in the future, with a guide to lux design and the possibility of living full-time at sea.
The future is already here. We’re excited to offer you a glimpse.
VISIT US AT mannpublications.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @mannpublications