Apple (and others) have made industrial design sexy. Who knew that rounded corners and black borders held so much cachet? On top of that, beautification and style are the predominant themes coming out of the tech world these days. Form over function to some extent.
How are you doing with industrial design around your real estate? (Yes, this one is for the owners in the crowd (yes, I mean crowd as in my 5 readers).)
Industrial design in the CRE world has to mean those little touches that differentiate. LED lights are one route. Lobby art may be another. How about considering a co-working zone on a floor that tenants can make use of? Why not offer a year subscription to some online seat management system? Ask yourself why someone would come to your building instead of the one down the street.
Thinking that $1/square foot is going to make a difference is ridiculous. Anyone can compete on price. But not everyone can compete based on some creative facility concept. Differentiate!