Transforming real estate with Data Visualisation
As a leader in commercial real estate, CBRE prides itself on its services and ability to transform clients’ businesses. By implementing ArcGIS, CBRE has replaced traditional spreadsheets, consolidating its geospatial data into one, centralised platform. This allows for the visualisation of essential business data and equips brokers with advanced analytical tools, improving both their efficiency and the level of service provided to clients.
Most DataViz users have no GIS experience and use the system to visualise, manage and analyse geospatial data
Brokers work more efficiently and respond more quickly to client requests thanks to centralised geospatial data management
More than 7,500 separate sites have been uploaded to the system along with tracked floor space increased from 200 million to 600 million square feet
The Challenge
Operating across every dimension of commercial real estate CBRE takes pride in its deep market knowledge, enabling its clients to transform their businesses and achieve greater success. The company’s brokers play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of client accounts, frequently managing multi-million-pound deals and assisting clients with everything from expanding to consolidating property portfolios.
The Consumer, Supply Chain & Talent Consulting team is responsible for providing the wealth of geospatial data that is essential for brokers to deliver these services effectively. Previously, data collection and storage were handled through Excel files, with brokers across different UK offices emailing each other with data requests. This led to multiple disparate spreadsheets across various locations, causing brokers to face issues such as version conflicts and data integrity challenges.
What they required was a centralised data management system with visualisation and analytical tools that would allow brokers to input their own data. “When I joined CBRE the brokers already knew what they needed and had already created a Proof of Concept. Our job was to build a tool that could streamline their workflows and empower them to make more incisive and timely decisions” observed Erik Pearson, Director, Consumer, Supply Chain & Talent Consulting, CBRE Ltd.
“Erik’s in-depth understanding of the value of data, combined with his advanced technical skills and tenacity to develop this tool are hugely valued. This market-leading tool is now widely used across our business and sets us apart from our competitors. It allows our team to make more informed decisions to better meet the needs of our clients, by offering up-to-date information and helping us to offer the most innovative solutions.”
Ciaran Bird, Divisional President, CBRE Advisory Services and CEO UK & Ireland
The Solution
CBRE was already using ArcGIS Enterprise, so the initial version of its new centralised data management and analytics solution was developed with Experience Builder and named the Industrial & Logistics Data Visualization Suite, or simply ‘DataViz.’ Data from 1,000 industrial sites was initially uploaded, representing a major shift in brokers’ access to information.
With the upgrade to ArcGIS Enterprise 11.1, additional functionality and automation have been integrated, creating a richer and more intuitive user experience. By collaborating with an Esri UK pre-sales advisor - who outlined the ‘art of the possible’ - and utilising additional scripting tools, Python and Arcade, Version 2 of DataViz was delivered on schedule within just two weeks.
The system is now regularly accessed by more than 200 users across the UK, one fifth of whom have editing rights allowing them to add, maintain and edit their own data within a single, centralised ArcGIS-based platform. Remarkably, only two of all users have formal GIS knowledge, underscoring DataViz’s ease of use even for those with no GIS experience.
Brokers have access to the same data, visualised in map form. Those with view-only licenses can navigate, query, analyse and export the data with ease, fulfilling their needs without requiring advanced training. DataViz has significantly impacted the broker’s day-to-day operations, improved workflow efficiency and enhanced decision-making.
Furthermore, DataViz has expanded online access to critical information, with over 7,500 sites now entered. The floor space of tracked buildings has increased from around 200 million square feet to over 600 million square feet, with all the data being entered and maintained directly by users.
“Erik has been instrumental in visualising CBRE's extensive industrial and logistics data that leaves our clients coming back for more. By combining and applying his brilliant technical ability with innovation and a practical common-sense approach, Erik has developed DataViz into becoming the best data and visualisation tool in our industry. It has raised the bar and is now the benchmark for quality.”
Jonathan Compton, Senior Director, UK Industrial & Logistics, CBRE Ltd.
Benefits
Building new skillsets
Less than one percent of all users – only two out of over 200 - have formal GIS knowledge or training. New users have required only one internal briefing session to optimise their use of DataViz, helping them to build new skillsets, and add value to their roles. Since inception, DataViz has had more than 16,000 visits, each with multiple interactions, over 51,000 to date (February 2025).
Improved accuracy of data
With its group of approved contributors, data quality management is assured along with accuracy and security of all geospatial data. Geospatial data relating to more than 7,500 separate sites has been uploaded, up from an initial 1,000 in the original DataViz, and the floor space of tracked buildings has increased from around 200 million square feet to over 600 million square feet.
Increased efficiency and productivity
Having access to all geospatial data through one, centralised online platform, allows the brokers to undertake more rapid analytical tasks, work more efficiently and respond more quickly to client requests. Contributors are empowered to enter and maintain their own data, which is accessible to all users, enabling them to perform necessary tasks online to fulfil their roles.
More informed decision-making
Having access to visualised data helps brokers to make more informed decisions, more quickly. They can see site availability instantly, and no longer must search through disparate, non-interactive spreadsheets to find the data they need to perform analysis and make client recommendations.
