Technology companies are expanding specialized laboratory infrastructure to support artificial intelligence, hardware development, semiconductor research, and other advanced technologies, but many lack the utilization data needed to plan and manage those spaces effectively.
New benchmarking data from commercial real estate services firm JLL shows that 91 percent of surveyed technology companies track office utilization, while only 32 percent monitor utilization in technical spaces. Just 17 percent track the use of critical assets such as IT racks and workstations.
The gap can make it difficult for organizations to identify capacity constraints, underused areas, or opportunities to reconfigure space before approving new construction, renovations, or equipment purchases.
Technical spaces require different metrics
Technology laboratories account for 13.9 million square feet within JLL’s occupancy planning and management portfolio, representing 13 percent of the total managed area. JLL identified five broad laboratory categories with distinct infrastructure needs: artificial intelligence and machine learning labs, hardware and equipment labs, semiconductor design and R&D facilities, quantum computing facilities, and game development labs.
Unlike offices, where organizations often measure attendance or workstation occupancy, laboratories revolve around equipment, infrastructure, and workflows. An unoccupied laboratory bench does not necessarily indicate unused capacity if equipment is running unattended, undergoing maintenance, or supporting work elsewhere in the facility. Utilization assessments therefore need to account for both physical space and the assets housed within it.
Infrastructure and replacement cycles also vary substantially among laboratory types. JLL reported that artificial intelligence and machine learning labs can face computing hardware refresh cycles of two to three years. Quantum computing facilities, by comparison, require specialized infrastructure with high upfront costs, long lead times, and limited flexibility once installed.
Interest in technical-space data is increasing
JLL’s broader 2026 Global Occupancy Planning Benchmark Report drew from 84 organizations representing 716 million square feet across several global regions. The report defines technical spaces broadly to include laboratories, manufacturing and distribution facilities, warehouses, data centers, secure facilities, and other specialized environments.
Participation in technical-space utilization tracking increased from five percent to 26 percent over one year, according to the report. Across 51 accounts supported by JLL Occupancy Planning & Management, technical spaces represented nearly 23 percent of all managed space. Respondents reported actual technical-space utilization of 45 percent against a target of 72 percent.
Because those figures combine several types of technical environments, they should not be interpreted as laboratory-only utilization rates. However, the data indicates growing interest in applying more formal occupancy and asset-management practices beyond traditional office space.
What the findings mean for lab managers
For lab managers, the findings highlight the importance of defining what utilization means before collecting data. Useful measures might include instrument operating time, booking patterns, workflow bottlenecks, maintenance downtime, environmental requirements, and demand during peak periods, rather than relying solely on room occupancy.
JLL also expects future technology laboratories to incorporate more automation, robotics, and sensor-based monitoring. Those systems can affect equipment footprints, maintenance clearances, utility demands, data infrastructure, and cooling requirements. Planning for those needs during the design stage can reduce the need for later modifications, according to the firm.
The report reflects JLL’s portfolio and survey participants rather than the laboratory sector as a whole. Even so, the findings underscore the value of reliable utilization data when organizations make decisions about laboratory space, equipment, and infrastructure.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
