As we wrap up the year, all eyes are on the future and what 2023 will hold. With record-high inflation and rising interest rates, market forecasters at leading institutions like J.P. Morgan and Deloitte anticipate a challenging year for commercial real estate.

We’d love to offer expert insights from Legrand – a global specialist and leading single-source supplier for electrical and digital building infrastructure – to support any coverage on the 2023 commercial real estate market, tactics, and design trends for the new year.

According to Sabrina Snyder, MBA and Director of Product Marketing for Wire and Cable Management at Legrand North America, the right engineering and construction tools in place can help ensure continued growth: “The rise of hybrid work is evolving the role that office spaces play in our lives. Given this, for 2023, we anticipate an emphasis on modifications and renovations to drive growth in the commercial sector. To find success, three factors are key: specifying products that ease the installation process; investing in sustainable solutions; and offering flexibility and power access where needed in the building.”

We recently sat down with Sabrina to discuss the challenges facing the commercial industry, and some solutions that will create a major impact on the bottom line.

Category: Construction

• Challenge: A tight labor market and high wages due to inflation contributes to project delays.

• Solution: Invest in innovative products that significantly reduce installation time.

• Products: For data centers and larger commercial buildings, Legrand’s Cablobend Systems offers the biggest time-savings solutions in one of the most complicated, labor intensive areas of installation. Further, Legrand’s Plugtail Wiring Devices install 5x faster than conventional wiring devices and offer a great future-proofing solution for forward-thinking developers.

Category: Office Design

• Challenge: According to J.P. Morgan, the return to the office is still up in the air (though Moody’s Analytics does note that vacancy rates are consistent now compared to Q4 2019 levels).

• Solution: Sleek design and easy access to charging and amenities will entice employees and encourage businesses to expand office spaces.

• Products: The new dash line from Legrand – including a chic Power Tower – offers a stylish option for delivering power where it’s needed – and, it can be easily installed retroactively, making it perfect for renovations in 2023. Further, the Connectrac Flex Raceway System provides flexible, modular power access across the floor and up to desktops.

Category: Sustainability

• Challenge: Deloitte notes that, “Many customers are becoming more sustainability conscious and placing greater pressure on developers to lower the carbon footprint of new construction.”

• Solution: Invest in products that are transparent about how they are developed and packaged; are designed to reduce environmental impact, and are part of a circular economy.

• Products: Legrand has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2004. Its products and solutions contribute to building performance in 4 LEED credit categories – info here.