In today’s rapidly evolving real estate landscape, the gap between operational data and investment strategy is narrowing.

Investors and developers are increasingly recognising that operators hold a wealth of on-the-ground insight, from occupancy trends and amenity usage to maintenance workflows and tenant behaviours. Yet much of this intelligence remains under-utilised, leaving a disconnect between what happens inside a building and the decisions made in the boardroom.

At a recent roundtable organised by Estates Gazette and build-to-rent operator Way of Life, held at Long Harbour’s Sessile building in London, leaders from across the build-to-rent sector gathered to discuss how operational data can be transformed into strategic advantage.

The conversation ranged from the practicalities of day-to-day management to the broader implications for investment, design and ESG outcomes and highlighted that the real value of data lies not in accumulation, but in intelligent interpretation and actionable insight.

Coming and going

Sowgol Zarinchang, managing director of Way of Life, framed the discussion around the platform’s ability to act as an extension of the asset management team. “We provide lots of data for our asset managers to act on,” she said. “Three key things all investors want to know are: how can you generate additional income; how can you reduce costs; and how can you mitigate risk?”

Zarinchang emphasised that income goes beyond rent. “It includes earnings from amenity spaces, exclusive events and ensuring deposits are recovered when tenants leave, which impacts building costs.”

Operational efficiency is equally critical. “Certain lines, like insurance, are beyond our control, but staffing and operational efficiency are key. Data helps reduce errors and optimise procurement, creating economies of scale.”

On risk, Zarinchang highlighted regulatory and safety compliance. “Investors need accurate, timely information to stay compliant. Our platform allows us to track all of this, and who’s coming and going, and present it effectively.”

The underlying theme was clear: operators sit at the intersection of building performance and investor priorities, and smart data use can bridge that gap.

While technology is vital, it cannot replace human interaction. Zarinchang said: “A building is ultimately a people system. Residents don’t want to interact with a robot at reception, they want a friendly face, someone to say ‘good morning’ or help with a parcel. Technology is an enabler; it can improve efficiency and reduce costs, but it can’t replace human connection.”

Lesley Roberts, operations director at Related Argent, agreed and added: “It’s human connection that drives people’s behaviours… everything we do is driven by individual motivation and psychology.”

Dan Curtis, vice president of development and investments at Telford Living, added that although sensors and smart tech are useful for optimising maintenance and cleaning cycles, the value lies in visibility for residents. “Does the tech actually add value? It lets us optimise operations and directly reduces costs, but the human touch remains essential.”

Shreya Sheth, associate director at Patrizia, highlighted the importance of measuring tech return on investment across multiple dimensions: commercial, environmental and behavioural. She said: “Some tools add little commercial value but significantly enhance tenant experience or engagement. Investment decisions focus on whether technology is justified across those metrics. Operations then determine how it’s used, how tenants engage, retention rates and whether amenities or events drive usage.”

The consensus was that data and technology can amplify outcomes but cannot replace the relational and psychological elements that drive resident satisfaction and retention.

A BTR buffer

Tracey Hartley, head of property asset management at Wellcome Trust, cautioned against overcomplicating reporting. She added: “There’s no single definition of what counts as relevant data. I’ve seen places overwhelm investors with 150-slide decks, burying meaningful information under sheer volume. Attention to detail and translating granular data into high-level metrics is critical.”

Lizzie Breckner, partner and head of residential investment research at Knight Frank, added that inconsistencies across buildings make benchmarking difficult. “Two buildings from the same operator can have completely inconsistent information. It’s not efficient and it makes it impossible to get a proper sense of what’s happening. With the Renters’ Rights Bill on the horizon, comparing buildings is going to become even more important.”

Alanna Peach, head of the living capital markets at Colliers, highlighted the lack of standardised datasets in BTR. “In the student sector, quotes are almost identical, making forecasting straightforward. In BTR, we don’t yet have that consistency, which slows early development decisions. That uncertainty often leads people to add a 25% buffer to projections.”

Kirsten Dyer, senior director of living valuation and advisory services at CBRE, agreed on the importance of foundational data. “We can’t race down the road if we haven’t got the basics right. If we can confidently say how much it costs to run a multi-family BTR scheme with three lifts, then we’re in a strong position to take data and performance to the next level.”

Curtis emphasised that many operational decisions are made at the RIBA 0 stage. “Early on, we work with broad approximations ‘does the building have refuge chutes or a pool?’ and gradually refine as the asset stabilises. Raw data is useful, but I need actionable information that supports quick investment decisions. Time is the enemy in acquisitions.”

Sheth underlined the importance of integrating operations early in design. “Having the right people in the right room at the right time makes all the difference. At our 375-home Corkfield development, the lead residential asset manager and developer sat together from RIBA Stage 2, making every decision collaboratively. That early collaboration ensures the developer gets feedback from the team who will operate the building.”

Ruchit Gupta, group director of technology and data at Long Harbour, echoed this iterative approach. “We’ve only now learned enough from our buildings to give investors and developers meaningful insights. They want to know what works spaces that are over- or under-utilised and have confidence in those insights. Combining data on occupancy, noise and air quality informs design decisions for future buildings.”

Human touch

Hartley highlighted that BTR presents a challenge for transparency. “In leasehold, service charges are visible. In BTR, it’s just your rent and we’ve never had an honest conversation with renters about trade-offs – whether they’d prefer slightly lower rent in exchange for scaling back services.”

Curtis acknowledged the tension between operating costs and human presence. “We know humans must be part of the operational landscape but underwriters’ assume 27–30% OPEX. An investor might ask: could you run the building at 16–17%? Cutting staff could make it affordable, but we’d lose the human touch. These are difficult decisions, but necessary if we want the right supply back on the market.”

Across the roundtable, participants agreed that embedding operational insight early in the development process is crucial. Gupta added that operational learning cycles will only become more valuable as BTR stock grows.

“Over the next three to five years, there are going to be thousands more operational assets, providing thousands more data points on tenant profiles and building operations. That will impact the yield that capital sees.”

Sheth said: “Real estate is a people-driven business. Investments are long-term and data is a key USP for managers and brokers. Sharing it broadly is seen as losing a competitive edge, but if managed intelligently, data will be central to smarter, faster and more sustainable decision-making.”