The stories we tell ourselves can be powerful shapers of reality, regardless of their absolute truth. Yet, the narratives that tend to endure are not always the most constructive. A pervasive and familiar narrative within many industries, including the vast built environment sector, is the private conviction that its image problem is uniquely severe. This often leads to introspective navel-gazing and circular discussions. The underlying challenge, however, is frequently a shared one: effectively articulating the sector’s value to audiences outside of its immediate professional circles. This dynamic was vividly illustrated at two significant recent gatherings focused on the built environment: the UK Real Estate Infrastructure & Investment Forum (UKREiiF) held in May and the IWFM Live event last week.
The Communications Chasm: Data Centres in Focus
UKREiiF, a substantial annual fixture in Leeds, draws together a comprehensive spectrum of the UK real estate industry, encompassing everything from property development to facilities management. Within this expansive event, discussions surrounding data centres offered a particularly stark example of a prevalent communications gap. The data centre sector is currently at the forefront of industry discussions, driven by the insatiable demand from AI hyperscalers for immense processing and storage capacity. However, proponents of the sector argue that there exists a significant disconnect between the undeniable value it generates and its public perception.
During a panel session titled "Data Centres – Facts & Fiction," speakers emphasized the critical role of data centres as foundational infrastructure for a multitude of modern services, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, financial systems, and overall economic growth. Despite these vital contributions, a considerable segment of the public continues to view them primarily as large, energy-intensive industrial buildings, perceived to offer little direct benefit to the surrounding communities.
Tom Glover, EMEA Head of Data Centre Transactions at JLL, candidly acknowledged this issue, stating, "The perception gap is our fault as an industry." His colleague, Eleanor Parry, Director of UK Public Affairs at JLL, elaborated that the sector frequently operates under the assumption that its importance is self-evident. However, this assumption rarely holds true for those outside the industry. Local discussions often gravitate towards the perceived negatives: the visual impact of these facilities, their substantial energy consumption, and the concern that new developments do not provide commensurate returns to the community.
The consensus among panel participants was that data centres have rapidly transitioned from a niche asset class to a matter of national strategic importance, particularly as the demand for AI infrastructure escalates. Yet, the industry’s narrative has struggled to keep pace with this evolution. As Glover pointed out, the sector often defaults to discussing technical metrics like megawatts, rather than clearly articulating the tangible outcomes and services that this infrastructure enables. He argued that without robust data centre infrastructure, many of the technologies and services that have become indispensable to daily life would simply cease to function. This fundamental point, highlighting the enabling power of data centres, represents a crucial starting point for improving public understanding.
The Office Imperative: Justifying the Commute
A similar narrative of value articulation challenges can be observed when examining the contemporary role of offices. The commercial property sector undeniably has a vested interest in the future of office spaces and the ongoing debate surrounding the return to office work. However, the more profound challenge lies in persuading occupiers and employees, the very individuals who utilize these buildings, that the commute is indeed worthwhile.
At a fringe event held in Leeds city centre, the law firm Irwin Mitchell presented findings from its 2026 Occupier Survey. The survey revealed that 78% of business leaders anticipate an increase in office attendance over the next twelve months, a rise from 74% the previous year. This projected increase occurs even as actual office attendance appears to have plateaued at approximately two days per week. Concurrently, employees are increasingly choosing to attend the office beyond mandated requirements, opting for days when the journey feels personally valuable rather than simply adhering to policy. William Scott of Irwin Mitchell highlighted this trend as evidence of a necessary shift towards creating "destination offices."
In a related session at the British Council for Offices (BCO) event, held within the main conference, titled "Hot Desks & Cold Realities," Stafford Lancaster, Chief Executive of Delancey, pointed to the persistent demand for high-quality workplaces. As occupiers increasingly seek superior environments and greater flexibility, the most desirable and well-appointed assets continue to attract significant attention. This suggests that the physical attributes and amenity offerings of office spaces are becoming critical factors in their attractiveness and utilization.
