When it comes to digital infrastructure in commercial real estate, the Five C’s framework provides a roadmap: Clarify, Connect, Collect, Coordinate, and Control. Each step builds on the last.
If Clarify is about visibility, Connect is about data access, and Collect is about assembling the right streams of information, then Coordinate is where it all comes together. It’s the moment when systems, data, and people start moving in sync to drive NOI.
From Data to Decisions
In the Peak Property Performance book, Coordination is described as “the art of aligning systems, vendors, and stakeholders so insights become actions.” Buildings have dozens of moving parts—from HVAC to lighting to access control—and unless those parts are coordinated, data lives in silos.
The book makes it clear: coordination is about orchestration. You’re not just collecting data; you’re creating a playbook for how teams respond to it.
“The systems don’t make decisions—people do. But without coordination, people never see the full picture.”
Podcast Insights: The Aha Moment
On the PPP Podcast, Bill shared a story that illustrates the need for coordination:
“I had a call today with a property in Southern Georgia. The operator said, ‘We don’t need the data. Our systems just work.’ So I asked, what if you had this data from one system and this data from another, and could look between them? That’s when he had an aha moment. Suddenly, he saw the value of correlation.”
Coordination is what unlocks those correlations. Without it, even well-connected systems remain blind to each other’s patterns.
Why Coordination Matters
According to the book, the benefits of Coordination show up in three major ways:
- Efficiency – Teams stop chasing alarms or siloed reports and start seeing context.
- Resilience – With multiple systems feeding into one coordinated view, vulnerabilities surface earlier.
- Value Creation – Insights from coordinated data help reduce waste, lower insurance costs, and strengthen NOI.
The podcast highlights this with a simple but powerful example:
“Why is that air conditioner on if nobody’s in there?”
With coordination, that question doesn’t get asked after the utility bill arrives. It gets answered in real time.
From Framework to Field
The Coordination step is often where owners see the first tangible returns. The book emphasizes that coordination is not just about systems, it’s about people:
“Collecting data without coordinating teams is like filling a library no one can read.”
When systems, teams, and vendors are aligned around the same insights, the property moves from reactive to proactive.
Wrapping Up
Coordination turns clarity, connectivity, and collection into true performance. It’s the pivot point in the Five C’s where digital infrastructure shifts from being an abstract concept to a working strategy that protects NOI and enhances tenant experience.
Stay tuned for the final step in the framework: Control, where the feedback loop closes and insights drive automated, continuous improvement.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re looking to put the
Coordinate principle into action, here are three simple ways to get started:
– Our team will help you uncover hidden value in your digital infrastructure and data strategy.
Get your copy of the Peak Property Performance book
–Dive deeper into the full 5C Framework with real-world examples and tools you can use right away.
Listen to the Podcast
– Catch the Peak Property Performance Podcast on all major platforms for insights, stories, and strategies straight from the field.