Valeriu Toma, CBRE: “Office buildings owners want to reduce the operating costs by 30-50 percent, without endangering jobs”

The state of emergency imposed by the current pandemic has led to almost total vacancy of office spaces, within the context of many of the employees working from home, and landlords want to reduce the operating costs by 30-50 percent, according to real estate consultancy company CBRE.

“We are witnessing a paradox on the property management office market: considering the low levels of use during this period, the owners are thinking to reduce the operating costs of the building by 30-50%, but without affecting the services or endangering the jobs of the suppliers. Service charge cost efficiency, besides the proper tax, has two components: technical equipment and people. Regarding equipments, operating programs can be modified by turning on the saving mode or even partially turning off certain equipments that ensure the heating, ventilation or lighting of the spaces”, says Valeriu Toma, Deputy Head of Property Management, CBRE Romania.

The percentage of employees who need to come into the office has fallen with 90-95% of the total number of people, as companies have implemented work from home, excepting players in the media, IT, telecom or pharmaceutical industries.