The PFI Legacy: Reclaiming Infrastructure’s Narrative
The broader infrastructure sector exhibits a similar pattern, with public-private partnerships (PPPs) continuing to grapple with the enduring negative associations of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). In a session titled "Capital That Builds: Unlocking Private Investment in UK Infrastructure," Kam Patel, Partner, Strategy and Transactions Corporate Finance at EY, observed that the sector had "lost the reputational battle" surrounding PFI. This is despite his own figures indicating that approximately 95% of PFI projects were delivered on time and within budget. Victoria Whitehead, Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure and Transport at Lloyds Bank, further underscored the impact of private finance models, stating that they have facilitated the delivery of 650 projects, representing £50 billion in investment, which would otherwise not have materialized. The challenge remains that the individuals who most need to hear these facts—and who are often the most difficult to convince—were not present in these specific discussions.
An Outsider’s Perspective: The Facilities Management Role
IWFM Live, the official conference of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, returned this year after a three-year hiatus. Keynote speaker Jonty Bloom, the former BBC Business Correspondent, was intended to offer an external perspective on the sector. However, his address largely resonated with the facilities management (FM) audience by articulating a point they frequently discuss internally: their critical role in enhancing productivity, both as facilitators and beneficiaries.
Bloom highlighted persistent issues of declining productivity, ongoing skills shortages, and lagging investment. He also noted that projected economic growth would necessitate more factories, offices, shopping centres, and schools, all of which require skilled professionals to operate and maintain them. This underscores the foundational importance of the FM sector in supporting economic activity and infrastructure.
Rethinking Project Lifecycles: A "Right to Left" Approach
A long-standing, though arguably legitimate, concern within the FM sector is that many decisions dictating how a building ultimately functions are made early in its lifecycle, before the FM team is involved. This often leaves FM professionals to manage the consequences of these earlier decisions once the building is handed over.
During a panel discussion chaired by Justin Kirby, co-founder and facilitator of the Digital Operations Working Group, the concept of a "right to left" approach was advocated. This strategy involves beginning with the desired operational outcomes and then working backward to inform earlier design and construction phases. Steven Boyd MBE, formerly Chief Executive of the Government Property Agency, articulated this sentiment powerfully: "The project handover is not the end of the project, it’s the start of the operations."
The panel explored different strategies for addressing this issue. Anthony Taylor, a consultant and founder of Resolve Risk, argued for a unified industry voice, advocating to "make noise at all levels." Conversely, Boyd suggested a more targeted approach, advising against explaining operational complexities to Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) who may not be interested or equipped to understand them. Instead, he proposed focusing on understanding the client’s overarching objectives and then communicating the consequences of operational shortcomings in the client’s own language.
The Crucial Art of Storytelling
Jake Drummond, IWFM’s Deputy Chair, concluded the conference by reiterating a similar central theme. He argued that while the FM sector has always understood the value it generates, it has not always been effective in communicating this value to external stakeholders.
Drummond, in his keynote at UKREiiF, emphasized a key principle: "Humans behave on the basis of how they feel, not on what they think." This emotional dimension, he suggested, can have consequences measured in billions.
The built environment sector, much like many other industries, dedicates considerable time to internal discourse. Based on the observations at both UKREiiF and IWFM Live, a significant portion of the sector continues to grapple with the fundamental challenge of effectively conveying its narrative to the audiences who most critically need to understand it. This ongoing communication gap represents a significant hurdle to achieving broader public appreciation and support for the vital work undertaken by these industries. The implications extend beyond mere perception, impacting investment decisions, regulatory frameworks, and the successful implementation of crucial national infrastructure projects. Addressing this challenge requires a strategic shift from internal dialogue to external engagement, focusing on clear, relatable, and emotionally resonant storytelling that highlights the tangible benefits and essential contributions of the built environment to society.
