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This paper aims to explore the meaning of smart office environments from a user perspective by investigating user preferences and expectations.

Eleven semi-structured interviews with the users after moving into a smart office building of a Dutch Municipality and an observation as complementary data were conducted. The data were analysed based on the grounded theory and thematic analysis, combining a reflexive approach to the literature review.

Two main themes were revealed addressing user expectations and preferences for smart office environments: “enhanced interaction” with the social and physical office environment and “sense-making” of the smart concept (or smartness). Within these themes, basic and smart office aspects were identified and classified based on their association with smart office concepts or technology.

The findings reveal the meaning of the smart office concepts from a user perspective by highlighting the importance of user experience on enhanced interaction and sense-making of the smart office concept, equipped with basic and smart aspects.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to qualitatively examine drivers underlying the meaning of smart office concepts from a user point of view. Organisations, environmental psychologists, designers and managers can use the findings of this study to develop guidelines for a successful smart office design.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the objectives, tenants, spaces and services of different business center concepts and test whether the existing classifications in literature and in the real estate market draw on significantly different concepts.

After a literature review, data on business centers were collected with a questionnaire among owners/mangers of 139 business centers in the Netherlands. The existing business center concepts are examined whether these concepts are significantly different, using bivariate analyses.

The findings of this study give insight into the business center market, the existing business center concepts and (dis)similarities between the concepts. Although many dissimilarities were found between the business center concepts, like offered services, social spaces and contractual agreements, findings show that the four business center concepts can be offered in similar objects.

New ideas about working and the work environment have caused the business center market to become more differentiated. Some studies have attempted to classify the business center market into several categories or analyzed in detail one specific business center concept. However, these studies did not describe in detail the differences between the concepts. Also there is hardly any empirical research on this sector. This paper addresses gaps in previous research on business centers and demonstrates that there are significant (dis)similarities between the existing business center concepts.

The purpose of this paper is to review an emerging type of dwelling, indicated as Smart Home, with a focus on future user lifestyles and needs. Trends toward sustainability and technological changes dramatically alter the concepts of Smart Home. Consequently, real estate decisions are going to be affected by the Smart Home development. Inspired by research in the field of user centered design and future lifestyles, the authors redefine the housing design to increase the acceptance of Smart Homes in the society.

Upcoming trends and developments in housing technologies and concepts are reviewed and analyzed. A multidimensional definition of a Smart Home is suggested which allows a better understanding of the new elements and spaces of this future home. A new concept of a home environment is presented in which virtual space and ambient intelligent space is integrated within the physical space. Furthermore, possible changes in lifestyles enabled by new technological developments are identified. Linking the new home environment concepts with the user's lifestyles provides a research framework for the investigation of Smart Homes. This framework is helpful in addressing the trends of sustainable society inside the domain of Smart Homes and Smart Real Estate.

In this paper, the authors provide answers to questions on the feasibility and impact of new technologies on future lifestyle and dwelling in the domain of real estate.

The presented research framework is not only relevant for academic researchers but also for real estate investors, because it highlights the risks that need to be managed when developing Smart Real Estate.