Interview Write‑Up: Conversation with Andrew Waller (Remit Consulting)
(Based on interview transcript from an interview with Andrew Waller conducted by Henrietta King on February 18 th )
1. What’s the next big innovation or development in the built environment that you’re most looking forward to?
Andrew sees the most exciting developments emerging from the growing intelligence of buildings – particularly technologies that dramatically improve energy efficiency. He pointed to Legal & General’s use of sensors that automatically adjust heating and cooling, describing how “smarter buildings could significantly reduce wasted energy while making tenants happier and lowering service charges.”
He also emphasized the potential for technology to solve persistent challenges in office utilization. Despite the post‑COVID push for flexibility, he noted that “no one has quite cracked how to optimize office space for new working patterns.”
Drawing on personal experience with home renovation, Andrew highlighted the transformative effect of proper insulation and underfloor heating: “The difference to comfort, and the energy bill, was extraordinary.” He sees clear parallels for commercial space, though he cautioned that retrofitting older buildings remains difficult.
Finally, he recognized a tension in the market: people want the efficiency of modern buildings, yet still value character and heritage. Balancing these priorities, he suggests, will continue to shape future development.
2. What have younger team members pushed you to rethink?
Andrew described a real shift in attitudes toward flexibility. Many had assumed flexible working was universally desired, but he noted that “younger generations often want structure to push against – lockdown showed that not everyone thrives without it.”
He also highlighted differences shaped by age and family responsibilities. Reflecting on a financial services firm’s incentive scheme to walk or cycle to work, he observed that uptake was limited among those with families, illustrating that “choices about commuting aren’t just generational, they’re situational.”
At Remit, he explained their approach of “structured flexibility”: making specific days mandatory in the office, while allowing freedom on others. “It gives enough framework to keep people connected, without being rigid,” he said.
He also noted social changes: with fewer people in the office, spontaneous interactions have declined. Team gatherings now require more deliberate planning, which he sees as a subtle generational shift in workplace culture.
3. What would need to change for more women to reach partner level in the built environment industry?
Andrew and Henrietta explored this deeply, touching on historical, practical, and cultural barriers.
Andrew explained how economic and social changes have reshaped family structures. With both partners working, the challenge of childcare has grown, and “many households now rely on grandparents because external childcare is so expensive.”
He emphasized the importance of flexibility for retaining and promoting women returning from childcare, noting that Remit has benefited from offering adaptable working arrangements – “our flexibility meant we gained a strong cohort of women,” he said.
Henrietta raised the well‑documented confidence gap, observing that women often self‑select out of senior roles unless they meet every criterion. Andrew agreed and highlighted the influence of unconscious bias in role descriptions. They shared an example of using ChatGPT to neutralize gendered language in job ads, which improved inclusivity. “We didn’t realize how subtly masculine some wording had become,” Andrew admitted.
Representation also matters. The pair noted that women leaders are often perceived differently. The lack of visible role models at senior levels can reinforce hesitancy, making deliberate representation and sponsorship essential for change.
4. What shifts have you noticed in how relationships are built and maintained in the property industry compared to five or ten years ago?
Andrew described a marked shift toward online-first communication. The rapid improvement of video conferencing during COVID‑19 means that “video calls have largely replaced phone calls,” altering how people connect.
However, he stressed that face‑to‑face meetings remain essential. Conferences have become even more central to relationship‑building because organizations increasingly target specific people and sessions. “There’s much more focus at conferences now – you go to meet the people who matter,” he explained.
Major cities – London, New York, Singapore – continue to play an outsized role as hubs where global relationships are formed and maintained. Andrew noted that some of the serendipity of casual, ad hoc conversations has disappeared, replaced by more structured, intentional interactions.
He and Henrietta also reflected on how informal phone calls have become rare; people now schedule rather than spontaneously reach out, a subtle but meaningful change in professional dynamics.
