Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 08.12.2025 
Author: Matthew O’Halloran, Director, Head of Revenue at Smart Spaces Global
It is becoming increasingly clear that 2026 will be the moment when smart buildings finally move beyond dashboards, siloed systems and labour-intensive manual processes – and into a new era defined by agentic AI, unified identity management and automated building optimisation. The acceleration is real and the groundwork has already been laid in how we design, operate and experience buildings.
What’s driving this shift is the convergence of identity management and the emergence of what is called the digital self. Leveraging AI, the workplace is moving towards an environment that recognises you instantly – through secure digital ID, facial and presence detection or behavioural preferences – and orchestrates the day around you. Instead of relying on people to issue commands, buildings will then anticipate needs automatically: allocating the right meeting space, adjusting HVAC conditions based on personal preferences or reconfiguring capacity when attendance changes at the last minute. This kind of optimisation is essential in a hybrid world where no two days of occupancy look the same.
We see the first real expression of this future with Space Agent, our new agentic AI workplace concierge which we announced in September 2025. Introduced through a friendly persona called ‘Max’, this marks a fundamental shift away from static dashboards towards natural-language interaction – allowing simple questions to be asked of Max in ‘real’ English – with instant, actionable insights received back.
Just as importantly, Max can automate tasks such as bookings, service requests and space allocation, turning the building into a responsive system that learns continuously.
But perhaps the most transformative development for 2026 will be the industry finally gaining a common framework for delivering truly effective smart buildings. Through the RIBA Smart Building Overlay – which Smart Spaces is helping to write given we are founder members of the Digital Buildings Council – operational technology will be embedded into the architectural process for the first time. This will give the whole construction industry and the service professionals who install the myriad of systems a clear, standardised template for how smart buildings should actually be delivered – a long-overdue milestone and one that will elevate the entire sector.
Taken together, these shifts signal a decisive moment. In 2026, buildings will not just be connected – they will be personalised and continuously optimised for all the people that work in them.
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