Spotlight Interview: Node

In our latest Spotlight Interview, we spoke to Russ Dobson, COO at Node.Russ shares how Node is transforming connectivity from an afterthought into a core building utility, helping landlords and asset managers simplify operations, future-proof assets and accelerate the deployment of smart building technologies through a single carrier-neutral digital backbone."We believed digital infrastructure should be treated like any other core building service or utility. Just as nobody questions whether a building has electricity or water, digital connectivity should already be there, ready to support occupiers from the moment they arrive."

Q1. What inspired the creation of Node, and what gap in the commercial real estate market were you looking to solve?

Node was founded on a simple observation: commercial buildings have evolved far quicker than the digital infrastructure supporting them.

For years, connectivity was treated as something to think about after a tenant signed a lease. The result was familiar across the industry

• multiple wayleave agreements
• no choice of operator in Buildings
• separate networks for different building systems
•  long installation lead times and increasing operational complexity
• nobody taking real ownership of connectivity

In a market where occupiers expect to move in and be productive from day one, that approach is no longer sustainable.

We believed digital infrastructure should be treated like any other core building service or utility. Just as nobody questions whether a building has electricity or water, digital connectivity should already be there, ready to support occupiers from the moment they arrive.

That thinking led to Node's approach of delivering a single, carrier-neutral digital backbone that supports connectivity, smart building technologies and future innovation without creating unnecessary complexity.

We also recognised that the traditional funding model for digital infrastructure no longer reflected the needs of modern commercial real estate. Rather than requiring landlords to invest in repeated capital refresh programmes every few years, we developed a model that allows digital infrastructure to be delivered as a predictable operational service. It removes the cycle of major CAPEX events while ensuring buildings always benefit from modern, supported infrastructure.

Today we've delivered digital infrastructure across more than 5 million square feet of commercial real estate, helping landlords and asset managers create buildings that are simpler to operate, more attractive to occupiers and better prepared for the future.

Q2. How does your digital infrastructure enable the deployment of smart building technologies without adding unnecessary complexity?

The biggest challenge facing smart buildings today isn't the technology itself, it's the infrastructure underneath it.

Too often, every new system arrives with another network, another supplier, another cabinet and another maintenance contract. Over time, buildings become a collection of disconnected systems that are expensive to maintain and difficult to scale.

Our philosophy is different.

Rather than installing infrastructure for every individual technology, we install the digital foundation once. That foundation can then support multiple services, including smart access control, CCTV, environmental monitoring, occupancy analytics, energy management, Wi-Fi and future technologies that may not even exist yet.

By creating a shared, carrier-neutral digital infrastructure, landlords gain the flexibility to introduce new services without repeatedly installing new networks or disrupting occupiers. It reduces complexity, protects future investment and ensures buildings can evolve alongside changing technology and occupier expectations.

For us, smart buildings aren't about adding more technology. They're about making technology easier to deploy, manage and evolve.

Q3. Traditional connectivity can be slow and fragmented. What approach does Node take to simplify digital infrastructure from day one?

Traditional connectivity is often reactive.

•  A tenant signs a lease.
• An internet provider is chosen.
• Wayleaves are requested.
• Surveys are completed.
• Infrastructure is installed.
• Infrastructure is tested.
• Infrastructure is handed over.

Weeks, or sometimes months, pass before the occupier is fully operational over 5-8 operational appointments. Dealy risks lie in every stage and the entire process usually takes 90-120 days just for a single occupier.

We believe that process should happen before the tenant ever walks through the door.

Node installs a carrier-neutral digital backbone into the building itself, allowing occupiers to choose their preferred internet provider while avoiding repeated infrastructure installations and reducing reliance on traditional wayleave processes. 5-8 appointments reduce to 1 appointment and 90-120 days reduce to 10-15 days.

The result is a building that's digitally and operationally ready from day one.

Occupiers can become operational much faster, landlords avoid repeated disruption and asset managers gain a building that's easier to manage throughout its lifecycle.

It's a shift from viewing connectivity as a tenant issue to recognising it as a strategic building asset.

Q4. How does your solution help landlords future-proof assets while avoiding costly upgrades later in the building lifecycle?

Future-proofing isn't about predicting the next piece of technology.

It's about creating the flexibility to adapt as occupier expectations, connectivity standards and building technologies continue to evolve.

Historically, digital infrastructure has been funded through a cycle of significant capital expenditure. Landlords invest heavily in networking equipment, then repeat the process every five to seven years as hardware reaches end of life, while continuing to pay annual maintenance costs in between.

We believe there's a better way.

By delivering digital infrastructure as a managed service, Node enables owners to move away from large, cyclical capital refresh programmes towards a predictable operational cost model. Instead of budgeting for major infrastructure replacements every few years, landlords benefit from an always-current digital platform that evolves as technology advances.

Combined with our carrier-neutral digital backbone, this creates significant long-term value. Buildings are able to adopt new technologies without repeatedly replacing the underlying infrastructure, while reducing duplicated equipment, lowering operational complexity and improving resilience.

For asset owners, it's not simply a different way of funding technology-it's a different way of thinking about it.

Just as buildings have moved towards service-based models for software, security and facilities management, we believe digital infrastructure should also become an operational service that continuously delivers value, rather than an asset waiting for its next capital refresh.

As commercial real estate becomes increasingly dependent on digital capability, this approach provides owners with greater financial certainty, improved operational flexibility and infrastructure that remains ready for whatever comes next.

Q5. Looking ahead, what's next for Node as you continue to transform digital infrastructure across the built environment?

The commercial property sector is entering a new era where digital infrastructure is becoming just as important as the physical building itself.

Our ambition is to help accelerate that transition.

We'll continue working with landlords, developers and asset managers to embed digital capability earlier in the building lifecycle, ensuring buildings are ready to support occupier expectations from the day they're occupied.

We're also seeing increasing demand for converged digital infrastructure, where multiple building systems operate over a single resilient network. This approach not only simplifies operations but also creates the foundation for smarter buildings, improved sustainability and better occupier experiences.

Ultimately, our goal isn't simply to install better networks, it's to help redefine digital infrastructure as a core component of every commercial building.

The most successful buildings of the future won't just be connected, they'll be digitally ready, operationally efficient and capable of adapting to whatever comes next. At Node, we're helping create that future by delivering one resilient digital backbone that enables everything else.