Books

Two of our team have written books on technology and property, IT for Property People, Real Estate and the New Economy and The Building Machine.

IT for Property People, Andrew Waller

ITFPP Front cover EG Books - More information or to buy it..

Download 3 chapters of this book for free and get a discount on the book.

Your competition is investing in new systems to improve profitability and reduce costs - can you afford not to keep pace?

This book is not about technology; it is about property information and how to use it more effectively in your business. As a property occupier, do you really understand where property adds value to the business? As an investor, which information is vital to negotiating better deals? As an agent, how much information can you give your clients for free and where can you make money if you do that?

IT for Property People is a guide to using your information better, and to preparing for new systems:

- how you prioritise your business needs;
- how to structure the project
- how to write a tender
- what you should pay attention to in discussions with suppliers

There are sections on how to set up an IT department and numerous case studies of property organisations which are getting information systems right.

Here's what leaders in the property industry say about IT for Property People:

"It is obvious that knowledge is power but the knowledge only comes from access to, and analysis of, better information. Try making a risk free decision without information and you will understand this truism. This book provides the increasingly essential framework for the property industry." Angus McIntosh, Head of Research, King Sturge

"Waller's eminently readable book is a practical guide to the hazards and shortcuts of implementing IT systems in the property sector" Martin Farncombe, co-author of the Atomic Corporation and Atomic

"This is essential reading for anyone involved in property systems. If you are interested in property IT you should own a well thumbed copy" Frank Baldwin, Editor, Property Systems Review

"Information in real estate is often neglected but it creates real value in our industry. This book offers practical and readable advice on how to reap the benefits of better information." Christopher Hedley, Director, IPD Occupiers

Real Estate and the New Economy, Tim Dixon, Bob Thompson, et al

RE and the New Economy Wiley Blackwell More information or to buy it...

This book shows how new technology affects the shape and form of real estate in towns and cities. It examines how Information and Communications Technology is having an impact on the ownership, occupation and appraisal of property and is changing markets and professional services.

The book examines how ICT and organisational change, combined with social, political and economic factors, affects demand for real estate. It analyses how real estate strategies are changing to reflect these trends and shows how technology affects the geography of real estate and infrastructure in our towns and cities.

′The strength of this books lies in its very broad attitude to the subject plus solid and innovative conceptual framework. The book has a clear structure and is well organised. Because of its holistic and very detailed character the book can be recommended as a supplementary handbook for students of economics, geography or planning.′ European Spatial Research and Policy.

The authors of this book are to be applauded. They have sought, through their 'socio-technical' approach, to look at the complex interactions between technology, society and economics. ... as someone who earns his living by advising one of the UK's largest property investors on which properties to own and where, this book is very timely...In writing this comprehensive and very fully referenced text, the authors have done us all a great service.' Paul McNamara, Prudential Property Investment Managers

′It is recommended for both real estate professionals who are interested in the increasing relevance of ICT to the real estate industry, as well as ICT experts seeking to understand how and to what extents the real estate industry will grasp the rapidly changing field of ICT.′ Urban Studies

The Building Machine, Bob Thompson

Parkside Electronic Press More information or to buy it...

Depending upon your standpoint, you may view buildings in many different ways. Simplistically, if you are an architect you might have primarily an aesthetic view. If you are an investor you might have a view of a building described by the characteristics of the return it generates. This book looks at a building as a complex machine – the building:machine. Look below the bricks and mortar of a modern building of any kind and you will find a myriad of different systems embedded within that basic infrastructure – all contributing to the operation of that enclosed space. Increasingly, all these systems are being integrated into one cohesive system.

For the Facilities Manager the book is intended to provide enough knowledge of technology issues to get by, but without the need for a degree in Computer Science. With this in your armoury you will at least be able to discuss information, communications and technology issues from a solid platform.

For the Corporate Real Estate manager the book is intended to identify those strategic issues that sit between the property and technology worlds again to enable a constructive dialogue to take place with technicians and drive additional performance out of the company portfolio.

For investors and valuers the book highlights just how information, communications and technology add real value to a property. The presence of a modern technological infrastructure within a building is as important as any other utility. Just as a building without any plumbing would be valued accordingly, so is a building without internal communications.

Bob’s book is due for release in he next few months. However, for a taster of the book, please click here.