CHICAGO, DALLAS—Corporate real estate has become increasingly important to C-suite level executives, and JLL has just made the latest in a series of moves that bolsters the technology that its clients use to analyze and direct their operations. The Chicago-based company has just entered into an agreement to acquire BRG, a Dallas-based expert in workplace technology that specializes in integrating off-the-shelf management systems. Company officials expect the transaction to close next month, subject to customary closing conditions.

After the financial crisis of 2008, top executives went looking for places to cut costs, and corporate real estate seemed like a good target. Furthermore, new and powerful analytic tools made it possible to discover inefficiencies in facilities management and design more productive workplaces.

However, in terms of cutting costs and finding inefficiencies, “a lot of low-hanging fruit has already been picked,” JLL's John Forrest, chief executive officer, corporate solutions, tells GlobeSt.com. “The next phase of productivity gains will have to be driven by technology innovation. JLL has always been a leader in using CRE technology to deliver real estate solutions to clients. We are taking that to a whole new level.”