Gas, water, electricity. No tenant signs a lease without knowing those connections are in place. For an organisation, internet is now just as essential. Yet when a commercial building is handed over, the digital infrastructure often goes unmentioned.
That is what property platform RE-SEARCH writes in a piece on the Dutch property news site Vastgoedjournaal. RE-SEARCH is the first property platform to join the IT-Label. We wrote about that earlier in an article. In this blog we look at the bigger question behind it: what if buildings get stuck digitally, just like the power grid?
Internet as the fourth utility
Commercial director Colin Westerneng of RE-SEARCH put it like this in Vastgoedjournaal (translated from Dutch):
"Yet internet is just as essential for an organisation as electricity or water. It is the fourth utility."
There is a lot to be said for that. Almost everything an organisation does runs over the network: video calls, working in the cloud, payments, climate control and access gates. If the connection drops, work stops. Just like a power cut.
From grid congestion to data congestion
In the Netherlands, the electricity grid is full in many places. Businesses sometimes wait years for a heavier connection. This is known as grid congestion.
According to RE-SEARCH, a similar problem is emerging digitally. Organisations process more and more data and use AI applications that demand a lot from the connection. Buildings whose digital infrastructure does not keep up get stuck. You could call it data congestion.
Tech director Miquel van Dongen of RE-SEARCH in Vastgoedjournaal (translated from Dutch):
"A building can look beautiful, but if the digital capacity falls short, you have a problem as a tenant that you cannot easily solve."
Two capacity problems, one solution
For us, grid congestion and data congestion are closely linked. If you want to ease the pressure on the power grid, you have to use energy smartly. EV chargers that charge when there is power to spare. Solar panels and a battery that work together. Climate and lighting that adapt to occupancy.
All of these smart solutions send data over the network. So a building with too little digital capacity cannot manage its energy smartly either. The reverse is also true: a good digital foundation helps your building use less energy and avoid peaks on the grid. Read more on our page about IoT and energy saving.
Making digital real estate measurable
RE-SEARCH draws a clear conclusion: alongside physical real estate, there is digital real estate. The value of a building no longer depends only on location and square metres, but also on what is possible digitally.
Until now, there was no recognisable measure for this. The IT-Label fills that gap. On a scale from IT1+ to IT5 it shows what is in place, what is delivered and what the tenant arranges themselves. Without judgement: a shell building can work perfectly well, as long as it is clear in advance.
The IT-Label does not replace the energy label. It complements it. Read more about the difference between the IT-Label and the energy label.
What to look for in new premises
Looking for new business premises? Ask about digital capacity too:
- Is there fibre, and is there a second connection via a different route?
- Can the cabling handle today's and tomorrow's speeds?
- Is there enough capacity for the building's smart systems?
- Is it agreed who arranges what: the owner or the tenant?
Listings in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam
RE-SEARCH shows the current commercial property listings per city:
- Amsterdam: office space for rent in Amsterdam, industrial space for rent in Amsterdam and retail space for rent in Amsterdam
- The Hague: office space for rent in The Hague, industrial space for rent in The Hague and retail space for rent in The Hague
- Rotterdam: office space for rent in Rotterdam, industrial space for rent in Rotterdam and retail space for rent in Rotterdam
How is your building doing?
Take the free sustainability scan. You will instantly see how your building scores on its digital foundation and on smart energy use. Want certainty? Schedule a pre-inspection.
Source: Vastgoedjournaal, 18 September 2026 (in Dutch).
